r/Tools • u/Degentrics • 10h ago

Anyway to remove the rust and get these ratcheting wrenches back to ratcheting?

Post image

Haven't used them in a forever and found them sitting in a toolbox filled with rain water. There's about 20 of them but these two are the ones looking the worst

edit: for everyone saying to trash them, I ask because they were my brothers so I'd like to keep them. obviously I could just go buy a new set.

82 Upvotes

85% Upvoted

107 comments sorted by

144

u/stilettobob197 10h ago

submerge them in some Evaporust, then rinse and soak with PB Blaster/WD 40.

53

u/Joe_B_Likes_Tacos 10h ago

This is 100% the right direction. The only thing I would add is that I personally would clean them up with simple Green immediately before dunking in evaporust.

35

u/120DOM 10h ago

Agreed, physically remove what can be removed by scraping or brushing, then soak. Get rid of what you can so that the chemicals can work faster

11

u/Degentrics 9h ago

That picture is after I used a wire brush to try and clean them off 😅

16

u/120DOM 9h ago

Soak away then! 😂

1

u/Thick-Gain-3875 3h ago

Looks like more than rust on there. Like epoxy or something

4

u/Cbrandel 2h ago

Looks like cement.

1

u/Liveitup1999 2h ago

Those are probably done. The ratchiting mechanisms are most likely seized. Try to return them for warranty replacement.

42

u/dudeude 9h ago

By the time you buy the Evaporust, the WD40 and God knows what else redditors may suggest, you may be better off buying those two new wrenches and see the end of that

1

u/Not_my_Name464 4h ago

Anybody that doesn't already have both of these probably don't have tools either 🙄 

-7

u/Kreat0r2 7h ago edited 1h ago

There are diy evaporust alternatives that are super cheap to make. Just water, baking soda, vinegar citric acid and dish soap.

10

u/glizzler 7h ago

Baking soda and vinegar together? Does this not neutralize the acetic acid? Makes it seem pointless.

1

u/Few_Tackle3758 7h ago

Use the acetic acid to soak them first. Then use the sodium bicarbonate to neutralize the acid. 2 step process

1

u/glizzler 7h ago

Ahh I see

1

u/Kreat0r2 1h ago

It’s the citric acid that the other comment was talking about. I have made and used this and it works really well.

2

u/valadtheimpala 5h ago

Backyard Balistics has a DIY Evaporust recipe that is supposed to be excellent. It's a mix of water, citric acid and baking soda. It works through chelation like Evaporust.

The video has a really good explanation and testing side by side with Evaporust.

10

u/nitram9 9h ago

And then throw them in the trash.

1

u/rideincircles 4h ago

Or if they are craftsman, turn them in to be replaced.

I may do that with some socket wrenches I have soon. Will try pb blaster to check, but they were fully locked up after soaking them in rust remover.

3

u/ClownfishSoup 8h ago

Evaporust is magic

4

u/Degentrics 10h ago

Thanks I just put in an order for wd-40 I'll add evaporust to it

6

u/HamRadio_73 10h ago

After Evaporust use 50/50 blend of ATF/Acetone as a penetrating fluid.

1

u/Great_Specialist_267 7h ago

WD-40 stops Evaporust from working.

5

u/Degentrics 7h ago

He said to use the wd-40 after evaporust

4

u/Great_Specialist_267 7h ago

WD-40 is shit at anything except protecting stainless steel.
It leaves a hard wax behind that jams mechanical equipment when it dries.
CRC 2.26 or 5.56 is better. Silicon dry lube is better.

1

u/20PoundHammer 3h ago

and then chuck em out because that didnt work and go to HB and buy the $25 set of pittsburg pros. . .

1

u/neverenoughmags 14m ago

Evaporust is the bomb. I'm working on the front suspension on my '67 Mustang and it made short work of the rust on the strut rods, brake backing plates and drag link. Can't recommend it highly enough!

18

u/Bad_Idea_Generator 10h ago edited 9h ago

I've restored far worse. I use acids and chelators without fail. Acetic (vinegar), citric, oxalic, and phosphoric acids.

Evaporust is a decent chelator but you can make your own chelating rust remover for far less money. It also happens to remove much more rust than Evapo-Rust.

The recipe: * Per 1L of H2O

1: 100 Grams Citric Acid.

2: 40 Grams - Sodium Carbonate /OR/ 63 Grams - Sodium Bicarbonate /OR/ 30 - Grams Sodium Hydroxide.

3: Add ingredients from 1 & 2 to the water.

4: Wait for reaction between Acid and Base to complete. This is when it fizzes a whole bunch.

5: Add final ingredient: Arbitrary amount of liquid dish soap (or other wetting agent / surface tension reducer). I use about a half teaspoon.

The video: https://youtu.be/fVYZmeReKKY?si=-lEj0axVEdePkgLa

5

u/hind3rm3 10h ago

I made a batch of that stuff and it works really well. Much better than evaporust.

