Rust removal using chelation

[Shannow]

Read about chelation using molasses quite some time ago, but never witnessed it personally.

The children found one of my prized shifters (A Bahco small shifter) that had spent a long time "lost" in the wilds of the back yard.

Hopelessly rusty, and the mechanism wouldn't budge.

Went to the stock feed shop after work and bought 20 kilos of molasses ($17, the smallest quantity that they stock).

Put 2 litres in a 9 quart dutch oven that I use for melting lead, topped up with water, then heated to aid mixing.

Threw wrench into the goop, and left sit for a week.

Worked brilliantly. Wrench now wrenches, but comes out so clean that it starts rusting immediately. Photo not of Mori quality.

You can see the "tide mark" where it cleaned up the dutch oven.

Parts must be completely free of grease, and steps need to be taken to stop the rusting immediately.

Could be a great process for pre-treating cast iron pans, steel woks etc before seasoning.

 

[Merkava_4]

Is "shifter" some kind of a weird British/Australian word for "Adjustable Wrench?"

 

[Shannow]

Yep

 

[Kestas]

Muriatic (hydrochloric) acid does the same thing. To keep it from rusting, you have to follow up with a neutralizig dip, such as dilute ammonium hydroxide. In a pinch I use soap. Ideally the part should be coated (painted) afterward.

You melt lead?

 

[Shannow]

Was melting lead/wheelweights/white metal etc to create ingots for my (never got around to it) hobby of bullet casting.

Might have time/inclination in 17 or 18 years or so.

Seeing as the shifter/wrench was as clean I whipped out my Birchwood Casey cold blue, blued it, and oiled it with penetrene.

Looks way better than a rusty, fuzzy wrench dug out of the garden.

 

[SecondMonkey]

Can't you get a new wrench for less than $17?

I use Navel Jelly (phosphoric acid) on my tools all the time because I ALWAYS leave them out in the rain. Works about the same...

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:
Can't you get a new wrench for less than $17?

(Josh from "BIG" as he raises his hand in the brain storming secession)

"What's fun about that?"

 

[Papa Bear]

It's an adjustable SPANNER....

 

[andyd]

How much molasses Would I need to dunk my Grand Wagoneer?

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Photo not of Mori quality.


Apparently engineers tend to prefer pinhole cameras.

 

[Shannow]

My Box Brownie instructions were too complicated !!

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
It's an adjustable SPANNER....

This is a spanner (crab)

We call spanners spanners down here. The item shown is always referred to as a shifter.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
Quote:
Can't you get a new wrench for less than $17?

(Josh from "BIG" as he raises his hand in the brain storming secession)

"What's fun about that?"

'zackerly.

And besides the tool in question is prolly about $20...yes we get ripped off on tools as well here.

The rest of the molasses won't be wasted. Some will go onto the grass and garden. The majority will be used to remove the rust from all of the "tools" (read junk) that came with the house.

There's heaps of it.

 

[mechtech2]

For $17, I could have bought a new one or hired someone to clean it for you.
But thanks - what a cool and unusual thing to know for the future!
BTW, 'shifter' is a new one on me - we'd call that an adjustable wrench.

 

[WellOiled]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Is "shifter" some kind of a weird British/Australian word for "Adjustable Wrench?"

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Yep


And the terms used in the USA are politically incorrect. "Mxxxcan socket set".

There is pleasure in restoring old things.

Very inventive Shannow is. Yoda.

 

[Lapham3]

Good for you and the bluing is also good. It's always more enjoyable for me to 'fix things' than to throw away and buy new-but then I'm an old school geezer-in-training now.

 

[Ducked]

Did it ferment?

I've heard of this, but never been clear on whether it was actually fermentation that made it work, anaerobic bugs and yeasts creating an anoxic environment.

You could also use electrolysis, or wrap it in aluminium foil and dunk it in, say, sodium bicarbonate solution.

Or maybe all three at the same time?

 

[Colt45ws]

Got a picture of it blued and oiled, ready for work?

 

[Silk]

We just call them Cresents, regardless of brand.