Iron cleaning advice

Choatecav · Feb 16, 2022

I just bought an Equinox 600 to get back into this hobby. I did a little detecting about 30 years ago, but I consider myself a newbie.

While most of the youtube videos and forum post view iron finds as anathema, I am doing a lot of searching on my old family homeplace which was built in 1856 and finding old iron items (not nails and trash, ha) are of interest to me as they were used/lost or cast off by my ancestors.

So, do any of you have suggestions on how to clean and prep iron items like tools, horseshoes, etc??
Most of what I see pertains to coins, copper and brass.

thanks,
Mark

Foragist · Feb 17, 2022

I haven't done it yet myself, but electrolysis is very good for cleaning the rust off iron objects. It's not too difficult to make a setup at home. Lots of info out there online about it.
Muriatic acid eats up rust too, but that stuff is dangerously potent!
Ultrasonic tanks can remove rust, but it has to run a long time for significant de-crusting.
Hammering, followed by wire brush and garden hose can clean stuff up. Hot, sudsy water is even better.
Sand blasting (or blasting with other media) looks like a lot of fun...if you have the right equipment.
Of course, a good hot fire will loosen up some rust too!
After cleaning an iron object, if you don't want it to start rusting right away, you have to treat it with something. Oils are fine for many things. Blueing compound works if you don't mind the item turning very dark colored. Primer and paint is an idea.
The best examples of restored iron objects I've seen have been preserved with wax. Renaissance wax is highly recommended.

Choatecav · Feb 17, 2022

Foragist said:
I haven't done it yet myself, but electrolysis is very good for cleaning the rust off iron objects. It's not too difficult to make a setup at home. Lots of info out there online about it.
Muriatic acid eats up rust too, but that stuff is dangerously potent!
Ultrasonic tanks can remove rust, but it has to run a long time for significant de-crusting.
Hammering, followed by wire brush and garden hose can clean stuff up. Hot, sudsy water is even better.
Sand blasting (or blasting with other media) looks like a lot of fun...if you have the right equipment.
Of course, a good hot fire will loosen up some rust too!
After cleaning an iron object, if you don't want it to start rusting right away, you have to treat it with something. Oils are fine for many things. Blueing compound works if you don't mind the item turning very dark colored. Primer and paint is an idea.
The best examples of restored iron objects I've seen have been preserved with wax. Renaissance wax is highly recommended.

Thank you, very much!
Mark

T-Man · Feb 17, 2022

Wouldn't advice this method for anything fragile but I found out by accident that if you just allow iron to dry out really well and drop it concrete or smack it a hammer all the rust about falls right off. I've left rusty horseshoes and axe heads down my basement just sitting on a ledge and knocked it off accidently and 95% of the rust just flaked right off after hitting the concrete floor. These were heavily rusted pieces, I'm sure it won't do anything for surface rust.

EmuDetector · Feb 17, 2022

For large iron you can't beat electrolysis. I run it often, I have kind of a guide in the link below. But if you have any questions let me know. I've walked a few people here through it.

https://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=282366

Choatecav · Feb 18, 2022

EmuDetector said:
For large iron you can't beat electrolysis. I run it often, I have kind of a guide in the link below. But if you have any questions let me know. I've walked a few people here through it.

https://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=282366

Excellent suggestion. What do you use to "seal" the finished product in order to prevent further corrosion?

thanks
Mark

Bioheat1969 · Feb 18, 2022

I've used both bowling alley wax or orange oil, depending on whether I want a matte finish or a shiny finish.

EmuDetector · Feb 18, 2022

Choatecav said:
Excellent suggestion. What do you use to "seal" the finished product in order to prevent further corrosion?

thanks
Mark

I use a product called Gemplers. It's a paint, it will darken the metal a bit. But it keeps it clean.

hoser · Mar 2, 2022

I had several logging chains that were quite rusty. I saw on youtube a couple people put their chains in a bucket or container and filled it with white vinegar. Let them soak for about one to two weeks and you would be amazed at how they turned out. It would work just as well on other iron objects as well. Warning! If you try this method, wear rubber or vinyl gloves unless you don't mind yellow/orange hands for quite a while. :shock:

VA-REB · Mar 9, 2022

If you don’t want you do electrolysis, you can look into Evapo-Rust. I’ve had very good results with it.

Iron cleaning advice

Choatecav

New Member

Foragist

Choatecav

New Member

T-Man

Elite Member

EmuDetector

Choatecav

New Member

Bioheat1969

Senior Member

EmuDetector

hoser

VA-REB

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