Cleaning rusty Indian chain mail suit .. advice sought

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by thinreadline

no it would not be practicable to remove the liner , sadly

You have a zirah baktar / zirah bagtar (mail and plate shirt. The lining is rare but most probably in bad condition. I know of only two reliable methods, chemical and electric rust removal. I have used the electro-rust removal method on a badly rusted riveted mail shirt with great results.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=electro

[thinreadline]

Originally Posted by estcrh

You have a zirah baktar / zirah bagtar (mail and plate shirt. The lining is rare but most probably in bad condition. I know of only two reliable methods, chemical and electric rust removal. I have used the electro-rust removal method on a badly rusted riveted mail shirt with great results.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=electro

It is not badly rusted just overall light surface rust ... my aim is to stop further rust rather than to bring it back to shiny newness ...... any less drastic suggestions anyone ?

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by thinreadline

It is not badly rusted just overall light surface rust ... my aim is to stop further rust rather than to bring it back to shiny newness ...... any less drastic suggestions anyone ?

If it has red rust it has to be treated, red rust is active. The methods I mention will not bring it back to "shiny newness", that would take sandblasting or tumbling, acid etc...something a bit more aggressive.

[thinreadline]

Originally Posted by estcrh

If it has red rust it has to be treated, red rust is active. The methods I mention will not bring it back to "shiny newness", that would take sandblasting or tumbling, acid etc...something a bit more aggressive.

it is not red rust it has old brown rust .

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by thinreadline

it is not red rust it has old brown rust .

If it is a patina then that is different than rust.

[thinreadline]

Originally Posted by estcrh

If it is a patina then that is different than rust.

basically it is dirty with an ingrained layer of old brown rust powder and dirt .When that is rubbed off the appearance is so much better ... but how to do this on such a scale and should I be using wax or oil , soft cloth or abrasives or what ?