Recommend a good Rust Remover & Oil

adrock1978

adrock1978

Joined
May 30, 2009
Messages
2,538
I have a large collection of knives from my youth that didnt get the care they needed. Some have surface rust, and some have minor pitting. I'm looking for a good rust remover I can soak these knives in, and then an oil I can use that will keep them protected for long intervals. I've recently obtained some higher quality knives (SW M6 and others) I'd like to use the oil on as well.

Someone recommended Oxalic Acid for the rust. Good, bad? Where the heck do I get it?
 
Don't use oxalic acid, or any other rust remover.
Soak the knives in WD 40 for several days, then wipe as much rust off as possible with rags. 0000 steel wool can be used (on steel parts only) to remove heavier rust.
Apply any good oil afterwards
 
I couldn't get the rust off of my Benchmade that I lost so I took it to my friends sad who is a Jeweler and he took care of me.:D
 
How about Naval Jelly? Is that any good for something that is heavily rusted? I have an old axe head that someone gave me that has a lot of rust on it?
 
on this, soak with WD-40 then use 000-0000 Steel wool then a thin coat of oil, i use mineral oil on all of mine and it works really well, food safe and really cheap:thumbup: Anything really abrasive and you will remove steel, i would just get rid of the active rust then oil and enjoy, call the rest patina, hey it adds character:D
ivan
 
dawsonbob said:
I was hoping to hear that Naval Jelly worked really well. If it did, I could save myself a ton of elbow grease.
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Dont get me wrong, it might work. I had a lot of rust on my BM and it didnt work for me. I lost my knife in the woods and found it a year later. It had lots of rust and severe pitting.
 
dawsonbob said:
I was hoping to hear that Naval Jelly worked really well. If it did, I could save myself a ton of elbow grease.
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Navel Jelly generally DOES work very well, and relatively quickly also. Can't explain why Goose350 didn't have better results other than what he's already posted. WD40's a very good (even excellent) product, but Navel Jelly's made for dissolving and removing rust. You should give it a go.

Rob
 
RobME said:
Navel Jelly generally DOES work very well, and relatively quickly also. Can't explain why Goose350 didn't have better results other than what he's already posted. WD40's a very good (even excellent) product, but Navel Jelly's made for dissolving and removing rust. You should give it a go.

Rob
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Now, that's what I was hoping to hear. Thanks, RobME; I'll give it a try.
 
WD-40 is just kerosene with some fragrance and propellant. It will get into the joints/pins and become gummy if you don't remove all of it.

You can try soaking all the knives in a bucket/pan of diesel fuel -that's the military solution.

If you really have deep rust, a penetrant oil like Kroil will work.

Follow-up with 0000 steel wool rub.
 
dawsonbob said:
Now, that's what I was hoping to hear. Thanks, RobME; I'll give it a try.
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Do you think they've (historically) had any problems with rust on the ships in the Navy? - If your answer is 'Yes' - now you know why it's called Navel Jelly. If you get it, just be sure to follow the directions carefully. Especially protect your eyes & skin.
 
Well, as I restore knives professionally I guess I know a little bit about what I'm talking about.
Naval Jelly can actually leach carbon from steel. This is a very bad thing for knife blades. It also etches steel. I wouldn't risk using it.
WD 40 is not just kerosene with fragrance, nor will it gum your knife up. At least it hasn't in close to 40 years of cutlery work and gunsmithing.
The safest thing to use is WD 40 and 0000 steel or bronze wool.
Bill
www.billdeshivs.com
 
Bill DeShivs said:
Well, as I restore knives professionally I guess I know a little bit about what I'm talking about.
Naval Jelly can actually leach carbon from steel. This is a very bad thing for knife blades. It also etches steel. I wouldn't risk using it.
WD 40 is not just kerosene with fragrance, nor will it gum your knife up. At least it hasn't in close to 40 years of cutlery work and gunsmithing.
The safest thing to use is WD 40 and 0000 steel or bronze wool.
Bill
www.billdeshivs.com
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Hi Bill, I'm not going to take issue with your experience or expertise. As a matter of fact, thank you for teaching me something that I wasn't aware of. I'm no expert so my 'knowledge' in this regard is 'imperfect'. Personally, none of my knives have rusted so I haven't used Navel Jelly on them - but - Navel Jelly does work for its intended purpose, right?

I mean... it does remove rust, doesn't it? As far as leaching carbon from steel... does this happen no matter the application time-frame? Is it an immediate reaction; does it happen even after only five or ten minutes, which is the setup time usually given in the directions? Or does the carbon leaching happen by misapplication of the product; leaving it on too long before it's washed off?

Either way, it's a question of doing the least harm, and if that's by using WD40 and a scouring pad then that's the way to go. Certainly, your advice is good, even excellent. I'm not challenging you (please understand that), but I am questioning you for my own edification (in as nice a way as I can). :)

So much of (what we do in) life is a matter of degree. For example, if I want to relax or get a little 'buzz' I might have a drink or two. More than that and I'm liable to get drunk, and even more still and I'll get sick. Drinking to the extreme and I might even die. Am I better off being sensible about (my) consumption of alcoholic beverages? or... Should I just not use them because they do damage?

I see you plate nickel. If your plating solution is out of balance you won't get good results. Maybe the nickel comes out brittle, or it's dull or even blackened - I mean - based on the 'nature' of the problem, the solution is different. In nickel plating... maybe you'll have to add acid, or brightener or even more nickel to the bath, depending upon what you see. Even the correct solution misapplied, can do damage. I don't know. I just try to deal with life as it presents itself - doing the least harm - which was your own bottom line I guess.

Light or moderate surface rust, you've given great advice, so... thank you, but if the rust is so deep or pervasive that a stronger solution is needed, I may still go with Navel Jelly. Lol, if the rust is that bad I may just replace it altogether. OTOH, in your business, restoring fine knives, I understand that you have to be careful, do the least harm, and take as much time as necessary.

Rob
 
I use things in my shop that I would never recommend inexperienced people use. That said, I won't recommend something that could potentially harm the user, or the knife.
Naval Jelly does remove rust. It is phosphoric acid. This acid attacks carbon in the thinnest pieces of steel (the edge) and it will also damage springs. The thinner and smaller the part, the greater potential for damage. The longer the applicatin, the greater potential for damage.
I use belt grinders, wire wheels, buffers, chemicals (yes, even phosphoric acid!) in my work- but the proper application of these items is paramount. Me recommending their use by inexperienced people would be akin to a doctor recommending self-surgery.
 
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