What's a good way to get rid of rain surface rust on tools left outside

[ChairMan]

Is there any other?

[gregz]

I tried tarnX on brass. It says not for brass, and it sort of worked.

I always used navel jelly on my aluminum wheels after the clear wore off. I know they sell aluminum jelly, but it's just not as strong.

Greg

[Joe Mastroianni]

Had to look up 'thixotropic'.

Certain gels or fluids that are thick (viscous) under normal conditions flow (become thin, less viscous) over time when shaken, agitated, or otherwise stressed. They then take a fixed time to return to a more viscous state.

[Ripple Whine]

That PDF says to empty the toilet bowl of water.

How do they accomplish that?

[Ripple Whine]

The PDF says it "Removes rust, lime and organic deposits".

Clearly it removes rust - but HOW does it remove calcium oxide (aka lime) and what does it mean by organic deposits (other than carbohydrates)?

[Danny D.]

I have no idea, but googling, I see that phosphoric acid reacts with calcium oxide to form calcium phosphate and water.

So the question is really why would we want to convert toilet bowl limescale to toilet bowl calcium phosphate [Ca2(PO4)3].

Offhand, my guess is that mixing the acid plus the base, nets a salt which is (I'm guessing) soluble in water - hence easily cleaned.

Since my shower stall is VERY stained with hard water deposits, I might try it (but I generally use LimeAway) as a separate experiment for the team.

The MSDS for Lime Away says it's 2.5 to 10% Sulfamic Acid (CAS 5329-14-6).

I have never heard of Sulfamic Acid but Wikipedia says it's used to remove rust and lime by converting them to soluble calcium and iron salts.

I'm guessing that the phosphoric acid mixes with the lime to create a salt which is then washed away by dissolving in water.

[Danny D.]

Yes. The concrete turned whitish where the phosphoric acid landed after dripping off the table.

While pool acid is not recommended for hand tools (it pickles them but apparently makes the result MORE susceptible to rusting), it seems to work wonderfully for plastic tables.

Tomorrow I will experiment with the following on that rust and on the lime of my shower stall.

1. Vinegar (aka ketchup)
2. LimeAway (sulfamic acid)
3. Lemon juice (citric acid)
4. Coca cola (weak phosphoric acid)
5. Naval Jelly (strong phosphoric acid)
6. We already know muriatic acid works fantastically on table rust!

[Danny D.]

Googling, I find a recommendation at, of all places, "The Rust Store":

The MSDS for Evapo-Rust says absolutely nothing about what's in it:

As for how it works:

Apparently the synthetic chelating agent of Evapo-Rust removes the iron in iron oxide by creating a ferric sulfate complex, and sometimes there is a black residue from the carbon in the steel.

Googling some more, I find Evapo-Rust is "patent pending" by Harris International, so if we can find the patent, we can figure out what that synthetic chelating agent is.

The trademark was apparently registered by Daubert Cromwell, LLC in July 2009.

Googling also found "bio-rust" which may be the same thing.

BTW, some say molasses works the same way:

Which might be why the patent was apparently NOT GRANTED even though it was filed in 2000.

[Danny D.]

The apple cider and molasses solution doesn't seem to have worked:

[harry]

I always use WD40 on tools when I put them away. Especially ones I use infrequently. Good for garden tools too.

[harry]

The advantage of WD40 is you can quickly spray all surfaces in seconds. Even a pile of tools can be sprayed. OK on electric stuff as well. You can get it into all the crevices and holes easily.

[harry]

the oil

Well as I am in the UK many of these products are not available or have different names. However we do (unfortunately) have Coca Cola. I have heard it will remove rust. (Phosphoric acid,) The problem with acid treatments is it can affect cutting edges, especially on stuff like saws.

WD40 is much faster to apply than rubbing on oil. Some tools are meant to get wet (eg garden spades) WD40 has worked fine with me for years, just give stuff a quick waft when I put it away. I have a 5litre can of the stuff and a manual refillable aerosol. BTW, WD40 is made in the US.

You can make your own by mixing kerosine and lubricating oil too.

BTW you Yanks spell sulphur as sulfur. Why don'tyou spel phosphoric as fosforic?

[harry]

Plastic is porous. BTW why don't you spell it poros?

As in color (which should be colour)

[harry]

You're a funny old fashioned guy?

[harry]

No shit?

[Danny D.]

That's a good one for alt.english.usage to handle! :)

[Stormin Mormon]

That English phellow sure phinds phalt with every phreaking thing that us phrugal home repair pholks phinish with.

Christoffer A. Yung Phind mo bout Jezuz

(Redneck J man of Home Depot) .

That's a good one for alt.english.usage to handle! :)

[THE COLONEL]

What the hell is "rain surface rust," elephant arse?

[Arthur Cruz]

THE COLONEL wrote on %D

Surface rust from rain perhaps?

[THE COLONEL]

Pretty stupid way of puttin' it, pumpkin head.