How To: Rust removal

[Alastair Thomas]

This is a much discussed topic already. For anyone interested in trying various methods I recommend "The Olympics of Rust Removal" by Tubal Cane on YouTube.
My preferred method is the one used by most of us i.e. a solution of 1 part Molasses to 6 parts water. Immerse the item and leave for two weeks.
The reason why I raise this old chestnut once more is that I an amazed at the number of people who just do not believe it works, so, to liven up the boredom of the COVID-19 lock down, I retrieved two identical rusty brackets that have been lying about my garage for 35 years and gave the treatment to one of them. The attached picture shows the transformation after four weeks
Alastair
F60S LAAT
Lynx I MkIII*

[The Bedford Boys]

I've tried Molasses before and it does work well. However, being an impatient millennial, I bought a small tub of Oxalic acid from Bunnings and mixed a batch up in a bucket. I threw in a pile of rusty bits of a motorcycle I'm restoring and it stripped the rust overnight. Much quicker and cleaner than molasses.

[jack neville]

Electrolysis for me. No stink, no mess and overnight results.

[David Herbert]

Speed isn't everything !
BECAUSE molasses is slow it gets into places that faster methods miss. For example it will penetrate where parts have rusted together or small holes that have filled with rust. Faster chemical methods including electrolysis concentrate on the most exposed bits and are much less good at deep holes etc.
I have seen a 2pdr gun that had turned into a crusty lump of rust. The breach block was present and with a couple of months in molasses all the parts could be dismantled. It was very pitted but the moving parts moved. I was very impressed as I had seen it as scrap.

David

[charlie fitton]

.......and a further benefit to the Molasses method is less damage to the base metals....

and no damage to brass

[Mike Kelly]

Have tried them all over many years , my favourite cleaner is Citric acid, I get it in 25kg bags , much cheaper that way. Downside is the solution must be kept at a warm to hot temperature for the process to be fast and effective. If the part is very dirty or oily a bath of caustic Soda first. Have dipped engine blocks in Citric , around here in dairying country the 200 litre plastic drums are numerous and cheap, cut them in half or lengthwise .

[Tony Smith]

Another option for smaller parts (it will work on much larger items, too, but the cost will be prohibitive) is a commercial product called Evapo-Rust.

Very effective, non-toxic, put your hands in it, pour it down the drain etc, but pricier than the other methods.