Need a Canadian source for "RUST CLEAN"
- Thread starter BEARMAN
- Start date
If you read the MSDS paper it isn't an acid . And this would not be for cleaning my guns, it is for salvaging rusted parts that are not available any other way. Any filing ,sanding, polishing to get rust off alters dimensions, chemically removing the oxide but not the steel may not alter dimensions. Besides it is not that expensive and could be used to clean up garden tools if it isn't effective on the gun parts. Lee Valley tools sells a similar product called "EVAPO-RUST" which I might try if I can't find a source for "RUST CLEAN".
Evapo-Rust works EXTREMELY well. For rust filled deep pits it can take a day or two of soaking but I have not used anything that removes rust nearly as well. It does not touch the steel, only rust.
We had an old cultivator tooth that had been outside for at least 50 years. I soaked it in Evapo-rust for a couple of days and was amazed at what it did.
The biggest problem was that the pits looked HUGE because all the rust was gone.
It is non-toxic and not an acid. Available at CTC, Home Hardware etc... It looks like RUST CLEAN is basically the same thing.
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problem with MSDS
the problem with these data sheets is that any component which is present at less than 1% by weight, need not be mentioned at all, unless it is on the known carcinogen list (as maintained by the USFDA). This is almost certainly a dilute acid of some sort, or the salt of a strong acid.
To dissolve rust I would use muriatic acid by preference, but sulfphuric, phosphoric, chromic and nitric have all been used to pickle steel. Muriatic acid smells like the morning after. Sulfuric and chromic are astringent. Phosphoric is fairly odorless at this concentration. Nitric makes the eyes water and stains the flesh yellow.
Acidic solutions of chelators are another possibility here. EDTA is the most common, but I don't think it is active enough to remove rust as described.
A third class is reducing agents, such as borohydride salts. I have used such on silver, but not steel. Thiols work well on silver, but smell of brimstone.
Chemistry is so much fun.
the problem with these data sheets is that any component which is present at less than 1% by weight, need not be mentioned at all, unless it is on the known carcinogen list (as maintained by the USFDA). This is almost certainly a dilute acid of some sort, or the salt of a strong acid.
To dissolve rust I would use muriatic acid by preference, but sulfphuric, phosphoric, chromic and nitric have all been used to pickle steel. Muriatic acid smells like the morning after. Sulfuric and chromic are astringent. Phosphoric is fairly odorless at this concentration. Nitric makes the eyes water and stains the flesh yellow.
Acidic solutions of chelators are another possibility here. EDTA is the most common, but I don't think it is active enough to remove rust as described.
A third class is reducing agents, such as borohydride salts. I have used such on silver, but not steel. Thiols work well on silver, but smell of brimstone.
Chemistry is so much fun.
the problem with these data sheets is that any component which is present at less than 1% by weight, need not be mentioned at all, unless it is on the known carcinogen list (as maintained by the USFDA). This is almost certainly a dilute acid of some sort, or the salt of a strong acid.
To dissolve rust I would use muriatic acid by preference, but sulfphuric, phosphoric, chromic and nitric have all been used to pickle steel. Muriatic acid smells like the morning after. Sulfuric and chromic are astringent. Phosphoric is fairly odorless at this concentration. Nitric makes the eyes water and stains the flesh yellow.
Acidic solutions of chelators are another possibility here. EDTA is the most common, but I don't think it is active enough to remove rust as described.
A third class is reducing agents, such as borohydride salts. I have used such on silver, but not steel. Thiols work well on silver, but smell of brimstone.
Chemistry is so much fun.
This response is both to your post and also general info for others.
Chelating agents are exactly what is used in Evapo-Rust, Rustclean and others. Evapo-Rust has a PH of 6. Chelation is also similar to the mechanism of cleaners such as M-Pro 7, and KG-12 Copper Remover.
The disadvantage of chelating agents is they typically work a bit slower than acids but the biggest advantage is that they can be made to be VERY specific to what they will attack.
As I posted above, the results are spectacular but slow. You should spend the $10 for a litre of Evapo-Rust at CTC and try it yourself on something that is heavily rusted. Seeing is believing. Also, the solutions are reusable.
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Can't help you there. But from their website, it also contains a sulfur compound which "removes" the rust from the chelating agent and the rust is then converted into ferric sulfate.
In use, the solution turns black pretty quick, so I definitely believe the ferric sulfate part.
