Removing Surface Rust On Dies?

[Uncle Larry]

This is a semi-newbie question about removing very light surface rust/speckling from die bodies...
I bought a couple of die sets off of "flea bay" and they have some very light surface rust/speckling on the outside of the bodys...the insides are clean and rust/corrosion/gunk free.

I was wondering what works for cleaning the rust off of the bodys'? I've tried a couple of search's without much sucess, so any help woul be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!

 

[BE Mike]

I've used CorrosionX and good wire toothbrush.

 

[m1gunner]

ATF and steel wool.

 

[Amici]

Second the steel wool - 0000, with a rust penetrant or Break-Free. A fine Scotchbrite pad will also work well, especially on the outside, but I think the wool will fit into the die better.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

I use a brass brush and Birchwood Casey Sheath (now Barricade). It works darn well!

 

[n4zov]

I use a Dremel tool with the wire brush attachment. It does a great job!

 

[Wickahoney]

Steel wool won't get into the knurling on the surface of the die. I found a very soft wire wheel that I simply chuck in the drill and use it to buff/clean the dies that have a bit of surface rust. You can actually run it on your hand without damage. There is simply no way it can damage the die. I keep it in the box with the stuck case remover so I don't lose it.

 

[dbarale]

Do you have a tumbler for your brass?

 

[lafayne]

I hope you wear eye protection with the wire brush and all other tools. Those little wires can come detached and become missiles....I know from experience.

 

[James57]

I too have bought a couple of sets of dies lately that have a little "discoloration" on them. I have cleaned up these dies with a polishing paste made in Germany by Happich and called Simichrome Polish. I use a old toothbrush and put the polish on the area to be cleaned and set about working on that area with the toothbrush. The toothbrush works especially well on areas that have the knurling cut into the steel or on threaded areas. It's a little labor intensive but works quite well. The only problem is that the areas cleaned this way will be brighter than the rest of the die and you will end up polishing the rest of the die too. Works for me anyway. James

 

[Amici]

Steel wool won't get into the knurling on the surface of the die. I found a very soft wire wheel that I simply chuck in the drill and use it to buff/clean the dies that have a bit of surface rust.

True; the wheel is great for the knurled surfaces. However, rust on the OUTSIDE of a die is largely a cosmetic issue. I would be more concerned with the INSIDE, where steel wool has the advantage.

 

[n4zov]

I hope you wear eye protection with the wire brush and all other tools. Those little wires can come detached and become missiles....I know from experience.

You are right, those little bristles can come loose especially if the tool is run at too high a speed. They should be used at low to medium speeds, and I always wear eye protection when using a Dremel. I also avoid those el cheapo brushes and accessories found at flea markets and on Ebay. They are nothing but problems!

 

[Marksman]

I use WD-40 and a wire brush, use a brass bristled one if scratching is a concern although if you go easy scratching shouldn't be an issue with a steel bristled brush. Brownell's sells a kit with three brushes, one each steel, brass and nylon bristles, very handy for rust removal chores. After cleaning be sure to apply a light coat of rust preventive or the rust will reappear after a short time.

 

[pinkymingeo]

All of my dies look kinda yellow. The reason is that I live in a climate where you can watch hand tools rust while you use them, so dies get a coating of LPS3 or CRC HD Corrosion Inhibitor as soon as they're received. I've tried other products but the two mentioned mean business, leave a waxy film on treated surfaces, and work better than anything else, by far. The heavy stuff cleans right off with WD40 or other penetrating oils, but there's really no reason to do so.