How to remove rust from a knife yourself?
Content:
In order that the knife does not rust, it is necessary to protect it from moisture and periodically clean it. This is a common truth, but it is not always possible to observe such simple at first glance conditions. The knife can be forgotten or lost somewhere, and after a while it can be found already rusty. As a rule, the blade suffers in this case. Metal handles are rarely made, but this is also found. There are a lot of ready-made chemical compounds for removing rust (corrosion), you can do it with improvised means, especially if the item is not badly damaged.
Chemical properties of rust
In order to understand the principle of action of rust-cleaning agents, you need to know what it is by nature. In chemical terms, it is iron (III) hydroxide, an insoluble base, neutralized by the action of acid. Therefore, in order to remove rust stains from the knife blade, it is necessary to treat it with a substance containing acid. From the usual available means, you can recall:
- potato (contains oxalic acid);
- onions (various organic acids);
- vinegar (acetic acid).
There are other options with which you can get rid of this disaster. Much depends on how severe the damage is. Maybe this is a light coating, or perhaps corrosion has already formed serious shells on the smooth surface of the blade. One way or another, in order to clean the knife from rust, remove existing spots and protect it from the appearance of new ones, it is necessary to go through all stages of the procedure.
Corrosion Removal Mechanism
First of all, it is necessary to assess the condition of the knife, the degree of corrosion damage. The whole procedure consists of the following steps:
- act on the steel elements of the knife with an acid-containing substance (or a special tool);
- remove rust from them;
- clean the blade;
- treat with oil or wax to protect against re-spoilage.
If corrosion has formed on the surface of the blade of the sink, then you may have to resort to processing with fine sandpaper and subsequent polishing. However, we consider the mechanism in more detail.
Tip
Throughout the process, you can not use water, you should use special solutions, cleansing compounds, etc.
Having found rust on a knife blade, it is necessary to do the following. To begin with, mechanically remove all impurities by carefully wiping the knife with a rough rag, having previously moistened it with a cleaning liquid. Then the liquid must be applied to the blade, soak a rag with it, wrap the knife and leave it in this position for several hours. As such a cleaning agent, you can use vinegar or kerosene, or you can buy a special composition, such as a rust converter.
After this time, you should deploy the knife and remove all unnecessary with steel wool. After that, it must be wiped with a coarse cloth soaked in oil, cleaned to a full shine. To protect the knife from repeated damage by corrosion, it must be covered with a protective agent, such as oil or wax, after which it must be monitored, periodically cleaned, lubricated, and regularly done.
What should I do if it turns out that it was not possible to completely remove the spots? In this case, the procedure is worth repeating. You can try to remove rust in other ways, which, fortunately, abound.
Aspirin can help remove rust from a knife.
The use of alternative methods
One of the methods - it was already mentioned earlier - is the removal of rust with the help of potatoes. Everything is simple here.To remove traces of corrosion from a knife, it is necessary to stick it in a potato and leave it for a day. Then remove the tool, wipe it with a rough cloth soaked in oil. In not the most neglected cases, this is a rather effective tool. The oxalic acid contained in the potato reacts with iron hydroxide to neutralize it. The process of cleaning steel from rust with onions proceeds in the same way. In this case, onion juice is applied to the blade and aged for several hours, after which it should be removed along with exfoliated rust.
Rust stains can be removed in the same way, using lemon juice or vinegar, even ketchup is used for this. The principle of operation is identical to that described above. Some successfully solve this problem with sparkling water. There is an opinion that Coca-Cola is especially suitable for these purposes, because it contains phosphoric acid. It is necessary to lower the knife into the container with the drink for several hours, then remove it and remove the rust with a metal brush or washcloth. At the end, polish the blade and protect it from moisture with oil, wax or special means.
In the fight against rust, sometimes the most unexpected things are used, for example, Alka-Seltzer or aspirin. A few tablets are dissolved in a small amount of water and the knife blade is lowered into the solution for a quarter of an hour, after which they wipe the surface with a rough cloth and treat the knife, as in all other cases, in order to protect it from subsequent damage.
What to do with a rusty object and how to remove stains from it, what method to use for this is up to the knife owner. Buying a ready-made tool is perhaps the most win-win option, but it is still worth experimenting with alternative methods, especially if the case is not too neglected. The main thing after this is to prevent the reappearance of rust spots, since some of them can be difficult to remove. In this matter, prevention is everything.
Corrosion Prevention
They say that the knife blade does not rust, they should be used more often. This expression is not meaningless. The knife which is in constant use is regularly wiped, processed, and is in full view. Meanwhile, a stored and unused copy is at no less risk of corrosion damage. If you forget about it for a while and do not do the processing and cleaning of metal parts, then it will almost certainly rust. The fact is that moisture is contained everywhere, including in the air. Gradually settling on the surface of the blade, it will inevitably lead to the process of oxidation of iron. Protective compounds, by the way, cannot retain their qualities indefinitely, they must be periodically removed, cleaned with a knife and applied again.
Many owners of professional and hunting knives avoid preventive oil treatment. It is believed that oil is able to enter into additional interactions with various substances and harm steel. In this case, wax has established itself as a more reliable means. In addition, the knife, which is used from time to time, should not be stored in a case or scabbard. Any adverse conditions, primarily air humidity, in such a cramped space will worsen, and the damage process will accelerate. In addition, you can skip the start of the process without simply seeing it. It is better to cover the knife when the time comes to take it with you on a trip, on a hunt, etc.
With the right approach and sufficient attention to the subject, the appearance of corrosion can be avoided. It is better to spend time warning the problem than fighting it. Removing rust and preventing its occurrence is a painstaking process that requires regularity. However, perhaps this is one of the few cases where caring for a thing is fun and has a calming effect. The smooth, polished surface of the knife is the best reward for the owner of the effort.
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