ChestnutLouie
Active Member
I got my hands on some old Lyman steel molds and they are all rusty, not pitted but they need help. What is the recomended way to remove rust.
Thanks
Francis
Thanks
Francis
rusty steel molds
- Thread starter ChestnutLouie
- Start date
glassparman
"OK, OK, I'm going as fast as I don't want to go!"
^^^^ That!
CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
I like Evapo-Rust as well.
But know bluing is also "rust" and will be removed as well.
Good oul solvent like a penetrating oil and a stiff tooth brush often is enough and will keep bluing.
One could also try short soak in evapo followed by brush.
I have made a few videos on this. Clean up
CW
But know bluing is also "rust" and will be removed as well.
Good oul solvent like a penetrating oil and a stiff tooth brush often is enough and will keep bluing.
One could also try short soak in evapo followed by brush.
I have made a few videos on this. Clean up
CW
bruce381
Active Member
CW I have a mold that had some light rust in the cavities I soaked in evaporust and they came out perfect. BUT when I went to HOT water rinse and blow off they quickly went from clean metal to a rusty look as I watched it seemed. What do you do?
How to get off the evaporust without water? or re rusting?
How to get off the evaporust without water? or re rusting?
JonB
Halcyon member
When I come across a bullet mold with surface rust, first I use Toothbrush, hot tap water, and dish soap.
Then I use denim and oil (Ed's Red or similar like thinned ATF).
If they look good enough to cast, then I remove oil with the Toothbrush, hot tap water, and dish soap again.
Then I use denim and oil (Ed's Red or similar like thinned ATF).
If they look good enough to cast, then I remove oil with the Toothbrush, hot tap water, and dish soap again.
CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
The mold fresh out of evapo, is like raw clean metal and will easily flash rust.
I coat my molds in mineral oil between uses. It flashes off perfectly clean with heat and brake clean. On my hot plate. Its never cause me issue.
Long term storage Id use a better preventative.
My thing is I dont want to adversely affect seasoning by say submerging in oil
or Coating in grease. (But both/either would be good for long term storage. Mineral oil works well for me as most my molds see use within a few months.
CW
Last edited:
JonB
Halcyon member
Do you think submerging or just applying a coating of Ed's Red would affect bullet cavity seasoning?
Bazoo
Active Member
I use penetrating oil to start, then a bronze bore brush (preferably with a brass core) chucked in an electric drill. Clamp the mould haves down and go at it lightly. If you have the brush spin so that it goes away from the edge, it also helps remove/reduce any slight burrs that would cause sticking.
bruce381
Active Member
I have white oil at work not a problem but how DO you go from supper clean evaporust clean to oil?
do you leave on evaporust and NOT wash off to avoid the flash rust and then coat with oil brushing it in?
after evaporust the metal is white and clean as soon as I try to wash or blow it off it flash rusts before I can get any oil on it. how to stop that? I think I will go from wet evaopurst to mineral spirts soak that will stop flash rust then from there to the mineral oil brushing that sounds like it will work right?
do you leave on evaporust and NOT wash off to avoid the flash rust and then coat with oil brushing it in?
after evaporust the metal is white and clean as soon as I try to wash or blow it off it flash rusts before I can get any oil on it. how to stop that? I think I will go from wet evaopurst to mineral spirts soak that will stop flash rust then from there to the mineral oil brushing that sounds like it will work right?
Last edited:
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
IME it depends how bad the rust is. I had a real disaster here some years back and had heavy rust on some moulds. (About gave me a heart attack when I found them!!!) I had to resort to a soft wire wheel on a bench grinder. Then went at it with 4/0 steel wool on a stick to do the nose, grooves, etc. Takes forever. I bought Evapo Rust but haven't tried it yet.
FWIW- I have moulds that obviously were rusted long before I was born. They still cast well, just aren't given to dropping "pretty" bullets. I don't really care what they look like as long as they FIT!!!
FWIW- I have moulds that obviously were rusted long before I was born. They still cast well, just aren't given to dropping "pretty" bullets. I don't really care what they look like as long as they FIT!!!
CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
It takes moisture to have rust. Clean the molds with good HOT soapy water out of evapo and blow off. I have never seen then rust before my eyes. But guess if your super humid its possible.
I do as mentioned and coat with a acid brush and mineral oil and store never a issue.
I do as mentioned and coat with a acid brush and mineral oil and store never a issue.
Mitty38
Well-Known Member
I just soaked mine in Evapo rust, washed in scalding hot water. Wiped down with a soft cotton cloth. Then boiled in stump killer to put the blueing back on. No issues. There are plenty of you tube videos on potassium nitrate blueing so not going to get into that. But simple process. Not a good blueing against rub wear. But will keep something like a properly stored, and used mould from rusting up.
Last edited:
