Most handy men will already know about this but many women may not. Rust can easily be removed from small tools by electrolysis. You will need:
12 volt battery (the kind that goes on a lawnmower)
2 lengths of copper wire about 15-18 inches long.
1 gallon distilled water
1 Tbsp. washing soda (sodium carbonate) or a pH elevator from the pool supply section at Wal-Mart. (I use pH Plus, which is sodium carbonate)
a small piece of steel such as a large washer
a clean, 2 gallon plastic bucket
Two clothespins.
Pour distilled water into bucket. Add washing soda and stir until dissolved.
Securely attach each wire to a terminal on the battery.
Wrap the end of the wire that is attached to the NEGATIVE pole on the battery around the rusty tool.
Wrap the end of the wire that is attached to the POSITIVE pole to the piece of steel.
Use clothespins to attach wires to opposite sides of the bucket rim. THIS IS IMPORTANT. WIRES MUST NOT TOUCH EACH OTHER AT ANY TIME!!
Drop both rusty tool and steel washer into the sodium carbonate/water in the bucker.
Let sit several hours or overnight. Rust will be gone shortly.
WIRES WILL SPARK VIOLENTLY IF THEY TOUCH EACH OTHER. Touching both wires at the same time will not give you a shock UNLESS YOU LET THE WIRES TOUCH EACH OTHER. It will not hurt your tool to remain in the solution for an extended period of time. Once the rust is gone remove from the solution and dry it. Protect your tool from rusting again by spraying it with WD-40 before storing it. The sodium carbonate/water solution should last a long time. Washing soda (sodium carbonate) is not available in my small town but pH Plus is so this is what I use in my laundry.
I would not advise that method for use on pliers or any good tools. Iron can build up on good iron in the joint, but not make any difference on the rust. Rust is iron oxide and electrically neutral.
A safer and much easier method to deal with rust is to convert the iron oxide into extremely stable iron phosphate. There is phosphoric acid in Coke. Pour some of that over the tool or soak it in it, and the abrasive brownish rust will turn a smooth dark gray iron phosphate. THAT spot will never rust again. It works as deep as there are traces of iron oxide.
You can also get "Naval Jelly" from the hardware store. It's just jellied phosphoric acid and has been in use for de-rusting and rust-proofing for hundreds of years. Just smear a little bit of it onto rusty areas, and rinse with water after 15 to 20 minutes, or later.
If you need a lighter finish, for example for rust spots on chromed or galvanized metal, take a wad of aluminum foil and vigorously rub Coke or Naval Jelly onto that spot with it. It works really well on galvanized troughs, tubs, tanks and gate posts. Excess Naval Jelly or Coke can be washed off with water or left for the next rain to deal with it.
A 12-pack of 8 oz bottles, enough for a lifetime for you and 11 friends, is $48. I have never emptied a Naval Jelly bottle, but I have replaced an uncounted number of them, which I had lent to friends and neighbors.
I would not advise that method for use on pliers or any good tools. Iron can build up on good iron in the joint, but not make any difference on the rust. Rust is iron oxide and electrically neutral.
A safer and much easier method to deal with rust is to convert the iron oxide into extremely stable iron phosphate. There is phosphoric acid in Coke. Pour some of that over the tool or soak it in it, and the abrasive brownish rust will turn a smooth dark gray iron phosphate. THAT spot will never rust again. It works as deep as there are traces of iron oxide.
You can also get "Naval Jelly" from the hardware store. It's just jellied phosphoric acid and has been in use for de-rusting and rust-proofing for hundreds of years. Just smear a little bit of it onto rusty areas, and rinse with water after 15 to 20 minutes, or later.
If you need a lighter finish, for example for rust spots on chromed or galvanized metal, take a wad of aluminum foil and vigorously rub Coke or Naval Jelly onto that spot with it. It works really well on galvanized troughs, tubs, tanks and gate posts. Excess Naval Jelly or Coke can be washed off with water or left for the next rain to deal with it.
A 12-pack of 8 oz bottles, enough for a lifetime for you and 11 friends, is $48. I have never emptied a Naval Jelly bottle, but I have replaced an uncounted number of them, which I had lent to friends and neighbors.
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