How to restore any rusty old tool to perfection. Cleaning rust and restoring metal in a carbon environment Metal rust restorer
The find must be protected from impacts and other loads. After removal from the ground, irreversible changes begin in the find. The method should be started within a few days. If this is not possible, then you can store it by creating the same conditions as in the ground. It is harmful to store in water, kerosene, or a dry place.
Immediately before using the method, you must remove the soil using alkali (“Mole”). To do this, fill the find with an alkali solution for 1 hour, then rinse with water. There is no need to use any brushes. Here and further we take care of our hands and eyes. Alkali is not compatible with Aluminum, Magnesium, Zinc.
Furnace and reactor
The reactor must be welded on all sides with a strong, reliable sealed seam. The plug should be secured with bolts that can be easily replaced. The plug does not need to be sealed. Optimal thickness reactor walls 2 mm for ordinary steel or 1 mm for stainless steel. The shape of the reactor should be such that the finds are located inside at the same, minimum possible, distance from the walls on all sides.
The carbon used is charcoal, crushed to granules the size of peas. Such coal produces a lot of dust, which is very harmful. Therefore, for large-scale work, it is better to use activated coconut carbon to filter water.
Boiling container
The boiling tank is a welded rectangular trough made of ordinary sheet steel with a lid and a tap for draining.
Algorithm
1. First warm-up
2. After heating, all rust is reduced to pure powdered iron. The color of the find should change from red to light gray. If the color is light gray, then you can proceed to step 3. If the color is black, this means that the rust has not been reduced to iron, but to iron II oxide. In this case, you need to take measures to increase the temperature and/or holding time and repeat step 1
3. The finds are placed in a boiling container and filled with alkali (Mole). Cooking time 30 minutes – 1 hour of active boiling. After cooling, drain the alkali and rinse the finds with running water without removing them from the container.
4. Wear rubber gloves. Prepare sandpaper, files, needle files, hacksaw blade, knife. Prepare running water. Under the influence of alkali, powdered iron turns into a gel. Using any of the listed tools, we smooth the gel on the surface of the find, like butter on bread. We carefully cut off the growths, open the holes, and clean the bushings. Rinse periodically with running water. This point allows you to save time and make plumbing work easier later, but it can only be done before the gel hardens. Usually, within an hour +/- after cooking, the gel hardens and in this case you need to immediately proceed to step 5. If the find has a complex shape and/or requires disassembly, proceed immediately to step 5.
5. Place the finds in a boiling container and fill with vinegar. Concentration: 3 bottles of 0.2 liters of vinegar essence per 5 liters of water. Acid is poured into water and not vice versa. Soak in vinegar for at least 1 hour. The color of the finds should change from gray to black with a purple tint.
6. Drain the vinegar, rinse the finds with water and refill with alkali. Leave for less than 1 hour, rinse with water, spread out the finds and dry. There is no need to rinse with water too thoroughly, as the remaining alkali on the finds will only protect them until the next heating in the oven. This point is needed only to ensure that the finds do not rust again.
7. Second warm-up
8. Locksmith work. After the second heating, areas of high-density iron powder turn into metallic iron, while areas of low-density iron powder do not turn into metallic iron. Plumbing work consists of removing powdered iron and leveling the recovered metallic iron. Often, soldering marks form at the site of the growths, which also need to be cut off. Most often, a large solder is formed next to the sink; in addition, the entire surface of the find can be covered with many small solders that need to be removed. In general, at this stage the item needs to be given its final appearance. Complex mechanisms need to be disassembled and each part processed separately. You need to work carefully, as the restored fragments at this stage have low hardness, and thin places, edges and edges can be broken under the pressure of a file. To normalize the reduced metal and transition to “ringing,” another heating is required, but the surfaces must be clean, white with a metallic sheen. If at this stage it is not possible to bring the find to final finishing appearance, then step 7 is repeated, and then the plumbing work continues. As steps 7-8 are repeated, the restored fragments harden, become “ringing” and firmly adhere to the surrounding metal. In the case of using electric welding, it is also necessary to repeat steps 7 – 8 for homogenization welded metal with the historical.
9. Final warm-up. After final heating, the find should acquire a bright white, dazzling color over its entire surface. To clean dust and obtain a uniform optical reflection, use a stainless steel nozzle with firm pressure or polish if necessary. If the find has a dark or uneven color over the entire surface, then step 9 must be repeated, taking measures to eliminate the lack of temperature and/or time.
