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Best way to restore old tools

 
pioneer
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Location: Chesterfield, Massachusetts, United States
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My family and I bought a house recently and we've found some old tools like a scythe and a draw saw. But they're rusty and old. Any advice on how best to restore them? Or is it better to get a new blade for both?
 
gardener
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The answer is going to depend a lot on the condition of the rust. Light surface rust is easier to fix than deeper rust. I generally won't bother with something that is already pitted and flaking. If it is light enough, a wire brush or steel wool can remove it easily. For a little thicker, a vinegar bath can do wonders (so long as you don't leave it so long it starts to pit). My father managed to restore a wrench with extremely deep and bad rust by putting it into a blast furnace just long enough for the rust to return to a softened metal state. I doubt most people have that option though.

I haven't tried other chemical treatments or electrolysis, but they can be successful as well. The down side to those can be the cost of setup is possibly not worth it for smaller pieces. Pictures of the tools might help for assessing what is going to be the best route.
 
master steward
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I, of course, have idea how damaged they are. But the first step is to brush off the rust with a wire brush. Then buy a gallon or two of white vinegar and soak them in it for a week or two. Try to use only a gallon at a time.  Every few days, remove the blades from the tub and brush them off. I restored an old tow chain recently with the help of this site.
 
pollinator
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I use Evaporust.  The stuff is amazing.  It claims to be bio-degradable, non toxic, etc, but I have never been able to find the active ingredients list.  I know it cleans the rust from metal very, very well and doesn't damage plastic, paint, wood, or anything else as near as I can tell.
 
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