Cleaning rusty dies

[abunaitoo]

Has anyone tried cleaning rusty dies in stainless tumbler?????
I'm guessing it would work.
We used to clean auto parts in a stainless tumbler.

[Big Boomer]

Be better to use some professional de-rust agent from some auto parts store I would think. If there is a knurled section, don't think the stainless steel pins could really reach down into the bottoms of the cuts. Perhaps a mixture of citric acid heated to about 180 degrees might work. Big Boomer

[Gregorious]

https://evapo-rust.com/

[BK7saum]

I would be afraid that the interior of the dies would get a more matte finish and have to be re-polished, maybe losing the crisp corner at the shoulder, also. Id use evaporust as I have lots of times to salvage and clean up neglected dies and equipment.

[jonp]

Try WD40 Rust Remover

[abunaitoo]

I've used Evapo-rust on some stuff.
It leaves a dull finish.
It does work though.

[farmbif]

wire wheel on the bench grinder for the outside and brass brushes either by hand or in drill with kroil then wiped down with clean cloth and oil for the insides will get em cleaned up to see if they are still serviceable.

[JimB..]

Evaporust and then tumble in walnut to remove the gray and dry?

[RKJ]

I've cleaned a couple using a cheap Sonic cleaner. Did a good job inside and out.

[dale2242]

What Gregorious said.^^^^^

[smithnframe]

No harm in trying!

[waksupi]

Reverse electrolysis.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

https://evapo-rust.com/

Ditto.

[cwlongshot]

100%

EVAPO RUST!!!

But know it removed bluing leaving raw metal.

BIO DEGRADABLE

REUSABLE!!

CW

[abunaitoo]

I'm going to try it and see what happens.
Will report back.

[abunaitoo]

So I just got through with it.
Took them apart. No other cleaning done.
Same amount of pins and solution as when doing brass.
Lemi shine and car wash liquid.
Tumbled until halftime of the game.
They were about 75% better. Most of the rust was gone. A little on the knurling.
Tumbled with double the amount of pins. Thought might not have enough pins. Same solution.
Tumble for the rest of the game.
Came out cleaner, but not 100%. Maybe 90%.
I hoped it would have been better.
Insides are clean, smooth, shiney.
1) before
2) in with the pins
3) first tumble
4) final tumble
271440271441271442271443

[dale2242]

I was gifted a number of rusty dies some time back.
Their condition was from lightly rusted to totally unusable.
I , like you, took them apart, tossed the unusable pieces and placed the rest in Evapo Rust for a couple of days.
All, and I mean all, of the rust was gone.
I rinsed them well in clean water and dried them.
The out side of the dies were wire brushed and the inside of the usable ones were polished with steel wool on a split dowel and oiled.
They were then reassembled with the usable interior parts until I had some complete die sets.
The rest were salvaged for parts.

[abunaitoo]

My evapo rust is black.
It still works, but takes a lot longer now.
Is there a way to clean it?????
Here, it's not as cheap as in the lower 48.

[Slugster]

I use Citric Acid (in the canning supplies at wallyworld). Five teaspoons per gallon of water. Toss rusted parts into solution, wait a couple of days, rub down with 0000 steel wool, soak a few minutes in a baking soda and water solution, then oil.

Works great, and cheap too. Is reusable until it no longer fizzes with rusted parts.

Safe, biodegradable, and is probably the same thing as the expensive rust removers.

[samari46]

fter about now the cleanup begins.put some 320 grit silicon carbide paper on one of the dowels. Put in a variable speed drill and in and out slowley. Then did the next die and finally the 3rd. Ran the outsides over fine wire wheel. That took care of the exterior rust.Then went back to the interiors of the other dies. The dowels had the various grits of silicon carbide awappedout and when the rust disappeared verified using a cleean paper towel. Frank

[imashooter2]

I like electrolytic rust removal.

http://schoepp.hylands.net/electrolyticrust.html

A quick and easy set up I have used several times:

http://imashooter2.com/pictures/ERR-out.jpg

http://imashooter2.com/pictures/ERR-in.jpg

Results:

http://imashooter2.com/pictures/rustydies-600.jpghttp://imashooter2.com/pictures/cleandies-600.jpg

[gwpercle]

https://evapo-rust.com/

What Gregorious said ... heavy steel dies rolling around in case tumbler is hard on tumbler ... tumbler made for brass cases ... Evapo-Rust will do a much better job on dies , just follow the directions on bottle .
Gary

[abunaitoo]

I've tried electrolysis rust removal on stuff before.
The part has to be cleaned of all oils, and gunk, first.
That's why I went with the tumbler.
Figured one less step.

[gbrown]

My evapo rust is black.
It still works, but takes a lot longer now.
Is there a way to clean it?????
Here, it's not as cheap as in the lower 48.

Its a chemical reaction between the Evapo-Rust and the iron, so over time it will weaken. There paint filters you can buy at Ace Hdw. to get gunk out of it, but no way to reactivate it. I talked to the company once about using it with cast iron cookware. They cautioned me about leaving the CI in it for extended periods of time. They said it removes carbon, weakening the iron.

[blackthorn]

A few months ago I got a box full of dies that had been subjected to a leaking roof for some time (years). They were in various stages of deterioration, one set was rust-welded to the case and I had to pry the dies out. I put each set in an appropriately sized plastic jar and added warm water and citric acid. I left them for four or five weeks, shaking the jars once in a while and then drained off the rust saturated liquid. Then I put them back in the jars and covered them with Evaporust for another two or three weeks. I really expected the dies to be junk, but was amazed at the success I had in restoration. I believe only the one set is toast. It was so bad the threads were totally eaten away in spots. These dies belong to a friend and I did not have any brass available to try them, except for two sets which work. I think the fact they were used dies and likely had some residual sizing wax(?) inside may have protected the insides to some degree. The recovered dies are black now but seems they will not be a total loss.