Need help on cleaning rusty blade!!!

tom hyle · 24th May 2005, 12:55 PM

Yeah, that's in great shape; I'm tempted to say "just oil it and put a handle on" but there are a couple/few slightly crusty spots of active rust that should probably be removed. I also often use steel wool. Usually with light machine oil, or with alcohol (cheap and disolves hardened down oil; if you get isopropyl get the 90% kind; it's significantly better as a solvent). A word about steel wool though: It is usually softer than the blade, and certainly softer than corrosion patina (though it will attack hardened down oil, of course), and I use it myself, but some cutlers say the tiny crumbs it leaves behind in the microgrooves in the polished surface of a blade can serve as places for a rust spot to start. This is primarily of interest re stainless steel, but just some input. You can get bronze wool, but it is less available and more expensive. I think an auto parts store may be the place to get it.

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24th May 2005, 12:55 PM	#7
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Yeah, that's in great shape; I'm tempted to say "just oil it and put a handle on" but there are a couple/few slightly crusty spots of active rust that should probably be removed. I also often use steel wool. Usually with light machine oil, or with alcohol (cheap and disolves hardened down oil; if you get isopropyl get the 90% kind; it's significantly better as a solvent). A word about steel wool though: It is usually softer than the blade, and certainly softer than corrosion patina (though it will attack hardened down oil, of course), and I use it myself, but some cutlers say the tiny crumbs it leaves behind in the microgrooves in the polished surface of a blade can serve as places for a rust spot to start. This is primarily of interest re stainless steel, but just some input. You can get bronze wool, but it is less available and more expensive. I think an auto parts store may be the place to get it.