A cure for rusty old tools

AGS

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Feb 12, 2023
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Sticking them in a tub of vinegar for a day or two works better. The acetic acid eats all of the rust away leaving them looking all shiney and new.
 

Bikes4two

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Feb 21, 2020
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Sticking them in a tub of vinegar for a day or two works better. The acetic acid eats all of the rust away leaving them looking all shiney and new.
  • Electrolysis is supposed to do a good job of rust removal and for the fans of TV's 'Repair Shop', Dominic Chinea shows some good examples in this YT video HERE.
  • Each to their own but I won't be sticking my nuts in vinegar anytime soon.
 

Benjahmin

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Nov 10, 2014
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Got some chisels out of my van the other day, think they must have been put away wet.
Wrapped 'em in toilet paper and dripped white vinegar onto it, left it for 5or 6 hours. Toilet paper soaked up the disolved rust, a light rub with scotchbrite later and they were back in service.
 
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WheezyRider

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Apr 20, 2020
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WD40 isn't that good for freeing up rusted parts. A 50:50 mix of Acetone and automatic transmission fluid works much better.
 
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Croxden

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Jan 26, 2013
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This may prove useful for some old members, advice from (purportedly) the original WD40 ad from 1964.View attachment 50771
Slowly, it came to me that the top shelf magazines of the times ran spoof adverts. Remember the Pepsi one 'thirst quenching... I forget the words, but the spoof ad had 'gut rotting or some such. I bet this is one of those, I thought them funny at the time.
 

Bikes4two

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The power of advertising eh! And then there's the Hamlet cigar adverts brilliant and ideal if you can't loosen your..... no I won't go there again .
 

guerney

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Sep 7, 2021
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WD40 isn't that good for freeing up rusted parts. A 50:50 mix of Acetone and automatic transmission fluid works much better.
Sounds interesting, would a 50:50 Acetone and Hypoid 90 mix work? I'll have a go.
 

WheezyRider

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Apr 20, 2020
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Sounds interesting, would a 50:50 Acetone and Hypoid 90 mix work? I'll have a go.
I don't think so. Hypoid 90 is a fairly viscous mineral oil. ATF is very different stuff. If you don't have some, the next nearest thing is power steering fluid.
 
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