What to finish old tools with after rust removal?

[brainz01]

CAUTION! Evaporust is great stuff, but it will damage spring steel. I have first hand experience learning this the hard way - - I broke the springs on some calipers very similar to the ones in the original post. I'm not a chemist, but I think it's related to hydrogen embrittlement - - basically the metal hardened and shattered under its own spring tension.

Keep spring steel away from Evaporust.

[cabmandone]

The stuff I used was called Interchem 7150 Rust Inhibitor but I can't seem to find much on it on the interweb. It was years ago that I bought this stuff so it's probably not allowed to be made today. I could water blast a piece of metal and while it was still wet, rinse it with this product and it would not rust.

[Bill Douglas]

Probably phosphoric acid.

[wayner]

Im doing a brake dust cover in bucket of vinegar right now. I am very happy with how it is coming along after only a week.

[A930Rocket]

Originally Posted by brainz01

CAUTION! Evaporust is great stuff, but it will damage spring steel. I have first hand experience learning this the hard way - - I broke the springs on some calipers very similar to the ones in the original post. I'm not a chemist, but I think it's related to hydrogen embrittlement - - basically the metal hardened and shattered under its own spring tension.

Keep spring steel away from Evaporust.

Dang! I saw your post too late. I placed three of the smaller tools in a plastic tub and soaked them for a couple of hours (I got busy and forgot about them)

One of the springs fell apart in my hands. It was a Craftsman, so no big loss, other than sentimental. The other two are good. I’ll have to proceed with caution the others.

[brainz01]

Sorry to hear/see. That's exactly what mine did. Looks like you got the other two out in time, which is good.

[Arizona_928]

I've used vinegar. But it'll rust again without a coating of oil, primer/paint