10. Conservation. For preservation, I use a hot solution of paraffin in turpentine. I personally don’t like this preservative, because under it the finds take on a leaden color. Its big advantage is that it allows you to quickly pass quarantine.
11. Quarantine. The find is placed in dry room like a city apartment. If salts remain in the depths, then after 2 weeks a local spot of rich red color will appear on the surface of the find around a small crack or shell. Most often, this is observed in massive objects and is a consequence of a lack of temperature and/or time in step 9. If, at the stage between steps 9 and 10, water, splashes, drops of sweat come into contact with the find or it is affected high humidity air, then after 2 weeks a thin, not bright coating of red flowers will appear on the surface. In either of these two cases, steps 9 and 10 must be repeated.
12. Hardening, bluing, darkening, debugging of mechanisms, installation on wood
13. Repeat points 9 and 10 if necessary.
Offline granddad
Granddad
- Moscow city
Manufacturing a furnace for the restoration of iron in carbon environment
Small artifacts can be restored in an ordinary village brick oven which includes a small reactor, but for the restoration of blades and gun barrels, a home oven is a bit short. Sergei made a special furnace for a large reactor and showed the technology for its manufacture.
The design of the stove is exactly how I imagine it based on experience, without claims to be the only possible option.
The oven must provide long-term heating of the item up to 1000C. The optimal temperature range is 900-1000C. In the case of processing objects decorated with non-ferrous metals or having parts made of non-ferrous metals, the temperature must be lower than the melting point of the non-ferrous metal.
A pipe was taken to make the furnace large diameter. You can buy used. The length of the pipe is such that any gun or saber placed in the reactor can fit into it with supplies.
To improve draft and uniform heating of the long oven, three air ducts are installed.
I installed dampers on the nozzles, which make it possible to reduce draft and thereby increase the effective operating time of the stove without opening the damper to add firewood.
The main thing in any stove is good draft, which is ensured by a high straight pipe. The higher the pipe, the better the traction. The diameter of the pipe should not be less than 180 mm.
The grate and ash pan are an integral part of any furnace.
Suspensions for fastening the reactor.
Insulation of the furnace. Our furnace is not for heating, but for creating an optimally high temperature inside the furnace of 900-1000 degrees and heating the reactor placed in it. For achievement high temperatures We “insulate” the stove with mineral wool.
We also insulate the oven door and seal it.
The stove is ready, you can begin restoration.
The found gun of the 1812 model of a French soldier rather resembled a piece of pipe, and shapeless parts for it, which would very quickly begin to crumble in the air. We carefully removed from the ground everything that rings under the metal detector coil, and without cleaning it, we put it into the reactor along with the ground. We hang it on hangers. We load the stove with wood and set it on fire.
The gun after restoration.
Gun lock before restoration and after restoration.
How does the metal behave some time after such treatment? Won't it corrode intensely?
Rust spots may appear if you place wet artifacts in the reactor. After two weeks, spots appear. Also, if the item gets caught in the rain. Every drop of rain will leave a red coating. In any case, you need to use paraffin for preservation, since in some apartments the humidity is no less than in a barn. Local corrosion also appears due to insufficient heating temperature, especially if the object is massive and this applies to finds preserved with paraffin. I use this fact as a quality test. If you place a finished object preserved with paraffin in a damp shed, then pockets of corrosion will not appear at all if the transformations took place safely in the deep layers. In general, metal behaves a little more resistant than non-galvanized nails. Surprisingly, there are objects that do not rust at all even in a damp shed for six months.
For conservation, you can use bluing, which was described earlier on this site.
P.S. This method has been tested on many artifacts and has shown excellent results. Many things, even such miniature ones as needles and carnations from the time of Ivan the Terrible, were perfectly restored and restored their properties. You can still sew with needles. I want to thank Sergei for the story and good advice about the much-needed method of restoration.
Offline granddad
Granddad
- Moscow city
For restoration you will need an iron box with a bolted lid, crushed charcoal (on which we grill kebabs) and a rustic stove.
So, in order. The find, first of all, must be preserved in the form in which it was discovered, with pieces of earth, if you dug it up, and rust. There is no need to try to “forcibly” clean it from the soil or from flaking rust mechanically or in any other way.
If you catch an object from a pond, wrap it in bandages, like a mummy. This will prevent the metal from delaminating when drying.
IN iron box, let’s call it “reactor”, crushed charcoal, so that our iron objects do not come into contact with the walls of the reactor. We completely fill the reactor with coal, close it with a lid and place it in a heated oven on a bed of orange coals and cover it with firewood on all sides. pay attention to temperature regime, the “reactor” must be red-hot.
