Old tools with paint - what do I do?

[fredk]

Leave the wood handles on , the lemon juice wont harm the wood and might loosen any dirt on them

[SUP]

Oh. Okay. Will do that.  Thank you @fredk

Edited May 3, 2024 by SUP

[Tastech]

@SUP . Try getting the handles off the way i described . Iron in a vice  and pull while jiggling the handle . The come off surprisingly easy . This is because over the years the have been heated and cooled and the only thing holding them in is old dried wax and some charcoal soot . As FredK said lemon juice will work slowly ,so will vinegar with a table spoon of baking soda . Even coca cola which contains phosphoric acid . Or get some rust converter from the hardware or auto shop and soak them in that . You don't need to buy a big bottle and you will find a use for what you don't use .  While you are there grab  some small wire brushes . they come in a 3 pack of nylon , stainless steel and brass for about 2-3 dollars .

 I often get asked where do i find these tools. My reply is " i don't find them .they find me " .  I am sure everyone on this forum experienced this .  I can be out looking to buy a cake and come back with some obscure tool that i found in a place that was totally unexpected.  Before Xmas i was in a country town looking to buy some local honey and handmade soap for my wife . I came home with a Vihl Pederson 308 sole stitcher . for $100 , they go for 2 grand.  Some times customers just drop off random things to me because their grandfather was a cobbler and they have had this tool in their shed for 50 years and had no idea what it was but want to give it a good home . In fact a random customer came into the shop yesterday and asked would i be interested in 2 singer industrial sewing machines . Free to a good home . He needs the space in his shed . Yeah why not .  Despite what media tries to make you think .The world is a fascinating place . People can be extraordinarily kind  and willing to share their time and knowledge to complete strangers for no reward . You have to be in the state on mind to give and to receive. That's what i love about this forum . Ask a question or need some help ,some one is willing to do so .   when you are finished doing what you are going to do , Post the photo of the finished product so we can all enjoy the fruits of your labour.

[SUP]

Thank you @Tastech. I do have Evaporust and lots of lemon juice. and either will work, isn't it?. I will get the wire brushes. Hopefully the tools will get to some kind of clean state. Not shiny but clean at any rate. Once done, I will put up the pics. 

 I have a dozen half-finished projects that I have promised to post. I do them in a round robin. Keeps things interesting.

It's nice, how you pick up things. I have not experienced that as yet. What I do notice and love however,  is how everyone who hears about my working with leather gets the same look as children get when they hear about chocolate. Everyone loves leather apparently.

People are really nice in this forum. I absolutely agree. It's a pleasure reading the threads here sometimes, where you see people going out of their way to provide good information and  help. 

[bruce johnson]

Just a tip with the Evaporust. If you want to save time you can heat it a bit and and reduce a 24 hour soak into about 10 minutes. It is a temperature dependent process. I got this tip from a phone call to the shop of one of their endorsers several years ago. The temperature is "cool enough you can stick your finger in but too hot to leave it there". Kind of a wisp of steam coming off but no bubbles. I put the parts in an aluminum pan with enough Evaporust to cover and turn the burner on. After the parts are clean, filter the Evaporust back into the jug and rinse the parts with water. Then I use a brass wheel for stamps or steel wheel for other parts to knock off the carbon and residue left behind and start the polishing process.   

[SUP]

@bruce johnson . That will save a lot of time. Thank you for the tip.

I'm notorious for forgetting things on the stove  What happens if I forget and the Evaporust comes to a boil? I hope it will not damage the tools.

I'm wondering whether to use Evaporust or lemon juice as I hope the metal parts slip out of the wooden handles without too much  of an effort needed. Lemon juice will not damage the wood, but Evaporust does, is it not? Maybe both.

[dikman]

Another "environmentally-friendly" way is to soak the metal parts in molasses, it's an olde-school method for removing rust (and probably paint too). It's a slow process, but at least you're not working with hazardous  products.

[SUP]

@dikman but then, how do you get out the molasses? Especially from inside the handle?  It is very sticky isn't it?

[fredk]

Leave them out on the grass and let the ants have a feast  

[dikman]

Yeah, that will work. I was thinking more about the metal, not wood. I would guess warm water should do it?