cleaning/removing lite rust on cast iron molds

[whitetailsniper]

on some of my cast iron molds ,ones that have sat for awhile i noticed today,im getting lite rust,,,WHAT DO YOU GUYS USE TO REMOVE THIS?

[462]

A mineral spirits bath and a soft brass brush.

[mooman76]

Inside or out? Inside you can use a pencil for light rust, the lead part. Outside a light brush and a penitrating fluid.

[whitetailsniper]

Using the lead of a pencil?? Lerning new tricksall the time,how does the lead affect the lite rust??,,and when you say minerial spirits bath,,are you meaning soak the whole thing in min.spirits??

[mooman76]

It rubs or scrapes light runst off and can get in the little corners and such. I like a carpenters pencil better for that. You also can use a pen eraser for larger areas or the outside. Yes you can soak the whole mould in the mineral sprits.

[turbo1889]

Basically using the lead (actually graphite) of a pencil to clean light rust deposits out of the cavity of a mold is the same as using a pumice bar to clean hard water deposits on a fine porcelain sink. The pencil is harder then the rust but softer then the iron mold so that it scrapes off only the rust and doesn't scratch, gouge, or otherwise damage the good iron of the mold.

[casterofboolits]

For light surface rust I use 4 0 steel wool wrapped around a round bamboo chop stick. I also trim the chop stick to a chisel point and use that in the sharp cornors of the cavities to clean the rust out. In extreme cases, I embed fine valve grinding compound in the point of the chop stick.

On the exterior of the mold and the sprue plate I use purple scuff pads I purchased at the Auto parts store.

[Wayne Smith]

Read the entire citric acid sticky. I think that's what I'm trying next.

[shotman]

When you order your Kroil get a pint of EXRUST It dont eat the metal just the rust

[imashooter2]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=90087

[MakeMineA10mm]

Go to Harbor Freight and buy a $5 jug of "EVAPO-RUST". It's a grey jug with a big label and red top. It works wonders. Had a couple severely rusted moulds and now they are completely rust-free with simply an overnight soak. I then rinsed them in very hot water and put them in the oven at 220 degrees to evaporate away the water. They've now been oiled and are awaiting their turn to try out being casted with.

These moulds looked horrible - exterior was a deep, dark brown and inside the cavities was bright orange rust. Screws were rusted shut (couldn't get to the slots) and nothing would open or turn. After the soaking, rinsing and re-oiling, they look great. The cavities are perfect, and the only sign they were rusted is the metal is discolored where the rust used to be, but the surfaces are smooth and perfect. Inside of all the cavities is bright and shiney -- look new and perfect.

This product is safe (won't hurt environment or you) and only eats away the rust, not the metal underneath.

[outdoorfan]

Go to Harbor Freight and buy a $5 jug of "EVAPO-RUST". It's a grey jug with a big label and red top. It works wonders. Had a couple severely rusted moulds and now they are completely rust-free with simply an overnight soak. I then rinsed them in very hot water and put them in the oven at 220 degrees to evaporate away the water. They've now been oiled and are awaiting their turn to try out being casted with.

These moulds looked horrible - exterior was a deep, dark brown and inside the cavities was bright orange rust. Screws were rusted shut (couldn't get to the slots) and nothing would open or turn. After the soaking, rinsing and re-oiling, they look great. The cavities are perfect, and the only sign they were rusted is the metal is discolored where the rust used to be, but the surfaces are smooth and perfect. Inside of all the cavities is bright and shiney -- look new and perfect.

This product is safe (won't hurt environment or you) and only eats away the rust, not the metal underneath.


I have a rusted rifle action that I need to do something with. Will this evapo-rust take the bluing off, as well?

[outdoorfan]

Answered my own question. Yes, it will.

[BudRow]

If you have a Dremel Tool, try this. When I got a mold that the cavity was LIGHTLY rusted, I took a Q-tip and cropped it so as to have about 1/4" of the shaft left. Chuck it up in the dremel and use buffing or jeweler's Rouge to clean it up. Best Wishes, Bud

[oscarflytyer]

I have a rusted rifle action that I need to do something with. Will this evapo-rust take the bluing off, as well?

YES!!! Bluing is nothing more than a form of rust, and Evapo Rust WILL remove it! I had a couple blued die pieces that got some on them, and the blue cleaned up real well!!!