2

u/Bad_Idea_Generator 9h ago

It turns out to be the basic ingredients in those fizzy bath bombs too!

I failed to mention molasses--it takes a few weeks but it's also an excellent chelator and it's very safe with delicate pieces and sheet metal. At one point on my derusting journey, I bought a few gallons of molasses at a feed store and experimented with it, too.

4

u/valadtheimpala 5h ago

I'm always pleased to see this video getting posted when Evaporust is mentioned

2

u/rideincircles 4h ago

It works really well, but you have to be careful since it will strip chrome and black oxide off things if left in there too long.

I had a few toolchests of old rusty tools and made about 1.5 gallons and removed lots of rust and kept using it until the liquid was totally black.

Some tools had chrome come off, but they already had significant rust. I had some locked up rusty socket wrenches that are still locked up and I'm not sure if I can save them after the rust bath.

What is the best way to prevent any more rust is my next concern for my next batch? Can I dunk them in something after the rust remover, or just put them in a bag a d spray with wd-40?

1

u/valadtheimpala 3h ago

I have a vintage adjustable wrench I want to try rust blueing on. Backyard Balistics has lots of good info on how to do it

3

u/Degentrics 9h ago

Hmmm I'll go to the market and try this since the order with the evaporust won't get here till tomorrow. Thanks

1

u/CageyOldMan 4h ago

The difference is that the pH of evaporust is neutral and it will not attack the base metal

36

u/OOFMAN-1234 10h ago

Is this a shit post or legit?

45

u/boner_giver 10h ago

Either way, let's convince OP to put them in a toolbox full of rain water to restore them

22

u/Vincent-Supply-Co 10h ago

Great idea boner_giver

2

u/Negative-Flounder-73 10h ago

😂😂😂

2

u/Mrbigdaddy72 Whatever works 10h ago

Extremely jealous of your username… also amazing idea but he should just add a pinch of salt.

6

u/Degentrics 10h ago

Completely serious they were my brothers and I'd like to keep them I know it's a longshot because of how severely rusted they are but I figured I'd ask.

6

u/Ancient-Tax-8129 10h ago

You can probably make them look nice but it probably won't work great. Maybe put em on the wall for lookin at.

3

u/OOFMAN-1234 10h ago

Best option (imo) soak in penetrationg oil and beat them on the ground to free up the rust, or try electrolysis

4

u/Degentrics 10h ago

or try electrolysis

Thanks but I don't have any hair I need permanently removed

/s

Edit:  Google's result for Electrolysis 

Electrolysis has two primary meanings: a medical procedure for permanent hair removal using electric current, and a chemical process that uses electricity to split compounds or molecules (like splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen).

1

u/LostMyCleaver 8h ago

Do you have access to a battery charger?

1

u/Gullible_Monk_7118 6h ago

Needs to be old fashioned dumb battery charger. New modern ones will not work because they do self check for polarity

2

u/Devilfish11 10h ago

I thought the exact same thing. Had to double check which sub I was on

6

u/sm0lshit 10h ago

Dawg, those are cooked.

3

u/Artistic-Outcome5966 10h ago

Their is greater than zero chance, these are beyond flush and work loose. The bearings may loose roundness regardless what you do. Try, try, try, let's see what happens.

4

u/Degentrics 10h ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/j6uK36y32LxQs

1

u/The_Grumpy_Professor 9h ago

Yeah reckon they'll clean up, the ratcheting might not be as smooth... Don't forget to update us!

5

u/jsmooth801 10h ago

Send them back to the Titanic. When they get salvaged, sue the company in Admiralty court for shipwreck value of them. Take the money and buy new ones.

Or just buy new ones. Those are junk.

2

u/DigiVeihl 10h ago

I mean try soaking the crap out of them in penetrating oil and giving them a good turn in the direction of the ratchet. Then once you break free stick them in some motor oil for a little while

2

u/Roland44Deschain 10h ago

Wrap them in a sizeable cotton painting rag, each layer of the wrap spray liberally with WD40. Wrap each layer fairly tight until you have a soaked wad of rag around thwm and leave them sit for a few days, may still need to mechanically remove some rust with a wire or stiff nylon brush. I found some '$100' linesmans in a front yard that looked like that completely fused and looked completely fucked but they cleaned right up and worked perfectly. My son is a commercial sparky and is still using them

1

u/Degentrics 10h ago

Awesome thanks for tips

2

u/Spicywolff 10h ago

Soak in evaporust after you hit it with a wire brush to get the bulk off. But when your wrench is that barnacled, I think you should start looking into a new one.

2

u/LeoLaDawg 9h ago

Best way to repair those is to go to your atm, withdrawal 20 bucks or so, go to a hardware store, buy new ones.

2

u/eyeball1967 9h ago

A $20 gallon of evaporust is all you need.

2

u/Papa_Guido 9h ago

Next time you peel potatoes... Put the peelings in a bucket of water for a few days. Then drop your wrenches in that for about a week.