After about 2 hours, you need to remove the “reactor” from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Please note that only completely dried items are loaded into the reactor.
As a result of exposure of iron to air and other substances, it oxidizes. There is an electrical, chemical, electrochemical reaction, after which rust is formed. Various methods are used to clean rusty iron and further protect it.
Rust control methods
Iron corrosion damages industrial equipment and causes many losses. To prevent this from happening, you need to properly treat the surface with high-quality paint and varnish materials. The abrasion-resistant cleaning method is considered the most effective.
Prevent occurrence rust spots you can do it in 3 ways:
- Structural.
- Passive.
- Active.
To prevent corrosion, structural stainless steel. When equipment is designed, all parts are protected from the effects of a corrosive environment with adhesives, sealants, and elastic gaskets.
At active method affects the details electric field using equipment that feeds D.C.. To increase the electrode potential of iron products, a suitable voltage is selected.
Sometimes sacrificial anodes taken from more active elements are used; this method is called passive. Metal parts Helps protect the special anti-corrosion coating.
Oxygen corrosion occurs on tin-plated parts. Paint, enamel or polymers are used to protect exposed metal from water and air. Often steel is coated with tin, nickel, zinc, and chromium. The base material remains protected even after partial destruction of the protective layer. Zinc has a more negative potential, so it rusts first.
Tin cans are made from tin. When the tin layer is deformed, the iron quickly rusts, since the potential for such protection is more positive. The metal is protected from corrosion by chrome plating.
Zinc and magnesium have a more negative potential, making them excellent for coating metals. This method of protection is called cathodic; it prevents the development of a corrosive coating on many products. Zinc plates are installed on sea vessels, underground communications, other equipment to protect the hull.
An oxide film is formed on the zinc and magnesium layers, which inhibits the destructive process. If you add a little chromium to the steel, the products will be protected.
Thermal spraying is used to combat corrosion and helps restore various equipment. By using special equipment Another metal is applied to the surface, causing corrosion to occur slowly.
Metals that are to be used in an aggressive environment are treated with thermal diffusion zinc coating. This method provides greatest protection, the coating does not peel off or chip after impacts or deformation.
Metals are treated with cadmium, which protects well even in sea water. Cadmium is highly toxic and is therefore not used often.
Treatment with chemicals
Everyone understands why iron parts rust. We list the categories of chemical reagents that help get rid of corrosive formations:
- Rust converters.
- Acids.
Acids are solvents consisting of orthophosphates that help restore rusting products. The technology for using acid is simple. The metal must be cleaned of dirt and dust and treated with acid using a silicone brush.
The chemical interacts with the damaged surface for 30 minutes, after cleaning the product is wiped dry. The acid should not affect the skin, eyes, or mucous membranes, therefore, during such treatment it is necessary to wear special clothing. The orthophosphate mixture has the following advantages:
- Gentle effect on iron.
- Removing rusty deposits.
- Preventing new corrosion.
The entire surface of the metal product is treated with the converter. Active substances create a protective anti-corrosion layer that prevents its development.
Popular converters:
- Berner - for protecting bolts and nuts that are difficult to unscrew.
- BCH-1 neutralizes rust on damaged areas, wipe off with a regular rag.
- "Zinkor" cleans from corrosion and prevents further destruction.
- B-52 - a gel converter helps get rid of different types rusty spots.
- SF-1 - it is used to process cast iron, zinc, aluminum, it prolongs the service life of iron objects for a long time.
Most anti-corrosion compounds are made from toxic components, so you need to protect yourself with respirators, gloves, and goggles.
Application of anti-corrosion compounds
Rocket Chemical company supplies high-quality anti-corrosion products to the domestic market. We list the most popular products:
- Potent inhibitor. After treatment, iron objects do not rust for a year in an aggressive environment.
- Lithium grease – for protection and prevention. It is processed door hinges, iron cables, chains, different mechanisms. The protective layer is not washed off by rain.
- Silicone sealant covers metal products with plastic or rubber elements.
- Anti-corrosion spray - for treating hard-to-reach areas. The sprayer allows for deep penetration into various mechanisms. Prevents the recurrence of rusty plaque.
- The spray for removing rust stains is made from non-toxic elements. They use it to clean building materials, household appliances, knives, etc. – valid for 5 hours, after which the item is wiped or washed.
Iron is most resistant to corrosion in conditions of minimal humidity.
Folk remedies
You can clean metal using improvised materials:
- Lemon and vinegar help get rid of light plaque. The ingredients are mixed in equal proportions. After processing the iron, you need to wait 2 hours. Then wash off and wipe dry.
