Rusty tool rehab
Have been researching best methods lately; used to be I'd throw them in vinegar for awhile then scrub the rust off.
But, learned the hard way that too long and damage can occur.
So, am leaning towards Evapo-Rust, since it is a non-toxic chelator that will never damage the material. Just need to get some.
But after that, then what? On many tools, the shiny part is gone--what spray puts that back? Like, if a tool had anodized aluminum parts, and vinegar (let's say) removed it, how do you (easily) restore it and also protect against future oxidation?
For small pieces, is clear nail polish an option?
Also, while most items will be iron/steel, not all parts are--there might be parts that include zinc, for example, or aluminum, or brass, or copper, etc.
What tips do you know? Or good reference guide links?
I want to get started on it without falling down too deep of a rabbit hole researching it to death.
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