How to clean hand planes for restoration

[Joe Tilson]

I would like to start cleaning some of the hand planes purchased lately. Have tried Evapo-Rust which is going to cost more than I can afford. Please help this poor old Nu-bee!

[Jim Matthews]

I've just used a granite base (sink cut out from local kitchen refitter), sand paper, machine oil and elbow grease.
Lamp oil is cheap, and an effective cutting oil for this process, but it is (obviously) flammable.

Don't smoke while you're doing this.


If you've got rust in the interior of the plane body, search electrolysis.
That's not terribly expensive, but it does create some gases that need to be properly ventilated.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electrolytic-Rust-Removal-aka-Magic/

I'm only after the parts of the plane that move relative to one another,
and a flat "plane" surface on the bottom.

I can get a dirty, rusty #4 shiny and ready to use in about an hour,
if all the parts are intact. If they're frozen, I apply a little penetrating oil
and keep the plane in a sealed plastic bag overnight.

Pitted blades may not be worth salvage - if you can't get the cutting edges uniform it won't cut well.

I like the original thickness blades; replacements are available from Lee Valley.
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=42607&cat=1,230,41182

FWIW - I find it MUCH easier to work with a rusty plane body, with everything removed.
I get it clean this way. You must reassemble the plane, with the cap iron tensioned
to get the works flat.

Do a search here, on removing rust - this is a topic that many of us broach in the natural
course of things. Most of the proven techniques are covered.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?183160-Problems-Removing-Rust-From-A-Handplane

[don wilwol]

http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com/bench-plane-restore-the-dw-way/

[Joe Tilson]

Thanks for the help. I have a few really bad rusted planes and some not so bad. #5's seem to be the most available in this area of the country along with block planes. The ones I really look forward to cleaning up are the Sargent. I also found in the neighborhood of 20 Disston saws. That's another project though.

[Dave Parkis]

I rehab planes and other tools. Tried Evaporust and its okay. I generally use green or maroon ScotchBrite pads (which I buy at an autobody supply house) with WD-40 and some elbow grease. That's for removing rust/paint and should be done after a thorough scrubbing with a degreaser. Stop at the Dollar Store and get yourself some brushes and degreaser.

[steven c newman]

For some reason, I usually don't use any chemicals on the ones I refurb. I do have a small drill press, and a big selection of wire brushes to spin in it. Maybe some Simple Green on a rag to remove any grime. Most of the brushes are brass wire ones. I try to get down to the good paint that is left, and remove the rust, and other dirt. IF needed, a coat of matching paint is added. All of this might take half a day. Depending on how bad it is...264697264698before and after, a Union #4G type 2 ( bought for $5)

There is also a beltsander, sitting upside down in the vise. Great at sole and side clean ups. Use a honing guide, and the beltsander to refresh the iron's edge, too. Belt is a worn down 100 grit 3" x 21" and runs away from me. and any edge too...

[Bob Jones]

I like Rust-Oleum Rust Stripper. It is a gel that you apply to the surface. Works great and you can buy at an auto parts store. I wrote about it on my blog if you search rust on my site you should find it. Good luck!

[Andrew Nemeth]

I recently started rehabbing rusty planes and have tried citric acid, evaporust, and elbow grease. While the evaporust did a great job it was very expensive and did not work any better than a home brewed citric acid solution. There are many different acids available at a hardware store which are more corosive and caustic than citric acid but would probably work faster (just be sure you know how to handle and dispose if it properly). I use citric acid becuase it is realativly benign and still gets the job done with a 6-48 hour bath. A little elbow grease with a fine stainless steel wire brush will greatly decrease the time needed in the bath. I'm also a firm believer in "rinse, lather, repeat", a scrub or two halfway through the bath assures everything is nice and clean. Unfortunately, you will have to find a supplier of citric acid, it is used for canning but I have never found large quantities at a grocery store. I ended up buying mind dry at a home brewing and wine shop. It was food grade (overkill) and cost me about $10/lb locally, if I remember right. I know it can be had much cheaper in larger quantities online. I used about 1/4-1/2 pound per plane. There are lots of recipes online but I just mixed it up until the warm water I had was saturated.