- Potatoes have a destructive effect on rusty plaque. Potatoes are cut, salted well, and applied to the spots. Oxidation products are washed off from products.
- Baking soda is highly effective. The powder is diluted with water until a thick mixture is formed. You need to wait 30 minutes, then wipe the surface dry and remove any remaining dirt.
It is not easy to treat rust so that the iron does not deteriorate. You will have to pay a lot of money for quality products. To achieve perfect result after cleaning, you will have to organize special conditions. Only large industrial enterprises can afford this.
Useful materials
Vinegar helps fight corrosion and removes brown deposits. It can be used to clean a coin, a knife blade, a key, or jewelry.
Lime and salt are the most effective combination. The product is processed with juice, salted, and peeled with lime peel.
Oxalic acid is an aggressive agent, the vapors released as a result chemical reaction, affect the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, so protection is necessary. The room is ventilated. The acid is dissolved in water, an object is placed there, and the plaque is removed with an old toothbrush.
In every home, among household utensils and interior items, there are materials, tools or parts made of metal. They are practical, wear-resistant, but sooner or later they corrode. How to prevent this process? How to treat metal so that it does not rust?
There are several methods that can extend the life of iron parts and objects. Most effective method– this is processing chemicals. These include inhibitor compounds that coat metal objects with a thin film. It is this that allows you to protect the product from destruction. Such drugs are often used for preventive purposes.
Let's look at the main methods to prevent corrosion:
- mechanical rust removal;
- chemical treatment;
- anti-corrosion substances;
- folk remedies for rust.
Mechanical cleaning
To perform mechanical anti-corrosion treatment manually, you need to purchase a metal brush or coarse abrasive sandpaper. Items can be processed dry or wet method. In the first option, the rust is usually scraped off, and in the second, the skin is wetted in a solution of white spirit or kerosene.
You can also mechanically clean rusting materials using hardware, such as:
- Bulgarian.
- Sander.
- Electric drill with a metal brush attachment.
- Sandblasting machine.
Undoubtedly, manually You can clean the surface more thoroughly. But it is applied to small areas. Hardware materials will speed up the workflow, but they can also harm the parts. During processing, a large layer of metal will be removed. Most best option, which will carefully remove corrosion - sandblasting machine. Such equipment has its own small drawback - high cost.
When processing objects with sandblasting equipment, the metal surface is not ground down, but retains its structure. A powerful jet of sand gently removes rust.
Treatment with chemicals
Chemicals are divided into two groups:
- Acids (the most popular is phosphoric acid);
- Rust converters.
Acids often mean ordinary solvents. Some of them have an orthophosphorus composition, which allows you to restore rusting material. The method of using acid is quite simple: wipe the iron or metal from dust with a damp cloth, then remove any remaining moisture, apply a thin layer of acid to the object with a silicone brush.
The substance will react with the damaged surface, leave it for 30 minutes. When the part is cleaned, wipe the treated area with a dry cloth. Before use chemicals wear protective clothing against rust. During the work, take care that the composition does not get on you. open areas skin.
Orthophosphoric acid has a number of advantages over other compounds. It gently acts on metal objects, removes rust and prevents the emergence of new areas of infection.
Rust converters are applied to the entire metal surface, thereby forming a protective layer that will subsequently prevent corrosion of the entire item. After the composition has dried, you can open it with paint or varnish. Today the construction industry produces a large number of converters, the most popular of them are:
- Berner rust modifier. Designed for processing bolts and nuts that cannot be dismantled.
- Rust neutralizer VSN-1. Used on small areas. Neutralizes rusty areas, forming a gray film that can be easily wiped off with a dry cloth.
- Aerosol "Zinkor". The degreasing composition allows you to restore objects that are rusty, forms protective film on a surface.
- This is a fast-acting gel, does not spread, and removes all types of corrosion.
- Converter SF-1. Used for cast iron, galvanized, aluminum surfaces. Removes rust, after treatment protects the material, extends its service life up to 10 years.
Most anti-corrosion substances consist of toxic chemical compounds. Make sure you have a respirator. This way you will protect the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract from irritation.
Application of anti-corrosion compounds
One of the leading chemical companies Rocket Chemical offers a wide range of anti-corrosion products. But the most effective is considered to be a line of five substances:
- Long acting inhibitor. Treated with the substance hardware may be all year round on the street. At the same time, they are protected from any weather influences that provoke a corrosion process.
