Tips/Techniques Evaporust turning steel black

[KeeponDragon]

One of the blessings of living in the rust belt is knowing you live here. So my dies will never rust. I protect them as though my life depended in it.

Is Ontario considered the rust belt just due to the Lakes n the Bay ? Or is it from the untold levels of ice melting compound that rot your folks vehicles out from under you?

 

[Susquatch]

Is Ontario considered the rust belt just due to the Lakes n the Bay ? Or is it from the untold levels of ice melting compound that rot your folks vehicles out from under you?

It's the high humidity combined with high temperatures combined with high road salt that gets into/onto everything.

For things like reloading dies, it's mostly high temperatures and high humidity causing heavy condensation. If you don't dehumidify, cooler indoor temperatures will supersaturate the air so moisture condenses on anything and everything but especially metal.

Some folks around here think the metal actually sweats. It certainly looks like it. But it's an illusion.

 

[whydontu]

Is that the process shown every now n then when a welder lays down a nice bead of dimes, they rub some liquid on it, and the discolouring wipes off?

I've used household cleaning vinegar (slightly higher acidic level) to remove mill scale and rust from material before working it. It's amazing how well it works. But like mentioned by evaporust, rinse a dry afterwards. I got the idea from that Mike fella from Scotland, makes the Big Giant Swords on youtube...

Yup, Antox pickling paste.A delightful mix of hydroflouric and nitric acid. Has the unique property of drilling through your skin and dissolving the bones underneath. Brush on to a weld while the weld is still warm, wait a minute or so, wash off, weld bluing is gone. Leave it on too long and your nice polished stainless steel restaurant countertop is now like swiss cheese.

 

[6.5 Fan]

Both items with the rust on them were auction buys, i think i mentioned i have a problem with online auctions.

 

[KeeponDragon]

Here's a before an after of what cleaning vinegar can do
Phoooiee it stinks lol...

 

[whydontu]

Here's a before an after of what cleaning vinegar can do
Phoooiee it stinks lol...

View attachment 41004
View attachment 41005

bulk citric acid powder is available at any place that sells canning supplies. No smell, can be mixed to whatever strength you want.

 

[KeeponDragon]

probably cheaper than cleaning vinegar too, the better 3/4's gets it from of those earth-friendly refillery outlets here in town.

 

[MikeANW]

It's the high humidity combined with high temperatures combined with high road salt that gets into/onto everything.

For things like reloading dies, it's mostly high temperatures and high humidity causing heavy condensation. If you don't dehumidify, cooler indoor temperatures will supersaturate the air so moisture condenses on anything and everything but especially metal.

Some folks around here think the metal actually sweats. It certainly looks like it. But it's an illusion.

this assumes of course that you consider 98% humidity to be high..........................................

 

[Susquatch]

this assumes of course that you consider 98% humidity to be high..........................................

When 98% is the average, and the temperature is in the 90s, its HIGH! LOL!

 

[MikeANW]

i love living in ontario..........

 

[Susquatch]

i love living in ontario..........

Someplace on here I have a thread on the extreme measures I take to protect my tools.

 

[6.5 Fan]

Out here in SK. we say "it's a dry cold" Very few problems with rust from humidity here.

 

[kevin.decelles]

Out here in SK. we say "it's a dry cold" Very few problems with rust from humidity here.

In Calgary I never had any humidity rust issues but out here in eastern sk (mb border) it is an issue. Fluid film is your friend here. My dad (retired industrial mech at the potash mine) said fluid film was the go-to product underground which is impressive given it is mostly salt

 

[Susquatch]

My dad (retired industrial mech at the potash mine) said fluid film was the go-to product underground which is impressive given it is mostly salt

I did an extensive 1 year comparison of various products on my plow blades. I had planned a thread on it soon.

Spoiler - The bottom line is that only two products provided one full year of protection. One was WD-40 Corrosion Inhibitor and the other was Fluid Film. But Fluid Film was MUCH less expensive and therefore it gets the nod.

 

[MikeANW]

That’s good to know. Most of my gear sits in an environment with little climate control. Not ideal but it’s what I have for now. I’ve used a few oil sprays to help and while I’ve seen fluid film I’ve never tried it. Off to the store…………

 

[6.5 Fan]

PA puts fluid film and other shop spray items on sale quite often.