[Halgeir Wold]

Most so-called rust eaters are based on phosphoric acid, which will leave a thin layer of iron phosphate, which in itself is a rust inhibitor.
The same process is used in lectrolysis on car bodies, which produces a much thicker layer.
Phosphoric acid should be availiable fairly cheaply. It needs to be reduced in strength, though, by dilution. It can probably be gelled with gelatine, although I've never tried that. If someone should try this, you need to make sure you know how to handle strong acids, and take the necesseary precautions - safety gear etc. etc.

Citric acid seems to do the job also, albeit slower and more gently, but I've never tried that.

[steven c newman]

as I said, I don't really use any chemicals in the shop, just these264832small ones to large wheels. Works for me, then a wipe down with Simple Green to clean off the mess.

[Sam Stephens]

I'm not a fan of elbow grease or any method that sends dirt, rust, and grime particles in the air for me to inhale. i prefer electrolysis w/ washing soda as the electrolyte which also functions as a degreaser. (I'm not concerned w/ the very minute amounts of hydrogen gas released) i then scrub w/ a scotch brite pad in water to remove the washing soda, thoroughly dry and immediately and thoroughly oil it -light duty machine oil or wd-40.

......and i would rank simple green as very caustic

[steven c newman]

I work with Simple Green all the time at work, we dilute it, and mop up all the Hydraulic fluid.antifreeze, lithium grease and other nasty things on the floors.

10' away from my "Refurb Center" is a gas powered water heater, with active pilot light. Beside it is a gas furnace. Now, any fumes from doing chemical refurb is going to go where???? Safer with the wire wheels.

Just the way my shop is set up......

[Derrell W Sloan]

If you want cheap, take a look at this:

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/chris-schwarz-blog/remove-rust-zinc-and-black-oxide-with-the-works

I've used it and it is crazy how well and fast it works. But do not use it on cast iron. I almost ruined the body of a hand drill. But on plane blades, nuts, screws, etc. it works great and can go down the drain when you're done.

[Sam Stephens]

I work with Simple Green all the time at work, we dilute it, and mop up all the Hydraulic fluid.antifreeze, lithium grease and other nasty things on the floors.

10' away from my "Refurb Center" is a gas powered water heater, with active pilot light. Beside it is a gas furnace. Now, any fumes from doing chemical refurb is going to go where???? Safer with the wire wheels.

Just the way my shop is set up......

agreed that it's not a volatile organic solvent w/ a low flash point i.e. that's why you haven't become a fireball -it's an aqeuous based degreaser i.e. non-flammable-but caustic refers to its alkaline pH ~9.3-9.5. it's not as strong as bleach pH ~13, but it'll still eat the paint off your car!

[steven c newman]

We do not use it on a car, anyway. Great glass cleaner, though. Very well, you go clean things up your way, and I will just keep doing things my way.

[Chris Hachet]

I am Going to try that....thanks...

[Joe Tilson]

Thanks for all the info. Just to let you know I bought a dead battery today. Am going to try electrolysis. Although Evapo Rust does a good job for me. Again thanks for the help.

[Roy Griggs]

Almost any fair sized city will have an industrial chemical supply house, Most of them will carry citric acid in bulk. I buy my CA from a place called Brainerd chemical. I get an 8 pound bucket for $24 dollars at the pick-up counter. They were the second place I called when I looked up chemical in the yellow pages...let your fingers do the walking. If you go to wkfinetools.com and search for "plane cleaning 101" you can see how I do planes. CA also works well on saws....

[Jim Koepke]

Almost any fair sized city will have an industrial chemical supply house, Most of them will carry citric acid in bulk.

For smaller amounts look for wine making or beer making supplies.

I think I bought a pound last time and it has lasted about 5 years.

jtk