Rust... It's Gotta Go And I'm Not Playing Around Here

[Joe Dirt]

Want to get rid of rust with minimum loss of material?

This is something I have been using for a different hobby that only recently occurred to me that it could be used on rusty knives.

Phosphoric acid.

This acid converts ferrous iron to iron phosphate.
I've used it on auto body work when it was impractical to cut the rust out and make a new panel and have recently been using it
on vintage lawnmower restorations.

It can be found at Lowe's under the Jasco brand for under 10 bucks for a quart. Look in the paint stripper isle.

This is fairly serious stuff so PLEASE USE SAFTY GOGLES at a minimum.

***DO NOT GET THIS STUFF ON BONE***

This Clearcut showed up at my door for under $10 including shipping.
It has the HARDEST snap and I have to keep my fingernails short to keep it from hurting my MANicure!
A lock on a knife?... I don't need no stinkin lock!
She's a daily driver now that she's clean.

..... Joe

Page 1
More pics coming directly.

[Joe Dirt]

More pics.

The bolster has been sanded in 320 and went straight to the buffer!
It honestly didn't take much work!

Hope this can be of help to someone.

..... Joe

[conslade]

Pretty impressive stuff you got there. The knife turned out great! Really like the way you finished it up! Niccce knife, too!

[biglmbass]

I would have never guessed something like that could be revived. Well done.

[Iron Hoarder]

I do the same with my old tools. I've got a big tub of acid. It does tend to blur the makers marks though.

[TripleF]

Very impressive Joe!!

[glennbad]

That's quite interesting, Joe. I'm going to have to play around with that some.

Thanks for the tip.

Glenn

[rangerbluedog]

someone here on AAPK once posted a poor man's version of this. Coca Cola has phosphoric acid in it. If you dip your knife in Coke (I prefer Pepsi) you can get the same effect, but it takes longer.

[chetr1200c]

you can drink that stuff

[just bob]

One thing I might suggest is using those travel toothbrush cases to soak knives in. You can plug the vent holes and they work well. I use them for linseed oil and let the knife soak overnight to loosen them up. You can strain the liquid and put it right back into the original container. Very little waste. They are also clear enough to monitor the liquid level.

[cooker]

My grandfather and uncles used to take a large onion and stick
the rusty blades of their carbon knives into the onion up to the
hilt.By the next morning the acid in the onion would take off all
the rust.It must be the same acid.I have used this method many
times and it works.
I am going to try your method. That knife came out great!!

[jerryd6818]

An onion, huh? I'm going to have to try that.