Thread: Rust removal options

I just picked up my first straight at an antique mall today. The brand is ESTAS. Anyway the scales are shot but the blade seemed to be in great shape except for two rust spots on either side. I hit them with a little bit of rem oil since I've had good luck with it removing surface rust. It didn't work that great for this. I've read that most people go for either scrubbing bubbles or diluted clr. The blade has some nice gold etching so I just wanted some opinions on how to save the etching while removing the rust.

Start with a SE razor blade and Scrape the red rust off there (Carding)

Then see what is underneath, the red rust on top isn't the issue the pitting under there may be

If you can get a close up of both sides I can tell you more


DO NOT use chemicals ...

Here's a couple more pics

Yup, that’s cell rot. Test the edge and get those scales off. You have aggressive rust /rot on the edge and a bit of it will have to be removed to get to good steel that will hold a shaving edge.

As said a single edge razor blade or Exacto knife with the chisel type blade works well to cut the rust off.

Fine steel wool, 3 or 4000 and or some 600 grit wet & dry in small pieces backed by a coffee stir stick or pencil with an eraser work well for spot cleaning. But gold wash is thin and often, saving it is not worth the effort and results not as good as removing enough steel to get a flat surface.

Cell rot rust is deceptively destructive, how deep it goes you won’t know until you remove the surface rust to see the depth of pitting.
The bolsters and inlay can be saved and re-applied to new scales. There are tutorial here on removing and re-applying them, be careful they are very thin.

Better photos will help with further advice.

I wish I could, my digital camera is loaned out

Most of your gold wash is gone and not worth saving what is left.

Cut off the rust and see how bad the pitting is, but test the edge first. If it does not hold an edge, you want to know that, before you put in hours and hours of hand sanding.

Once you remove the scales do not store with other razors, it will eat them too.

It has a good edge on it, it still shaves. Once the scales are off they are getting thrown away.

Save the bolsters and inlay, Glen and 10pups have good videos on removing them.

Just soak in Acetone and slide them off.

I'll give it a shot

So I scraped all the rust off with a razor blade. What is left underneath are black/grey spots. The spots feel completely smooth to the touch. Can I just use metal polish to get the spots off or will I absolutely have to sand?