Rust-no-more?

I was just at the Lee Valley website putting together a shopping list of things to get for a restoration I'm planning when I came across these:

The first one is a bag specially coated to inhibit rust formation for up to 2 years. Great invention or just an expensive alternative to a ziplock and oil?

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...55&cat=1,43326

The second item looks to be a non-corrosive alternative to Naval jelly - a product claiming to eat rust while leaving the metal alone - greatest innovation for those of us developing arthritis from hand sanding razors, or just another version of a product not suitable for razors.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...71&cat=1,43456

So, thoughts gentlemen?

Mark

Well, you're right about the first one... expensive bags that probably work as advertised. I've found Lee Valley to be pretty honest about their descriptions but a few items they carry aren't quite as good as they make them out to be.

The Evapo-rust looks interesting, I may just pop in to my local Lee Valley and pick up a quart to see what it really can do. I have 3 or 4 junk razors that won't be worth the effort to restore and one that is but I just have not found the energy to have at it... If I give it a shot I'll be sure to post back how it went.

Regards

Christian

I'd be really interested to see if this Evapo-rust stuff really works. Even if it only removes the bulk of the rust, it could save some hours worth of manual labour. If you do end up trying this stuff out, I'd be really interested in seeing your review!

Mark

Thanks for bumping the post... I'll make a point of stopping by Lee Valley tomorrow and see if they have a quart in stock... I think I have a Torry razor here somewhere with some wicked patches of rust... The blade was shortened by at least 1/2" so I'm not worried about how it turns out but it should be a good challenge for this stuff. Now, if only I get myself to bother to set up the camera and lighting... I did this stuff professionally 20+ years ago, now the only camera in the house is a cheapo Cannon point and shoot that I gave the wife so we would at least have one camera... I kind of miss my Sinar Professional 5" x 7" view camera sometimes. :)

Regards

Christian

Perhaps this thread should have been posted in the razor restoration section but oh well. I picked up a quart/liter of Evapo-Rust today at Lee Valley. I was a bit confused when a search did not locate it in their system but I eventually found it in the gardening catalog.:hmmm:

I poured some in a small plastic container and it was water thin, water clear and had no particular smell that I could detect. I placed the entire razor, scales and all in the solution and I'll leave it there for 24 hrs. I could not help but notice a warning on the bottle: "Dull tools may become sharp after cleaning!" I don't think I'll shave test this puppy without going to the hones first, that's for sure! :D

Anyway, here are the before pictures... warning, it's not a pretty sight! :p

So now we wait.

Christian

If keeping rust off is your goal, I can't recommend Militec1 strongly enough. You bake it on with low heat (like a hairdryer) and then wipe off the excess, doesn't make your blade oily or nasty. I keep it on all my metal tools.

http://www.militec1.com/

note: I am not in any way affiliated with this company, not paid to plug their stuff, just used it and was really impressed. I put it on all my razors, knives, guns, etc.

Anyone else use this stuff?

Thanks a bunch, Christian! Really good of you to put this to the test! I'm really excited to see how this turns out!

Thanks again for taking one for the team.

Mark

Me too. I am always fighting the rust monster

There are a number of chemicals under various names that "reverse" the rusting process, or at least take off the existing rust. The problem is that you are left with pits and surface irregularity where the rust once was. so you'll probably want to sand it smooth anyway.

Electrolysis works the same way, and probably cheaper since your using household items. Basically electrolysis is a "method of separating chemically bonded elements and compounds by passing an electric current through them".

And in our case it would mean removing rust from steel by emersing the razor in a solution of water and baking soda then applying an electric current to the bath of solution. I've never used it on a razor, but have done car parts with a 20 gallon barrel set up. Really, very simple.

http://www.ighunters.net/metal/electrolysis/equip.htm

This website is a good simple electrolysis set up, but you can make as big a tank as you want if you have enough power, like a car battery charger, etc.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Russel Baldridge

There are a number of chemicals under various names that "reverse" the rusting process, or at least take off the existing rust. The problem is that you are left with pits and surface irregularity where the rust once was. so you'll probably want to sand it smooth anyway.

---

That was my thought also, you would still need to polish that razor....

I'm using Tuf-Glide on my restorations. Especially the ones I sell. Its great stuff and there is no rust on any of my stable.

Sorry I didn't get a chance to post this yesterday but here are the shots after a 24 hr soak, but before I show you the pictures, here are my thoughts.

Yes, the product works as advertised.

No, I don't think it would save any time if
one is restoring the blade, including removing the
pitting.

