Removing Deeper Rust from a Case Sod Buster?

R

RedLynx

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Aug 5, 2011
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Hi guys,

Decided to switch to my Case Sod Buster CV tomorrow. Got it out tonight and at first I thought a spider had somehow gotten in there and got cut in half. Seriously, each side had a few squiggly lines that looked like a spider that got on the wrong end of this thing somehow. :p Took a moment to realize it was rust. A cursory inspection with the fingernail and a bout of Flitz later and it seems sadly it goes deeper than surface rust. I usually coat this with mineral oil before I put it away so, not sure what happened. Anyway I know I could just buy another as they are inexpensive and I may end up doing that anyway, but I at least wanted to try my hand at removing this stuff. This is the first time rusting has gone beyond the surface for me. I was planning on getting some steel wool but I am not sure if I should get coarse or fine. I also hear it can ruin the shiny satin finish. Not a dealbreaker especially as this will be a good learning experience. I'd prefer to try steel wool but I wanted to hear from others with more experience.
 
I have had good results by soaking in white vinegar and rubbing down with 2500 wet&dry.



 
Might post a pic of your blade. Depending on how severe the rusting or pitting actually is, or where it's located on the blade, it might make a difference in how extreme you'll need to get, to fix it.

If it comes down to sanding, to get to the deeper rust or remove the pitting, the CV steel will sand easily and polishes up quickly, if not going too coarse with the sandpaper (wet/dry sandpaper at 400-grit or higher should handle it) and following with some fairly aggressive polishing/buffing compound. I've noticed that white or grey aluminum oxide buffing compound will polish CV very fast, when using it on a denim strop; even after sharpening on 320-grit paper or stones.

Bar Keepers Friend powder, mixed with water to a paste consistency and applied for 30 seconds or so, can quickly dissolve rust on a blade. The risk in using BKF is the acidity of it (oxalic acid), which itself can etch and discolor the steel. Need to rinse it off thoroughly, and don't leave it on the steel longer than about ~60 seconds. Vinegar used to the same effect should work also, as mentioned earlier; but it still needs to be cleaned up thoroughly, else it'll cause more rusting. Baking soda scrubbing works well for that, with a little water to make a paste. Keep scrubbing with as much as is needed, until the baking soda is no longer discolored red/brown, then rinse it all off. That's how I clean up blades on which I've used vinegar to force a patina (vinegar always generates a little bit of rust as well). In fact, you might try this first; the powdered baking soda can get down into the pits and dislodge at least some of the rust.


David
 
Last edited:
banksy said:
I have had good results by soaking in white vinegar and rubbing down with 2500 wet&dry.
Click to expand...

Any acid, like vinegar, would work. Back in the day I used to mess around in the chem lab and I found out acids dissolve rust no problem.
Metal_Oxides + Acids = Water + Metal_Precipitate

Just use a weak acid because acids are also used to patina steel; strong acids eat away at the metal much more aggressively to the point of damage.
 
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