Thread: Acids for removing oxididation?

I was reading about metal oxidation recently (black oxidation spots on some of the restos I'm undertaking are my nemesis, not rust. I want them gone and don't want to sand them out) and came across a few places that said that specifically hydrochloric and oxalic acids chemically react with oxidation on steel essentially neutralizing it and cleaning it off.

Has anyone tried this? Josh Earl is purposely acid etching some of his blades which from the photos seems to GIVE an patterned oxidized look. I want no oxidation. I think I can get some oxalic acid easily but want to know if it could really be the wipe on wipe off oxidizer remover.

I have some old wedges that I can polish to a mirror shine on the buffer or in the corn cob with chrome ox, but as many of you are familiar, no matter how utterly polished and mirror I can get those blades, there are still the black, gun metal gray random "splashes" of oxidation that won't go away.

Any thoughts before I start to experiment?

Chris L

I've used oxalic on bicycle parts and it works like a charm. Its not the same as razor steel, but it worked for me in that situation.

Originally Posted by BigMallard

I've used oxalic on bicycle parts and it works like a charm. Its not the same as razor steel, but it worked for me in that situation.

I know it's also used to get the grime off wood (decks and such). Did you use it "full strength" on the bike parts? Did you just wipe it on and off rather than soak it in the acid?

Chris L

I used the recommended strength and soaked them for five minutes. Most of the parts were chromed steel, I don't know how it would react with the steel in the razors. I guess that a 5.00 eBay or garage sale find is in store for this experiment

I'll be interested to see how this works. I seem to remember some guys using rust-removal products to produce an etch on carbon steel, so it might have some unexpected effects. Experiments are fun.

Josh

I was shown a technique for etching from a guy named Dave Martell. He owns a sharpening business that specializes in Japanese steeled and styled knives. He uses an etching solution that can be found at Radio Shack, and has awesome results on high-end Damascus knives.

Here is the website.

http://www.japaneseknifesharpening.c...edamascus.html

Sorry to get off topic.