Old metal groover needs TLC.

[SUP]

This old groover that I found is heavy, made of one piece of metal, which I think might be some form of Iron. I could not get it completely clean. It has some sort of black protective coat on it, it appears. When I apply oil and rub with a cloth, a brownish residue rubs off, which I presume is rust.

I would like to apply a protective coating on it. I store all my knives with blade wax which works splendidly but not for tools of daily use. I read the threads on this forum and am confused abut what to use. Ballistol or Rain-X or Flitz or steel polish (so many out there!) or plastic spray or something else? I have not used any of these products so am unclear as to what would work here. I would also like to use the same on some old stamps that I found. They are rusty and I have to remove that rust first - Evaporust works there - thank you @bruce johnson for that tip!

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Littlef]

+1 on evaporust for rust removal.  I use it all the time.  From there, I would possibly go over it with some finish sandpaper  - 400 grit would probably do it.  Or, if it doesn't need sanding, I'd hit it with some metal polish and a felt buffing pad on my dremel.  If its iron, you'd want to use a more aggressive polishing compound.  probably green -- or whatever color the compound manufacturer made for iron/steel. 

 

I wouldn't buff out the ends of stamps.  That would only round off the details in the stamp.  Evaporust would still remove rust, but if they don't work satisfactorily after that, they might be at the end of their service life.  You could always try buffing them, but just keep in mind, the more buffing, the more definition in the stamp would be lost.

[SUP]

@Littlef, I will buff the groover today. it appears to be iron, no idea what it is combined with though. It rusts very slowly, not the fast  surface coating of rust that I see with other iron or steel items.  Reminds me a bit of the Ashok Pillar - an iron with high Phosphorus content.  Will metal polish be sufficient to protect it after cleaning? Do you have any recommendations for brand? 

I do not plan to buff the stamps. Just warm evaporust until clean. That has never failed as yet!  After that, do I use polish on them as well? Or anything else? There is not much chrome left on those pieces, else they would not rust. 

 

[Littlef]

1 minute ago, SUP said:

@Littlef, I will buff the groover today. it appears to be iron, no idea what it is combined with though. It rusts very slowly, not the fast  surface coating of rust that I see with other iron or steel items.  Reminds me a bit of the Ashok Pillar - an iron with high Phosphorus content.  Will metal polish be sufficient to protect it after cleaning? Do you have any recommendations for brand? 

I do not plan to buff the stamps. Just warm evaporust until clean. That has never failed as yet!  After that, do I use polish on them as well? Or anything else? There is not much chrome left on those pieces, else they would not rust. 

 

No, I don't have a recommendation on a type of polish.  just look for a metal polish that is for iron and steel. - the aggressiveness of the polish is typically categorized by the hardness of the metal they are intended to polish.  You could buff the handle/shaft of the stamps to clean them up, but I would avoid the face.  you could use a polish or a wax to give them some protection.  I would avoid putting wax or polish on the face of the stamp.  I would expect that would just attract dirt that would get transferred to the leather.  

[SUP]

That is in fact what I needed - which polish to look for. Now I have some idea -that polishes are categorized based on the hardness of the metal being polished. Never done anything with metal, so naturally I am absolutely clueless , but slowly learning, with the patient help from all you kind people.

I don't plan to buff the faces of the stamps - they have to remain sharp. Not sure how I will protect them. Let's see. 

Thank you @Littlef, for your input.

 

[Littlef]

26 minutes ago, SUP said:

That is in fact what I needed - which polish to look for. Now I have some idea -that polishes are categorized based on the hardness of the metal being polished. Never done anything with metal, so naturally I am absolutely clueless , but slowly learning, with the patient help from all you kind people.

I don't plan to buff the faces of the stamps - they have to remain sharp. Not sure how I will protect them. Let's see. 

Thank you @Littlef, for your input.

 

something like this.  a brand name doesn't matter.  RYOBI Metal Cleaning Compound Set (6-Piece) A92601 - The Home Depot  .  Home Depot has a little set with various compounds for different metal types.

[SUP]

Thank you for that information  @Littlef

Edited April 8, 2024 by SUP

[fredk]

Soak in lemon juice for a few hours

[SUP]

@fredk, will try that.