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Thread: Removing Pitting with Acid
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12-31-2009, 12:35 AM #1
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Thanked: 995Hydrochloric acid will etch the blade further. You won't see it with the naked eye but you will further pit the blade microscopically. It will lift away any of the loose rust by dissolving the oxides and it makes for a mostly clean surface but it will not removd pitting.
I suggest you also investigate "electrolytic rust removal". There are hundreds of sites on the net devoted to very simple and non toxic electro-chemical rust removal. These processes should not harm the surface by removing metal and they will not do anything about the pitting, but the rust will be gone gone gone. You will still need to apply some sort of rust preventer afterward, but it will look a lot cleaner.“Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power.” R.G.Ingersoll
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12-31-2009, 07:26 AM #2
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Thanked: 96You want a chemical that distinguishes shapes of macroscopic elements. You aren't going to find it. Good old fashioned abrasion is the only way I'm aware of to remove pitting.
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12-31-2009, 09:13 AM #3
HCL can cause steel to rust & create a nice antique look. Phosphoric acid will convert red rust to a black color. Neither is a solution to pitting... As above, ya gotta sand like the rest of us
Last edited by onimaru55; 12-31-2009 at 09:19 AM.
“The white gleam of swords, not the black ink of books, clears doubts and uncertainties and bleak outlooks.”
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12-31-2009, 09:17 AM #4
Oshie,
I wouldn't recommend using hydrochloric or nitric acids ro remove rust in pitting on straights.
Phosphoric acid based products (Naval jelly etc) have been used as rust 'neutralisers' on steel/iron, as the phosphate passivates the metal surface. I would not recommend these either for straights.
As has been said, abrasion to the bare metal is the way to go
Best of luck !
Have fun !
Best regards
Russ
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12-31-2009, 10:30 AM #5
Obviously you must be very careful when using acids. The oxidizer that was used in the missile system I worked on in the AF was nitrogen tetroxide or red fuming nitric acid. Concentrations as little as 5 ppm were capable of causing damage to the lungs.
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01-01-2010, 05:01 PM #6
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Thanked: 0I would like to thank everyone for all the info.
After hearing your comments, I think I'll stick to sand paper.
It takes some time but it sound like it's really the only option that works.
Oshie
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01-01-2010, 05:10 PM #7
I think the main problem is that the acid would get in the pits and make them deeper.