The Armour Archive

Ok, my father (woodworker) is building a new tool cabinet for his shop.

for the doors he has a bunch of these pull rings: http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page. ... 48&p=40248

now, they shipped with a little bit of surface rust. the challenge for you all is, how do I remove the rust but still leave the darker color of oxidized iron?

the ring is iron and the staple is steel, they are make in Italy and supposed to be really high quality.

he wants them dark to look old and almost like a simi-powder coated-old-looking-antique iron.

I have an old slower speed tumbler, I use it with my maille, would that work for the rust, and what kind of medium would you all recommend? I was thinking like rice. but I am no expert, (thats all of you)

thanks,
Casey

I vote for a quick tuble with corn then a coar of bees wax baked in.

Doing it electrolytically would be the ideal way... Do a search herefor the specifics, but you'd essentilly need soda ash, water, a container, and a power source (like a battery charger). You'll also need a piece of sacrificial steel. Fillt he container with water and as much soda ash as will dissolve. Place the steel items into the bottom of the container. Hook the positive to the sacraficial bit, the negative to the ring pull

Wait for the bubbles.

-+G