How to clean rust off of iron?

[Jaichim24]

I've seen a lot of "how to" articles on electrolysis. For the most part they are always depicted cleaning coins. I was wondering if there was something out there that might work for iron relics to clean off the rust "bubbles" and deformities and get what is left of the metal to show? I am finding lots of old hammered nails, and what I think is an old ax head. How can I get the rust off and see the metal? Will electrolysis work for that? If not, what do people usually do to clean off their iron relics that are rusted. Thanks in advance for your help.

Jai

p.s. here's a pic of some recent finds, I'd love to be able to clean up some of those old nails.

 

[brandon]

I find quite a few myself and have cleaned up some of the good ones by spraying them with PB Blaster (similar to WD-40) and using a wire brush. I lay out an old cookie sheet then newspaper, spray them down and let them sit a few days or till I get around to them, then spray them again, let them soak and then brush them off. The PB Blaster stinks and is probably not good for us so I advise doing it in the garage or outside under cover from the rain. Good finds and I look forward to more.

 

[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

[size=large]A lot of people, especially ones just starting out, will keep and try to identify every little chunk of rusting whatnot they find. Its junk, trash, throw it away. You won't have any trouble identifying an iron revolver that's been laying in the ground for 150 years, or a sidelock off of a Civil War rifle. But you'll find while detecting old house sites or Civil War relics you will dig mostly wheelbarrow loads of junk, and you need to dispose of it as such. I dig big iron... but no bigger than I can carry.
Vernon[/size]

[attachment 86773 CedarMountaindigs.jpg]
[size=large] Above photo; part of a Iron bayonet[/size]

[size=large] Below: JUNK! can it.[/size]
[attachment 86774 junk.jpg]

 

[Craig in Alabama]

n/t

 

[Brian(upstateNY)]

<center> post things you cant ID on the net and ask questions FIRST and research things you dont know BEFORE thowing them out
Heck I use to throw everything out when I was a kid, but then saved some items that still had any possible ID left
Here are a few...Like Vernon said, things pile up fast tho and keep rusting
So unless you have a lot of space and want to keep junk(as long as you know it's junk) you will want to throw it away in time!
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/goldngun/Buckets%20o%20fun/IMG_0037.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
Being in fields and woods and a smoker I didnt thow my cigg butts on the ground, I have seen the ashes fall off when I was somking and stuff start burning
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/goldngun/Buckets%20o%20fun/IMG_0035.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/goldngun/Buckets%20o%20fun/IMG_0034.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/goldngun/Buckets%20o%20fun/IMG_0033.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/goldngun/Buckets%20o%20fun/IMG_0031.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/goldngun/Buckets%20o%20fun/IMG_0030.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/goldngun/Buckets%20o%20fun/IMG_0028.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/goldngun/Buckets%20o%20fun/IMG_0027.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/goldngun/Buckets%20o%20fun/IMG_0026.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/goldngun/Buckets%20o%20fun/IMG_0025.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/goldngun/Buckets%20o%20fun/IMG_0017.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/goldngun/Buckets%20o%20fun/IMG_0015.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/goldngun/Buckets%20o%20fun/IMG_0007.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/goldngun/Buckets%20o%20fun/IMG_0004.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">

 

[Brian(upstateNY)]

n/t

 

[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

n/t

 

[Brian(upstateNY)]

<center> if I carried it out it went in the buckets at home
use to always check a lot for makers marks etc on items to learn
By the way, the new owners of the farm loved everything

 

[Craig in Alabama]

n/t

 

[Ed SW Fla]

n/t

 

[Ed SW Fla]

n/t

 

[charlie (ky)]

n/t

 

[Brian(upstateNY)]

n/t

 

[Brian(upstateNY)]

n/t

 

[Brian(upstateNY)]

n/t

 

[tenedy]

do recycle the iron?

 

[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

n/t

 

[Jaichim24]

Yeesh, this post got side tracked. I can see that at some point some of the trash I find will not be as interesting, but for now, I am interested in cleaning them up a bit. Someone mentioned that electrolysis would work on iron? Anyone have any success stories?