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Thread: Rust on molds

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    Rust on molds

    I have a chance to purchase some molds and a few have a fair amount of surface rust. Anyone ever tried or succeeded in cleaning any up to usable condition?

  2. #2
    Boolit Man d4xycrq's Avatar
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    Evaporust worked for me. Just cleaned up a Lyman mound set bought cheep off eBay as it was rusty.

    Ray

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master
    Mk42gunner's Avatar
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    Evaporust will take care of the majority of the mold. It might need a little more attention to detail, but it does the job.

    Robert

  4. #4
    Boolit Bub rustyshooter's Avatar
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    In the past I have used Kroil to help de-rust molds. I was actually getting on here to ask if anyone has had luck using PB Blaster to break down rust on a mold as Kroil is expensive.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
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    Evaporust, (citric acid), naval jelly & CocaCola, (phosphoric acid), muriatic (hydrochloric) acid, even dilute battery acid....they all work. I just had to clean up a mould that had been in storage 20 years. VPI paper all dried out, even rust in the cavities. After using naval jelly and hand brushing with a bronze brush it cast OK, although there were small patches of roughness on the ogive. Before I packed it away again I lapped it a bit to smooth that out.
    Cognitive Dissident

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
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    Kroil or equivalents will not completely remove rust. Only acids or electrolysis will do that.
    Cognitive Dissident

  7. #7
    Boolit Mold
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    Thank you all for the information.

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
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    I was somewhat leery of evap-o-rust. It seemed almost too good to be true, but the hype is well deserved. Highest recommendation.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    I got an old one I think its a winchester mold, its 32-165 I think anyway got it cleaned up with kroil and assortment of brass brushes
    justmanbrushes is your friend for all different sizes and shapes of brass brushes

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master

    gwpercle's Avatar
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    Evaporust is like magic rust remover on steel moulds !
    Gary
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I’m a big fan of electrolytic rust removal.

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

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





    Results:

    ”We know they are lying, they know they are lying, they know we know they are lying, we know they know we know they are lying, yet they are still lying.” –Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn

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  12. #12
    Boolit Bub rustyshooter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by imashooter2 View Post
    I’m a big fan of electrolytic rust removal.

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

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





    Results:

    Can the piece to be cleaned rest on the bottom of the bucket or does it need to be suspended in the solution?

  13. #13
    Boolit Mold
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    Quote Originally Posted by imashooter2 View Post
    I’m a big fan of electrolytic rust removal.

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

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





    Results:

    Is there supposed to be a picture here? I don't see one.

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by rustyshooter View Post
    Can the piece to be cleaned rest on the bottom of the bucket or does it need to be suspended in the solution?
    To get best results you should suspend it, but you don’t have to. You do need to get exposure to the anode(s) as it works best line of sight. On my setup, the steel strap anode is bent into a U shape to increase exposure.
    ”We know they are lying, they know they are lying, they know we know they are lying, we know they know we know they are lying, yet they are still lying.” –Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn

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  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Madisonian View Post
    Is there supposed to be a picture here? I don't see one.
    Yes, 4 pictures linked from my web site. The links are good and they show in your quote.
    ”We know they are lying, they know they are lying, they know we know they are lying, we know they know we know they are lying, yet they are still lying.” –Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn

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  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy
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    You guys that use evaporust: Do you soak the molds in it or wipe-on wipe off. How do you rinse the molds and handles so the residue comes off?

  17. #17
    Boolit Bub
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    I had to clean a bunch of my mould the rusted after the flood of 2016. Reloading equipment does not float. I also had some other items to clean. I build an electrolysis tank and that did a great job. I have used a product called Metal Rescue which worked ok on some metals.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by oldcanadice View Post
    You guys that use evaporust: Do you soak the molds in it or wipe-on wipe off. How do you rinse the molds and handles so the residue comes off?
    I put the mold/item in a container a little larger than the mold/item.

    Pour evaporust until it covers the item then lift and lower the item to make sure all sides are coated

    IF the rust is bad I'll hit them with a brush after they have soaked for a while

    When done, I return the evaporust to the original container pouring it through a couple of filters.

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    Take the molds apart and put ina rotary tumbler with burnishing solution … media … and a 2 second squirt of Dawn
    Had 3 parts boxes with rust that were in a flood. A hour later, all rust was gone. Reblued and looked like new. I do the same with rusted nuts, bolts and screws

    For a brick of Win 209 primers, I’ll find the before/after pictures and post them
    Regards
    John

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    An overnight bath in water with some citric acid added will remove rust from steel/iron/cat-iron very well. One thing though, it also removes any residual bluing the rust has not gotten yet.
    R.D.M.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check