Good day all! I’ve recently been gifted a couple boxes of hollows, rounds and carving chisels. Unfortunately they’ve been kept in a very damp, unconditioned garage for years, if not decades. While the handles and plane bodies are in good condition, the steel irons and gouges are coated in surface rust. Can I simply run them across a wire wheel and call it good? Or is there a better, more preferred way? Thanks for your help.
Blake
Replies
There should be lots of different opinions/options coming on this question. I would keep the wire wheel away from the cutting edges of the tools, as it can erode the edges. For the plane irons, I would start with sandpaper on the flat side, staying away from the edge, and then use a coarse sharpening stone with lube for the final removal. I've just de-rusted a bunch of my carving chisels, and used 150 or 220 grit sandpaper everywhere except the bevels, where I used stones.
Lucky you to receive the tools!
Thanks for the reply. Sounds easy enough. Ya, I was directed to a journeyman's box in the corner and couldn't believe my eyes when I opened it. Executor told me I could have them as long as I used them. No problem there.
If it's just surface rust I would not be so aggressive as to use a wire wheel. There are many articles on removing surface rust with everything from Coke a Cola to vinegar solutions not to mention many commercial products. I know BoeShield has a rust remover solution I have used with success in the past as does Flintz who makes a great metal polish. They are all essentially mild acid solutions and work to chemically breakdown the iron oxide molecules while doing no damage to the metal itself.
I like the Sandflex rubberized rust erasers. I use the medium mostly. It gets rid of surface rust. You really don't need to make all the metal shiny.
Once it's clean enough, sharpen them.
The hollows and rounds will need work, for sure. Seat the cleaned up but unsharpened iron, and check the sole AND the two sides to see if they are flat. If they aren't, you'll need to flattenthem before they can work. Then you can sharpen them, so the irons will match the sole.
Sandflex rubberized rust erasers work for me too. I follow that with some stone work if there are trouble spots. Then I work on flattening the back side of the bevel with diamond pads and fine stones. Finally, I work on the bevel. Making the bevel match the wood in the hollows and rounds may take some time.
My approach is to try the least aggressive approaches first, i.e., those least likely to damage the tool. Remove as much as possible without changing the surface. The acid-type removers all work, but etch the surface while removng rust.
Recently, I have used Evaporust with success on several vintage, collectible quality planes.
A white Scotchbrite pad would be the next step; this is low in abrasiveness, and you will need to find it at a woodworking store; the bog box stores won't know what you are talking about.
Remember that patience is the first requirement.
I second this approach. Evaporust is the safest rust removal method, along with electrolysis, but much easier.
There are a number of products for removing rust. Phosphoric acid is in many of them. You can find some of these in your auto parts store in the auto body section. For mild rust like you describe, I have good results with white vinegar. Make sure they are free of grease and oil and then soak them in the vinegar straight from the bottle. Soak over night or longer if needed. Use a stiff brush on them from time to time during the soak. Rinse them off in a solution of water and baking soda to neutralize the vinegar. Rinse again in plain water, dry and then sharpen.
For more severe rust, I suggest electrolysis. There are several articles on the net on how to do it. It is not difficult but, requires more equipment and preparation.
I have hunted old tools for decades. Someone might be able to accuse me of being a collector but they were all acquired to use. There is nothing worse than finding a old tool at a flea market or someplace that has been cleaned up with a wire wheel. It's kind of like finding a bottle of Napolion brandy and drinking the brandy thinking the bottle was worth something! If I get a very rusty tool I stick it in a bucket with penetrating oil and let it sit for a while, like a day or two or a year if I get distracted. I brush it clean, blow it off with compressed air if it's a plane or something with parts. I usually go at it then with wet dry paper (like on glass) or a fine brass brush. What grit? All of them! I'll resoak it in oil if necessary and repeat. Pitting can be a problem on chisels or plane irons if the pits interfer with the cutting edge and deep pits can take a long time it hone out . I don't like the chemical cleaners. They do convert the iron oxide to a benign iron sulfide but they tend to blacken the metal. Sometimes I'll polish them with a cloth wheel with buffing compound.
+1 on the Sandflex blocks.
You can do a final polishing with rouge.
As a starting point, Scotch-Brite Maroon 7447 pads and WD-40 has worked well for me. If that doesn't work I usually go to silicone carbide 600 paper and WD40.
Vinegar works great. If you have a grinder buy a spindle and a cotton or wool buff and use jeweler's rouge or grey bar. Then re-sharpen using whatever method you are most comfortable with. I use glass plates with paper (Peachtree sells a pre made pack) with camellia oil. Then I use a leather strop with white or green rouge. But I am a little OCD and you shave with my chisels and plane blades.
I'd do what @pantalones... does if I had the patience, but I don't. I would use WD40 or CRC on fine steel wool and call it good. I'm not fussed if my tools have a few patches or marks on them provided the bit that does the cutting is razor sharp.
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