how to clean dies

[LUCKYDAWG13]

LGS has a few die sets that i would like but they have some light rust on them RCBS Carbide pistol dies
can the rust be cleaned off ?

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Try Evaporust. Harbor Freight and most hardware outlets carry it. It is very reliable and won't harm any of the metal on the dies. Works very well on bullet molds and tools. Can be reused many times before it becomes (black) exhausted depending on how much you have used it. LLS

[Nueces]

A few drops of WD-40 and some work with a soft stainless steel brush will take it off. The next time I'm faced with this sort of task, I think I'll try my stainless steel pin tumbler with one chunk at a time being inside, so the big bits don't dent each other.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

ok thanks

[Isaac]

A gun cleaning solvent with OOOO wool will work for light rust.

For heavier rust I generally use Kroil and a brass brush or the wool.

Isaac

[EDG]

That rust will often rub off with a piece of oily T shirt.

You can also use one of the plastic looking dishwashing abrasive pads or a fine grade of Scotch Brite pad.

There is a product used in machine shops called Brite Boy that is probably the best for this kind of clean up but you need a lathe to use it properly.
It is just like a 5/8" diameter X about 4 inch long pencil eraser. You can even jam it into the threads to clean them to new condition.
Cratex is another brand of the same type product.

Gesswein is a supplier of equipment used a lot by plastic injection mold makers.
It is a good place to look for the full array of products used to polish and stone precision items.
You can buy many of the items at other distributors but Gesswein has them in one place making what you need easier to discover.

http://www.gesswein.com/s-356-brightboy-abrasives.aspx

[gunoil]

OSPHO @ sherwin williams kills rust (turns it to black carbon), leave 1coat on all nite, next use lil' steel wool to knock crust off, then another coat. I use alcohol to clean new dies after l use em a while.

[country gent]

If they are carbide dies there is no rust on working area of sizer. Light rust on outside or inside the steel dies can normally be removed with cleaning patches and light oil solvent. Never dull wadding cloth works very well also. These will not remove any metal. cratex is an robber bonded fine abrasive for true polishing, scoth brite a scouring pad, will remove metal. I have used both in industrial settings. another trick is use 3 peanut butter jars fill with corn cob media and i Paret each securly duct tape each lid on tightly. and run in the corn cob media in the polisher. This works good in the vibratorys. Light rust can be easily removed pit rust or heavy rust becomes another issue

[tpepper70]

Good info. I always wondered what worked. Thanks

[dudel]

I've cleaned lightly rusted Lee dies by disassembling them and running them in the tumbler with walnut media. Works well since the Lee's have no knurling. I had one lightly rusted RCBS die set I got off of eBay. Tumbler didn't work as well in the knurled areas, so I used a small soda blaster gun. Cleaned it right up. It was actually a small sandblast gun that I loaded with baking soda.

Then wipe them down with some Kroil for protection.

[jmorris]

Carbide won't rust and rust on the outside might keep someone from stealing them but won't effect function.