Clean rust off mp600?

[kingofswords]

if i soak mp600 in bowl of vinegar overnight to get rid of rust will it damage the plastic locks?

or is it better to dismantle and clean each tool individually.

[zoidberg]

Depends how bad the rust is really. I would dismantle.

[Mechanickal]

WD40?

[kingofswords]

does wd40 clean it? i thought it was  just for lubbing it

[SteveC]

If it's just surface rust WD-40 and a toothbrush will most likely get it cleaned up.

[Old Boy]

Maybe whatever you do try a small spot first to be safe.

[gerleatherberman]

My MP600 does well with a good dousing of PBlaster (10x better than wd40). And wiping it and the tools gently with #0000  steel wool(to remove surface spots) and then dousing it again to remove wool fibers and getting the excess off with paper towels.
If there are pits in the metal, then they can't be removed, but a coat of drying silicone lube will prevent the pits from spreading.

[ThePeacent]

I use 3 in 1 + steel wool
worked fine in my second hand MP700

[kingofswords]

thanks for the advice ill try wd40 1st as i already have some.

is it ok to use on diamond file?

[zoidberg]

Yes.

[Aloha]

if i soak mp600 in bowl of vinegar overnight to get rid of rust will it damage the plastic locks?

or is it better to dismantle and clean each tool individually.

If you want to be thorough I'd take this ^^ approach.  I'd soak in rust remover of your choice and follow up with 0000 steel wool.  If the tool is pitted you can sand with sand paper working up to very fine grit.  I honestly don't think removing material is an issue and you'll be sure to have removed all the rust plus leave a smooth surface possibly inhibiting rust from returning. 

[Vidar]

It is a bad idea to use steel wool to brush stainless steel. The non-stainless steel wool will rub off a bit on the surface (it goes both ways), and surface rust will form even easier next time.

Mechanical cleaning should only be done using grinding wheels, flapper wheels or stainless steel wire brushes which have not been previously used on carbon or low alloy steel. (And if trying to remove lots of rust then the tool can be contaminate during the process itself). That said all mechanical grinding or brushing makes the surface less smooth and more vulnerable in the future.

If the damage is already done, and surface rust keeps popping up, then the cure is usually nitric or hydrofluoric acid treatment to remove any rubbed off iron particles on the surface. Vinegar might just do the trick - I haven't tried myself.

You can test if the surface is still contaminated by putting fresh water on it for a day - if it is contaminated that is enough to make it show up again. (The water should wet the surface completely. Any breaks in the water means it needs more cleaning).

[kingofswords]

it just a couple of spots of rust around the pivot area steel wool seems overkill.

ill try vinegar first it was just a cheap tool i got.

[gerleatherberman]

Cha cha cha....cheap?
Check out the cheap and cheerful section for some real cheapie cheap MTs.
I buy steel wool by the 1000' rolls at work with the boss's money, so I may not think of steel wool as something drastic. 

[pa_strunk]

Best thing for this is a "Sabitori Rust Eraser". Work great for removing rust from most MTs or stainless steel blades. Just be careful with highly polished stainless steel.

[SteveC]

it just a couple of spots of rust around the pivot area steel wool seems overkill.

ill try vinegar first it was just a cheap tool i got.

Did you try WD40 first ?

[Sam Lim]

If it's just light spot rust, using Autosol works great for me. It's a kind of paste type metal polish. It have very fine abrasive particle in it that helps to remove the rust.

[Padre]

I would soak it in degreaser then brush it with gun oil. Washing with basic dishwashing stuff. MP600 handles little corrosion. Its the tools way of barking longer walks. More carry needed.
 

[Kev D]

If all else fails, hit it with a dremel with a scotchbrite wheel in it, they take rust off fast and get into pits as well. They do scratch as well though so unless it's a stubborn bit of rust go the other methods first or you'll spend a long time polishing scratches out, unless it's going to be a work horse tool.

[tango44]

WD40 will be my first choice, if not EVAPORUST!

https://www.evapo-rust.com/product-info/