Thread: A ? or 2 on Evapo-Rust.

just tried this rust dissolver gel a few days ago with good results. I like that it's a gel and I can apply it only to the rusty bits. Nice for scale on restorations and lightly etched blades. It took off all the stubborn black rust in about 10 minutes.

I grab a tall kitchen glass... tie the blade to a string, and the string to a pencil... hang the blade from the pencil resting across the top of the glass.

Once done, the glass goes in the dishwasher... good as new.

I had a very poor experience with Evapo Rust. I left it on a blade over night and it came out blackened:



It's almost as if it had been blued and it did nothing for the black rust in the pits on the blade.

From the Evapo Rust web site:
"Q) I get a black film on some parts after using EVAPO-RUSTTM. What is it and how do I remove it?
A) The black is carbon from the steel. Generally high carbon steel is used in making items that are flexible (e.g. springs, saw blades) High carbon steel and tool alloy steel items when de-rusted will have a darker appearance. Much of the carbon can be removed simply by wiping with a cloth."

The carbon on the blade did not wipe off, not much with polishing paste either. I had to use green rouge on my buffer to get the blade clean again.

Not to mention the possible effects of decarbonizing the steel a little.

I won't do that again.

Originally Posted by Hart

I had a very poor experience with Evapo Rust. I left it on a blade over night and it came out blackened:

It's almost as if it had been blued and it did nothing for the black rust in the pits on the blade.

From the Evapo Rust web site:
"Q) I get a black film on some parts after using EVAPO-RUSTTM. What is it and how do I remove it?
A) The black is carbon from the steel. Generally high carbon steel is used in making items that are flexible (e.g. springs, saw blades) High carbon steel and tool alloy steel items when de-rusted will have a darker appearance. Much of the carbon can be removed simply by wiping with a cloth."

The carbon on the blade did not wipe off, not much with polishing paste either. I had to use green rouge on my buffer to get the blade clean again.

Not to mention the possible effects of decarbonizing the steel a little.

I won't do that again.

I get the exact same blackening with the Evapo-Rust, and it literally just wipes off with 1000 grit sandpaper. After a first round with the 1k sandpaper, it's gets a scrub with toothbrush and toothpaste, then a good long round of sanding with the 1000 grit, then 2k, 3k, then 4k grits and I end up with a close to mirror finish.

Same experience with rubbing off for me, too... though I used a low grit sandpaper to try and get the rest of the blob off that EvapORust did not get off. (soaked one blade twice, 24 hours each, sanded, another 24 hours, sanded... this was a serious blob!)

I wonder what the difference was in the steel that caused Heart's stain from hell?

Originally Posted by Aldwyn

Same experience with rubbing off for me, too... though I used a low grit sandpaper to try and get the rest of the blob off that EvapORust did not get off. (soaked one blade twice, 24 hours each, sanded, another 24 hours, sanded... this was a serious blob!)

I wonder what the difference was in the steel that caused Heart's stain from hell?

Yes - same here, I've soaked a blade for 24 hours, gave it a major sanding and cleaning, then back into the solution for another 24-48 hours, and through the grits sanding, and have virtually got a mirror finish. I have a matcher pair of W&B 1/2 hollows, with the VR Crown stamp, the blades are mirror finished, and the brittle, dry, twinned horn scales are not soaking in Neatsfoot oil, will probably leave them there for a week, then the final grit polishing of the blades before I go insane trying to hone them...which I may in fact just send out...but the stuff works like a charm for me.

Originally Posted by Phrank

I get the exact same blackening with the Evapo-Rust, and it literally just wipes off with 1000 grit sandpaper. After a first round with the 1k sandpaper, it's gets a scrub with toothbrush and toothpaste, then a good long round of sanding with the 1000 grit, then 2k, 3k, then 4k grits and I end up with a close to mirror finish.

I wouldn't call the use of sandpaper "just wipes off"
Unfortunately it was an afterthought to try it when I had finished the blade. It wouldn't matter so much if I had started with the treatment, then the blackening could be dealt with over the normal course of restoration. There still is the fact that it did not remove the black rust from the pits and what effect the removal of carbon from the blade has. The amount is probably too small to matter but I still see it as a sort of "case softening"

Originally Posted by Hart

I wouldn't call the use of sandpaper "just wipes off"
Unfortunately it was an afterthought to try it when I had finished the blade. It wouldn't matter so much if I had started with the treatment, then the blackening could be dealt with over the normal course of restoration. There still is the fact that it did not remove the black rust from the pits and what effect the removal of carbon from the blade has. The amount is probably too small to matter but I still see it as a sort of "case softening"

Yes - it's all in the experimentation, I've managed to do 4 blades so far to completion...with two soaking in neatsfoot now, so I'm such a noobie at this I probably don't even qualify for the all the letters in, "noob"...I am looking forward to seeing how the old, dry, brittle scales do in the neatsfoot though.

Interesting, next blade I do I'm going to add in some of your experiences...thanks, great thread!

The gel I used didn't blacken the steel, it just dulled it a little. It works a lot faster too. Going to try it on an FBU with lots of rust to see how it does.

Originally Posted by Phrank

Yes - it's all in the experimentation, I've managed to do 4 blades so far to completion...with two soaking in neatsfoot now, so I'm such a noobie at this I probably don't even qualify for the all the letters in, "noob"...I am looking forward to seeing how the old, dry, brittle scales do in the neatsfoot though.

Interesting, next blade I do I'm going to add in some of your experiences...thanks, great thread!

I completely agree. Euclid440's old thread on Evapo-Rust was informative, but read a bit more like a review. This discussion has been very educational on the use of this stuff in regards to our narrow intended use. Keep it coming!

Tangent: is there a concentrated version? After pouring $850 of repairs into my car I paid $250 for 6yrs ago, I've decided to drive it till the wheels fall off! I'm gonna need to do something about the holes rusting their way through the underside of the frame, though. Evapo-Rust seemed like the easiest, no experience needed way to get rid of the rust before prevention efforts began. Can't soak the car in it, though. Lol.