The Armour Archive

I have knee and elbow cops that are rusted. The outside is an easy fix, I can easily get to it with a sanding disk. But is there a way to get the rust off the inside? Is there a de-rusting product I can buy?

Please help

There have to be more threads about rust removal on this forum than anything else... I'd try the "search" button, honestly...

-Gerhard

Two things come to mind....
Well maybe more.

Steel Wool and WD-40 or Dragons Breath (its a penetrating lubricant used in automotive work)

The other....

Dremel, did we mention it sands.

Lastly,

Fine sandpaper, and your arm.

there is a product i found that works wonders called crud cutter i found it at walmart it does a great job removing rust and actually stopping it from rusting again. in louisiana humidity is murder so i found that overnight my helm rusted i used that stuff an only had a spot or two of rust and even then only because it started to rain on it. crud cutter + steel wool = woot

How bad? If not too bad give a though to one of the rust converting primers.

If lots of loose stuff wire brush on a drill is a lot faster than a dremel!

Naval Jelly. Home depot has it.



(Left side) just after treating. Brush it on, let it sit for a bit, wash off.
(Right side) untreated.

Rustoleum sells this product. It converts rust to a non-rusting surface.

http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=40

You should be able to find it at your local hardware store.

Halbrust wrote:I have knee and elbow cops that are rusted. The outside is an easy fix, I can easily get to it with a sanding disk. But is there a way to get the rust off the inside? Is there a de-rusting product I can buy?

Please help

Send them to the guy who is looking for how to rust his armor, in trade for his nice shiny ones.

*click* that was easy.

halberds had a chemical mix he'd put in a bucket or kiddie pool then throw armor in it and the next morning *poof* no rust, just shiny metal. he used it on a bevor i got from him. theres pics somewhere if you dig through my posts.

The product you are looking for is called Evaporust.

I usually buy 5 gallons of the stuff at a time from northerntool.com.

agreed on the Evapo-rust, we use it in the machine shop and it does the trick quite well.

I used to use this aerosol can of magic stuff called PB Blaster....the rust would just run off while I was spraying....a little elbow grease and a scotch brite pad...Viola like new!

Oddvarr

There are alot of options depending on what kind of rust you have and what the final surface will be treated with.
Loose rust can be removed with a bottle brush and wiped down with some alcohol.
I would then apply paint to the inside.

Cedric wrote:The product you are looking for is called Evaporust.

I usually buy 5 gallons of the stuff at a time from northerntool.com.

My local tractor supply sells it also. I love the stuff!

I use a 6 gallon bucket with one gallon of swimming pool acid to 4 gallons of water.
Strip all the leather and soak in acid for 40 minutes or so.

Remove one piece at a time... rinse and wipe dry.
The reason I say one piece at a time is... it will flash rust.
Now you will have a virgin gray, rust free metal surface to work with.

Best of luck on your quest.

Hal

If you want to go cheap and low-tech you could just use Vinegar and a bucket (aka: bucket of alchemy).

Soak it for a few seconds to a few hours depending on how bad the rust is and then wipe off any that hasn't sloughed off when you removed the bits from the bucket. You need to hit it with whatever rust prevention you plan on using real quick after removal as you now have a super clean surface and it will bloom surface rust before your eyes if you leave it too long. This is pretty much true of any acid based rust removal technique though.

Did I mention it's cheap?

EDIT: I just noticed I've essentially posted what the guy above me has already posted except with undiluted vinegar instead of pool chemicals. Pay attention to the flash-rusting bit. The speed that clean metal can rust at is almost empirical proof of a malevolent god (of armouring).

That is why I mentioned removing only one piece at a time.
If I am to go the the sanders and buffers I do not oil it.

If you want a munitions finish just 3-in-one oil it after drying.
However... if you want a blue... do not oil, but hit it with the flamethrower.
If you want a polished blue... sand and buff the material before the flamethrower.

The finish and patina is the crowning glory to any piece.
I like to do polished spangen bands with contrasting panel colors.

Best of luck on your quest.

Hal

Since it is the INSIDE of the cop, POR15. Never rusts again. Used in the car restoration for rusted pans, wheel wells, etc. Can be a little tricky to work with (Don't get water in it - as in, don't even drop sweat into the can), but it is pretty awesome.


.

OK... for a nice patina one can go over the acid washed steel with a green 3M scrubby pad and 3-in-one oil.

This gives it a nice user friendly maintenance finish.
As seen in this pic:



This prototype helm kit was tossed in the acid bucket, then 3M hand scrubby padd rubbed with oil.
Watch the grain of the pattern as it reflects in the light.
Patina is an art... take your time to do a good job.

RESURRECT-O-LERT BCS ARMOURING NEEDS MORE LERTS

Found this looking for some guy's postings and thought, "What a great PSA!"

So:

+100 for EvapoRust.

It is nontoxic and works like a charm.

Leif

Cedric wrote:The product you are looking for is called Evaporust.

I usually buy 5 gallons of the stuff at a time from northerntool.com.