Cleaning large items

seadog2 · Jan 12, 2007

A couple years ago I dug up what looks like a very old axe head. Not a typical axe head , it's more like the head of some hand tool that once was used for hand hewning wood beams. Anyway , it is heavily rusted on the surface although it is still strong underneath all the rust.How can I get this layer of rust off? After electricuting myself to near death last year with a mr.coffee machine I'm going to stay far away from any electrolosis-type method

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early_americana · Jan 15, 2007

i think you are what you are describing an 'adze'.

seadog2 · Jan 16, 2007

Well I looked at some photos of adze's on the web and this thing looks very different than an adze. I will eventually post a pic soon so we can get to the bottom of this mystery tool lol !!!

uprscdigger · Feb 5, 2007

Mr Coffee electrolysis? Where th HE double hockey sticks did U get that from? You ARE lucky to be alive! Anyway sounds like you have a large Iron object, Home electrolysis may not work for you. All the Dont clean it! stuff aside, do you want to clean it(see metal), or just stop the rust? The easiest, cheapest way to stop the rust is: knock off loose rust, DONT use metal tools, try a piece of wood etc., then remove as much as you can rubbing it with leather gloves, then soak it in oil. there are many ways to clean it, but you may loose much of the mass of the object in the process.

Scavenger · Feb 5, 2007

Hydrochloric acid usually sold as muriatic acid in building supply stores will do a very good job of removing iron oxide or rust. Just monitor it carefully so you stop the cleaning process at the rdight time and throughly rinse the item in water.

Poppy · Feb 6, 2007

did you try naval jelly? it works real well .......

Cleaning large items

seadog2

Junior Member

early_americana

seadog2

Junior Member

uprscdigger

New Member

Scavenger

Full Member

Poppy

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