I thought perhaps it might clear out the pivot area
without having to remove the scales, it doesn't. If
you look at the last picture, the tail of the tang was
uncovered but from just before the pivot point to the
heel of the blade it was loosely covered by mop.

Personally I was hoping that this might be a good way
to deal with staining of a blade, I have a couple where
you polish and polish but the stains keep coming back
when using the razors... I don't think this product will help.

So, here's the after pix, I've washed the blade and scrubbed it with a toothbrush and some dish detergent but nothing else.

Well, at least that's good to know - what would you recommend this for? Garden tools and such?

Thanks for going out on a limb and giving this a try - much appreciated and very informative!

Mark

I saw the link on here for the electrolosys, and had to try it...
I used 2 razors that I had that were both rusted beyond recognition...
and allowed them to sit in the electrolosys bath for about an hour, and the effects were amazing.
I didn't take pictures, but I'll try again later and get pictures...
the electrolosys bath saved me an hour or more of sanding, and exposed enough of the blade for me to identify the brand, as well as any serious flaws that would prevent me from wasting my time trying to restore them.

Very cool, Mike - pictures would be wonderful...this seems to be a much less expensive alternative, and while it doesn't eliminate sanding, at least you can get a good view of the razor with little to no effort.

Thanks again!

Mark

I forgot to take a before picture, but here's the after and a razor out of the same box...
They both looked worse than the one that is still rusty...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...f/S5300417.jpg

Do you have a link for the electrolysis ? thats got my curiosity going :)

thanks ... Garry

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Russel Baldridge

There are a number of chemicals under various names that "reverse" the rusting process, or at least take off the existing rust. The problem is that you are left with pits and surface irregularity where the rust once was. so you'll probably want to sand it smooth anyway.

Electrolysis works the same way, and probably cheaper since your using household items. Basically electrolysis is a "method of separating chemically bonded elements and compounds by passing an electric current through them".

And in our case it would mean removing rust from steel by emersing the razor in a solution of water and baking soda then applying an electric current to the bath of solution. I've never used it on a razor, but have done car parts with a 20 gallon barrel set up. Really, very simple.

http://www.ighunters.net/metal/electrolysis/equip.htm

This website is a good simple electrolysis set up, but you can make as big a tank as you want if you have enough power, like a car battery charger, etc.

---

Here you go!

Mark

Thanks for that .. I'm pretty impressed with the results of the little coins

I might try it If I have an old transformer lurking around ..

I also purchased a jug of evapo-rust.

The rust doesn't disappear from the blade but it certainly releases.

Process:
soak for a few hours
rub with an aggressive polish - I'm using meguiars 85 diamond cut polish
a couple of qiuck passes with the dremel and .5 micron chromium bar

then back in to soak.

4 or 5 passes and I've got a satin finish blade that needs sanding and polishing but has no rust.

Not a miracle but much much easier on the hands and no fumes or toxic chemicals to worry about.

This is definitely an improvement over just hand sanding out the rut.

I haven't tried naval jelly yet so I don't know whetherr phosphoric acid will do a better job and is worth the mess.

- Bob

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Russel Baldridge

http://www.ighunters.net/metal/electrolysis/equip.htm

---

Just an FYI.

This link says to use a stainless steel fork/spoon as it will disintegrate slower, but a lot of the google'd links I've read say that using stainless makes the water solution toxic/illegal to dump.

I don't get a pic of Mike Ratliff's razor. Is it there and I don't see it?
I am VERY interested in the electrolysis
The bags, from the first post, work well. I keep guns and knives in them. Come in all sizes...EVEN Rifle

I just want to ad that I've used evapo-rust to remove rust from my 1961 lambretta. It basically does no harm to the paint while removing the rust. It may be a good alternative if you do not want to worry about toxic chemicals, as you can pour this in the yard. It works by a process called chelation, and may be of benefit if other methods are dangerous to your scales, (ie. naval jelly will take off all that pretty original paint).

aaron

--the whole side panel was dipped in a large flat container of evapo-rust--

before
http://bp3.blogger.com/_GhYWIu_rwTo/...0/IMG_1067.JPG

after
http://bp1.blogger.com/_GhYWIu_rwTo/...0/IMG_1214.JPG

Yeah, I would DEFINITELY recommend doing some research on the electrolysis process BEFORE trying it. It's a chemical/electrical process that needs to be understood THOROUGHLY.

I've used on car parts with good results, and I didn't use stainless steel for the anodes, i used iron.

DO THIS OUTSIDE, you'll see it bubble as it's working, I'm pretty sure this is hydrogen gas, not lethal in these doses BUT NOT GOOD either.

Oh, and I'm starting a thread in the restoration section for electrolysis if anyone wants to move over there.