Removing Rust From Axes - Experiment+RESULTS

Zombiechopper said:
Naval Jelly is purpose built designed to do this. Dilute Ferric Chloride works extremely well also to gently remove rust and leave a very durable etch.

The food items are all mediocre by comparison for rust removal and quality of the finish they leave behind
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What do you mean by "durable etch"? I hear the term "etch" thrown around but I have no idea what it means.
 
I've previously read about diluted ferric chloride being used to "etch" or force a patina on a blade. The lower khukuri in this photo from C.S. Graves has a ferric chloride etch:

SamsherBonecutter20090127b_600.jpg

from bladeforums thread http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/900718-New-Khukri-Patina-question?highlight=ferric+chloride

Another bladeforums thread with related info:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/899903-Radio-Shack-ferric-dilute-or-use-straight
 
yes, by etch I mean patina, or oxide layer. The steel is 'pre-oxidized' to prevent rust but in a form much more stable than rust if that makes sense. By durable, I mean it doesn't just scratch off. It has some abrasion resistance. Ferric also gives a very nice even finish, way better than vinegar I have found. I've done some heads that were sand blasted first and you can get them looking just like parkerizing. Ferric Chloride has less smell than vinegar, does not require gloves to wear, and ten bucks worth will easily etch a dozen axes or more; whereas five bucks worth of vinegar is mostly spent on one rusty axe head. So in my mind, there is no comparison
 
That's good to know Zombie, thanks. I guess the scientific sounding name led me to assume it was expensive and toxic, but it sounds like that's not the case. Where can I get Ferric Chloride, and what form does it come in (liquid, powder)?
 
Thanks for running the experiment and sharing! I haven't used vinegar before but will now. In the past I just used lots of elbow grease and time, better to work smarter rather than harder!
 
Vinegar, while ok, is second to Milwaukee angle grinder with coarse wire brush. Need to have inhalation protection though, and if you do it in the basement have a filtration unit for the house.
 
trailmaker said:
That's good to know Zombie, thanks. I guess the scientific sounding name led me to assume it was expensive and toxic, but it sounds like that's not the case. Where can I get Ferric Chloride, and what form does it come in (liquid, powder)?
Click to expand...

It's most commonly found in electronics supply places as circuit board etchant in a liquid concentrate. I've seen crystals sold on ebay but never tried it that way. It has almost no fumes at all. Really nice to work with. I am also set up for parkerizing and I actually prefer to etch a head than parkerize. When I media blast a really pitted head, then acid etch it looks just like parkerizing. All the deep pits get oxide layer to stabilize and protect. It shows the heat treat lines really well.
 
Hi All! I have a Norlund Hudson hatchet head... covered in smooth rust. I would like to know if cleaning off the rust is a wise thing to do, as far as improving the value of the piece. Should I leave it as is.... or clean it? Thanks so much!!!! - wendy
 
Smooth (surface?) rust (ie the steel is not pitted?) will likely clean up easy with a vinegar soak, Scotch scouring pad scrub, or a drill mounted fine wire brush. Improving the value (ie the appearance) isn't going to change much except downward (with regard to museums, purists and collectors) if you really 'go to town' on this and try to make it look like new.
Whatever you do don't obliterate the stamp. Vintage Hudson Bays have been hot sellers for quite some time despite the fact that Norlund (if I understand correctly) never did make any of their own stuff and farmed it out to others.
 
Evapo-Rust works really good! You can pick it up at your local auto parts store.
 
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