[oscarflytyer]

Go to Harbor Freight and buy a $5 jug of "EVAPO-RUST". It's a grey jug with a big label and red top. It works wonders. Had a couple severely rusted moulds and now they are completely rust-free with simply an overnight soak. I then rinsed them in very hot water and put them in the oven at 220 degrees to evaporate away the water. They've now been oiled and are awaiting their turn to try out being casted with.

These moulds looked horrible - exterior was a deep, dark brown and inside the cavities was bright orange rust. Screws were rusted shut (couldn't get to the slots) and nothing would open or turn. After the soaking, rinsing and re-oiling, they look great. The cavities are perfect, and the only sign they were rusted is the metal is discolored where the rust used to be, but the surfaces are smooth and perfect. Inside of all the cavities is bright and shiney -- look new and perfect.

This product is safe (won't hurt environment or you) and only eats away the rust, not the metal underneath.

Evapo Rust is great. Cleaned up a set of RCBS Carbide dies that I was going to DX. It cleaned them up very well. Once I had soaked them, I washed them with water then sprayed them with WD40 to remove the water and wiped them down. Best part is that it didn't ruin the Carbide lining on the sizing die.

[MakeMineA10mm]

Answered my own question. Yes, it will.

I've only used it on the Lyman mould blocks, and from that experience, I'd say the rust eats away most of the blue, and the evaporust just leaves behind whatever's left underneath... There were a couple spots on the mould that had pretty dark/black spots that were the beginning of pitting, and there's certainly none of that Lyman case-colored bluing left in those spots, but I attribute it to the rust, not the cleaner. That said, I haven't put any of it on clean (no rust) blued steel as a test. The label says it's very safe and environmentally friendly and ONLY hurts rust. Of course, bluing is called "rust-blue" for a reason too...

[MakeMineA10mm]

Evapo Rust is great. Cleaned up a set of RCBS Carbide dies that I was going to DX. It cleaned them up very well. Once I had soaked them, I washed them with water then sprayed them with WD40 to remove the water and wiped them down. Best part is that it didn't ruin the Carbide lining on the sizing die.

LOL! posting simultaneously!!

Thanks for sharing your experience; yes bluing is a form of rust. It dawned on me at the end of my previous post...

[Freischütz]

Don't forget the electronic method. It's a good way to get all the rust off.

[casterofboolits]

For lite surfae rust I use a tooth brush and Bar Keepers Friend. Then use a mild solution of Dawn dish washing detergent to finish the clean up. A final rinse with hot tap water and toothbrush to remove all cleaner residue.

[Greg5278]

The Bar Keepers friend powder works wonders. It chemically changes the iron oxide( Rust) into another compound. The active ingredient is Oxalic acid. Once you get the rust out, dry and lube it before putting it away. You can heat blue it after it appling some oil or Kroil to protect it.
Greg

[Lee]

Remember, you can get the rust out, but not the rust pits. Period. NOTHING will change a rust spot back to the undamaged smooth metal it once was. Not to bust any bubbles, just so all are aware. Once the smooth metal is gone, it's gone.
Magnifying glass will prove that. That said, I will have to try the "Evapo-Rust" from HarborGarbage. Sounds like it might be interesting. Unless someone has the composition? (Might just be a variation on Naval Jelly????)

[340six]

bar keepers friend water to a paste and a tooth brush rinse with hot water

[nanuk]

my memory is poor, but I seem to have read of a molasses soak for rust removal

wish I could remember where I read that

[blackthorn]

Scroll down in the forums until you come to "The Kit Room" and read the "Citric Acid Brass Cleaning" heading!!!

[cajun shooter]

I have used Evapo-Rust for a few years in my shop and it will clean light rust in just a few hours. I use it on everything and the stuff is great. I did how ever make a boo-boo with it. I have a High Standard DM 101 22 magnum derringer. It had some rust at the tip of the muzzle. I rigged a piece of wire to where only the muzzle was in the liquid. I was thinking that I was a smart fellow for thinking of this simple method. I was going to reblue with my Oxy Blue from Brownells. My 12x24 shop is on the back of my property and I leave the door open for ventilation. When I returned to remove the gun a brown wren was next to the plastic container and my gun was down in the Evapo-Rust. It will remove bluing as I have first hand knowledge. It does how ever do the best job of any product I have seen in my 63 years.