Thread: Evapo-Rust

Hey anyone here use a product called Evapo-Rust? It is new out by me, I thought I might pass it along to others.

I am using it on a way gone Joseph Rodgers & Sons "The Master Razor #1" (engraved on the blade) wedge. Really a pity as it looks like it was never used. It has a sweet spine ground to a point and the blade is like a mirror. The problem is someone opened and closed the razor at the head of the spine and at the shank about a hundred years ago and never wiped it down. Over time it caused massive rust at the head of the spine and almost as much at the shank.

A dremel and Maas did little but polish the blade. Not even a dent into the rust. I was worried about using a wire wheel as the finish on it (the good spots) is so beautiful. My neighbor told me about Evapo-Rust. I un-pinned it and put it into a jar with it and it has been going to town on the blade for the past two days. I have pulled it out and polished it back to original finish a couple times just to see if it would mess up the blade and all is good. I would not use the stuff if you do not plan on un-pinning the scales. It leaves a water mark on the blade at the line of submersion. So you want to completely submerse the blade.

I would not recommend this for anything but the most far gone blades. I am not exactly sure what I will do with it once all the rust is gone. There is severe pitting at the head from what was already there under the rust. More of an experiment than anything. Maybe I will get it cleaned up as best as I can an use it as a daily shaver. It has a very beautiful blade on it. If it was mint I think it would have been a case piece.


-Brian

Any particular reason you only recommend it for far gone blades?
It looks fairly amazing!

Also; it is listed as safe for plastic/brass/others it seems some scales _might_ be able to survive a dip (although on that one it would doubtless be better to de-scale it first).

Were did you buy it?

I would guess it contains something like oxylic acid which just eats rust up. You can buy the acid itself and use it on badly rusted ferric metals and it will leave badly rusted metal like new. Just remember its eating into the blade too.

My wife suggested "Navel Jelly" she thought my face was funny after she said that...

Originally Posted by Geoff

Any particular reason you only recommend it for far gone blades?
It looks fairly amazing!

Also; it is listed as safe for plastic/brass/others it seems some scales _might_ be able to survive a dip (although on that one it would doubtless be better to de-scale it first).

Were did you buy it?

I got it at auto zone. Something like $8 for 32 fl. oz's. I put it into a little clear plastic water bottle and threw the blades in there (I have another in there as a test that does not have as much rust on it. little pock marks of rust that you could easily buff out. but the blade has been crazy honed out and is a perfect candidate for a re-grind or the waste basket).

Well I'm not recommending it for better blades just yet as I'm still in the experimental mode with it. So far so good though. It might be useful (if everything checks out) as a sort of pre-prep to clean up a blade before you start a full restore. It would save a lot of time buffing out a blade and avoid tempering marks from over buffing.

It says and I quote:

"Super-Safe Rust Remover"

I have taken the blade [Joseph Rodgers & Sons] out each day and did a light buff job just to see if the stuff was killing the blade (after a day in the solution the blade gets a light gray coating that buffs right off) and she is still looking purty outside of the major pitting from the rust spots. It says it contains no acids or solvents. Here's a link to the tech info:

http://www.evapo-rust.com/technical/



-Brian

Originally Posted by DwarvenChef

My wife suggested "Navel Jelly" she thought my face was funny after she said that...

I've used Naval Jelly before on old rusted blades... The results were very similar to that explained for the Evapo-Rust. It is an acid degradation of the blade as well.

http://www.shorechemical.com/Section...aval_jelly.htm

You do have to polish the plade afterwards and the pitting is still present.

The best way to work out the rust and pitting is to regrind, or sand the surface.... Which takes a LOT longer.....

C utz

Originally Posted by C utz

I've used Naval Jelly before on old rusted blades... The results were very similar to that explained for the Evapo-Rust. It is an acid degradation of the blade as well.

http://www.shorechemical.com/Section...aval_jelly.htm

You do have to polish the plade afterwards and the pitting is still present.

The best way to work out the rust and pitting is to regrind, or sand the surface.... Which takes a LOT longer.....

C utz

The rust is all gone. No sign it has done any damage to the blade (it says it's not acid and it is safe on steel). But lots of clean pitting from the original rust (free of rust though). Like I said it might be better as a prep tool. Seems to work fine.

Ok, I am rather proud of this one - and one of several razors I will be posting.

Just got this back from Joe C, one of two he honed for me - I did the resto but they were in incredible shape to begin with - this was one of the razors that I had problems with the scales, due to extreme discoloration - sanding fixed them, the blade is superb - sorry for the poor picts, working on that...

Yep......

That's the way I wish mine looked. It is such a beautiful blade. It looks like one of their top of the line razors. Are those re-scaled? Mine does not have that beveled edge on the scales.
I'll post the progression of restore. I could kick myself for not taking a photo of the blade with the rust on it. Man that was a sight to see (It looked like an old Chevy exhaust pipe). If you saw the way it looked then and compare it to the way it looks now after the Evapo-Rust treatment you would freak. Now it's time for those new Dremel bristle discs....

The back story behind this razor is interesting, PM and I will tell you about it - suffice it to say, I am pretty confident that these are the original scales, but there are several in the collection that have rounded scales, not beveled, so I think it was a purchase option. The angular grind of the toe and the spine make this really a very modern looking razor, very elegant, I think. When you clean your scales, if you sand them smell the residue or the scales themselves - if they smell strongly (stink) of sulphur they are original Vulcanite - at least that is what my research has led me to believe. If you want any more useless information, let me know.

I just got lucky and picked up a bunch of different styles of JR's that had never been touched, used or honed for that matter. I am cleaning them all up, i will post as I get them done in the general resto forum.

By the by, I have amateur reason to believe this razor dates from 1860-1890, probably prior to 1873 or thereabouts, just FYI. Oh, and it shaves dern nice.

K