- Protective lithium grease. The material is applied to the surface to protect and prevent rusting. It is recommended for application to door hinges, chains, cables, and rack and pinion mechanisms. Forms a protective film that is not washed off by precipitation.
- Waterproof silicone grease. Thanks to its silicone composition, the lubricant is applied to metal surfaces with elements of plastic, vinyl and rubber. Dries quickly, forms a thin, transparent, non-sticky coating.
- Anti-rust spray. The drug is used to treat hard-to-reach places, intended for deep penetration, protects products from the reappearance of rust. Widely used for processing threaded connections and bolts from corrosion.
- A solution that removes corrosion stains. The solution contains non-toxic substances. It can be used for processing building materials, and various kitchen utensils. How to prevent a knife from rusting? Feel free to treat it with the solution, leave it for 5 hours, then wash it well with detergent. And the knife is ready for use again.
On video: WD-40 rust destroyer.
Folk remedies
What to do if chemicals allergies, and rust with metal objects need to be cleaned? Don't despair, there are plenty folk remedies, which are in no way inferior to factory-made drugs:
- Cilit is a product for cleaning plaque and rust in the bathroom and kitchen. This gel is often used for taps, mixers, if the knife becomes rusty, or other metal appliances. Also used to remove corrosion from any iron and metal products. But it should be remembered that it chemical composition may corrode the paint.
- A solution of kerosene and paraffin. It must be prepared in a ratio of 10:1. Leave to brew for a day. Afterwards we treat the items damaged by rust and leave for 12 hours. Finally, you need to clean the treated area with a dry cloth. This method is suitable for building materials and tools.
- Coca Cola against rust. Its alkaline composition eats away corrosive stains. To do this, immerse the item in a container of drink or dampen a rag. Leave for a day, then rinse the item under running water.
As you can see, nothing is impossible. Therefore, choose a more acceptable option for yourself in order to return your metal products to their original appearance.
Top 5 ways to remove rust (1 video)
Corrosion – main enemy everything that is metal - from a fence to a car body. The fact is that the corrosion process is irreversible, irreversibly destroying metal products. Therefore, it is so important to “intervene” in this process and stop it, which can be done with the help of a rust remover, or, as it is also called, a “rust converter.”
What is rust remover
Rust remover is a concentrate of chemically active substances that stop metal rusting and protect its surface from corrosion.
Basis of this product is orthophosphoric (phosphoric) acid (up to 48% depending on the manufacturer’s brand). Additionally, inhibitors are introduced into the product to make working with the drug more comfortable, because, as is known, this acid can burn the skin and destroy teeth.
Rust converter functions:
- “Eating” corrosion products and stopping subsequent rusting of the metal.
- Removes acid stains from products and coatings made of copper, brass, aluminum and other types of metal.
- Restores the porous surface of metal damaged by corrosion.
- Wets the metal surface well.
- Improves adhesion of primer and other coatings after treatment.
The concentrate is highly soluble in water, so it can be diluted to the required state. For example, if the rusting on the surface is minor, you should not use the product in a concentrated state.
How to use rust remover
Depending on the degree of rust and the type of metal that needs to be cleaned, rust remover is used in different concentrations. The exposure time of the drug applied to the scale also differs.
- Cleaning ferrous metals heavily damaged by corrosion.
To remove a thick layer of rust, you need to take part of the concentrate and dilute it in three parts of water. Mix thoroughly and apply with a stiff brush to the damaged metal or dip metal products with scale into the resulting solution. The exposure time in both cases is from 25 minutes to an hour.
After time has passed, cleaned surfaces and products must be thoroughly rinsed with water and dried completely. For better effect You can coat the treated surfaces with a moisture-displacing compound.
- Cleaning non-ferrous metals that are heavily damaged by corrosion.
To remove rust from non-ferrous metals, it is necessary to prepare a solution of rust remover and water in a ratio of 1/7 or 1/10, depending on the degree of scale damage to the metal.
Thoroughly treat products and surfaces with the prepared solution, leaving the product to act for 20-60 minutes. Then rinse thoroughly clean water treated surfaces and allow to dry completely.
- Cleaning ferrous metals slightly damaged by corrosion.
IN in this case the solution is prepared in the following proportion: one part of concentrate to 15-20 parts of water. Thoroughly mix and treat rusty products and metal surfaces. Leave to act for up to 40 minutes.
To speed up the process of cleaning metal from rust, the solution can be heated to 60 degrees, then use it for its intended purpose and wait half the standard exposure time.
At the end of the procedure, wash the products and surfaces with water, dry thoroughly and treat with a water-repellent composition.