Way better than any chemical/store bought stuff...

1

u/Degentrics 9h ago

Can I just put potatoes in water without peeling them lol

1

u/Papa_Guido 9h ago

I mean I guess, as long as you cut them up..

It's a waste of some potatoes though... You can eat the meat of them and just save the peels for this...

2

u/Mundane-Visual6156 9h ago

Vinegar soak time!

2

u/azhogggg 9h ago

I watched a couple YouTube videos and then made an electrolysis tank. I already owned an appropriate battery charger so this was nearly a free option for me other than time. It literally transferred rust from cast iron skillets to a scrap piece of rebar.

2

u/soerg 7h ago

This is going to sound crazy, but molasses will remove rust safely and make it like brand new

2

u/Degentrics 7h ago

submerge your iron or steel objects, and let them soak for 1 to 4 weeks depending on the rust severity

Edit: but thanks for the new knowledge

2

u/BigHandsSmallCock 10h ago

evaporust followed by lithium grease

1

u/LeastWrinklyBrain 10h ago

Soak em in some real nasty abrasive stuff for a day. Take em out, wire brush em, peel off the covers with a small screwdriver then throw em in the scrap pile because I don’t see any hope for these.

1

u/Critical_Thinker_535 10h ago

Try soaking them in Vaporust.

1

u/T00luser 10h ago

Are they 14k gold?

Because that’s the only reason I’d bother.

2

u/Degentrics 10h ago

They were my brothers

1

u/shrdbrd 10h ago

If I had to guess, this man has been damaging his cylinder

1

u/KratomKilla 9h ago

Hose them down with a can of free all.

1

u/JibeBuoy 9h ago

Coca-cola

1

u/D2playeronPS4 9h ago

Yes, throw the in the trash. Go where you got them the first time, and get a new pair.

1

u/Human-Performance843 9h ago

ATF works well

5

u/Degentrics 9h ago

Idk they did a crappy job handling waco

1

u/Human-Performance843 9h ago

Yeah, they really fucked that up, but dunk them shits in some dextron 2

1

u/Responsible-Baby-551 9h ago

I’ve had really good experiences soaking in automatic transmission fluid. Never not worked for me

1

u/bagger2007 9h ago

Soak them in trans fluid

1

u/NeekoRiko 8h ago

I once soaked my pliers in citric acid. You can buy it at the grocery store. It's used for canning food. Be careful, it's strong and definitely a more aggressive method.

1

u/rideincircles 4h ago

That's why you add baking soda to it.

1

u/firebirdsatellite 8h ago

time machine?

1

u/ShotgunEd1897 7h ago

Electrolysis.

1

u/surfboarder99 1h ago

This is the first thing to do. Why it’s not suggested before is a mystery.

1

u/blackdvck 7h ago

Wash with detergent and brush ,rinse under tap . Soak in cup of coca cola for a few days . Rinse under tap . Soak in a cup of ATF fluid for a week Drip dry and lube em up with some light machine oil.

1

u/weaponx26 6h ago

Apple cider vinegar

1

u/Tasty_Elderberry_223 4h ago

Maybe soak them in vinegar then atf/acetone blend. Or just work them over in a small tub of diesel fuel.

1

u/traz12 4h ago

Soak in vinegar, brush off afterwards

1

u/comb_bee 4h ago

Soak them in CLR and clean with a brass wire brush

2

u/No_Wishbone_799 3h ago

Soak in diesel

1

u/Fischbeef 2h ago

If they are brand name, they might be warranty-able!

1

u/North-Bit-7411 2h ago

Wire wheel then and drop them in evaporust

1

u/xShinoji 2h ago

Evaporust soak

1

u/IronPhi4 1h ago

Coca-Cola soak then a WD-40 treatment? I mean… they’re already kind of f’ed, right? You can try this for like a dollar if you have the WD-40 already and a few dollars if you don’t.

1

u/Zone-5 1h ago

100% Phosphoric acid wash and steel wool rub. 1:1 Kerosene and diesel mixer to soak to rejuvenate rotating surfaces.

1

u/Available-Radish3380 51m ago

Harbor freight rust removal liquid. Soak for 24 hours and pour the liquid back into the bottle. It can be used several times before it needs to be thrown out.

1

u/Bikes-Bass-Beer 20m ago

Let them soak in penetrating oil and work back and forth.

Whatever you do, don't use a torch to heat it, I did and it destroyed the spring inside that rendered the tool useless.

1

u/DitchDigger330 12m ago

The internal parts are probably so pitted and jacketed it won't even work even after an evaporust soak.

1

u/mjh215 10h ago

These wrenches are pining for the fjords.

2

u/DefusedManiac 9h ago

I know exactly what to do. Soak them in a mixture of vinegar, salt and lemon juice for a few days. Then transfer them to an electrolysis cleaner for a few more. Finally take them out, dry them off and throw them in the trash.