An alternative to oxalic acid ? The helmet results are in and the winner is ...

[Andrew Reichmann]

Hi Dan

You are quite right and I was also worried about potential damage so the really rusty one went in first :-) The second lid was a good test as it already had two different coats of green paint visible so I could easily compare the before and after effect. Maybe because I was conservative on both the amount of shock treatment and the time I left them in the mixture (30 minutes to max an hour), no observable colour change/lightening was observed.

Again, I am certain ox acid would deliver far better results but weighing risk versus effect I went with the least dangerous approach and will live with the result. :-)

[Glenn66]

Ummm, oxalic isn't radioactive. Using it outdoors and with the wearing of rubber gloves you shouldn't have too much to worry about.

[Andrew Reichmann]

Hi there Glen66

I was very surprised to discover just how difficult it was to find a shop that still stocked beeswax in my city. After MUCH calling around, I found a small leather shop in a shady part of town which sold it in chocolate bar sized slabs.

The thing is, I don't know how to apply it correctly :-( I cut off a small piece and started to rub it on the helmet ... NOTHING happened except small bits of it grated on the pits and that was it ! Jeepers, after all the trouble getting it now I can't use it properly ! Someone suggested I melt it then "paint" it on ... what do you think ?

[Andrew Reichmann]

Chaps

Thanks for your interest and input wrt my alternative treatment ... if anyone else tries it, please let me know what result you achieve. Much appreciated lads.

[Andrew Reichmann]

LOL, you are quite right about the radio-activity ;-) Glenn. The thing is I have a disability so I am pretty clumsy and often miss what others see as obvious straight away so the less dangerous the better when I am around.

[Glenn66]

I too am interested to see how the beeswax can be applied. Even if melted then brushed on I can't see how the wax won't turn white in the heavier applied areas once it cools and solidifies.

[Danmark]

I too am interested to see how the beeswax can be applied. Even if melted then brushed on I can't see how the wax won't turn white in the heavier applied areas once it cools and solidifies.

Try paraffin wax - that dries clear.

Dan

[Glenn66]

Interesting, i've tried renaissance wax and that goes white also. Can you simply buy paraffin wax 'as is' or is there a commercial name for it?

[Danmark]

Glenn, I bought it in block form years ago from a chemical supply company. The blocks are opaque but go clear when melted in a double boiler or glue pot and stay clear if the layer is thin. I used to do guitar pickup coil winding and used paraffin to 'pot' the coils.

[Andrew Reichmann]

Hi Glenn and Dan

Thank-you for the suggestions. The beeswax is not working for me so I will try to track-down parrafin wax in my neck of the woods ... if I do manage to get some, I will post the results.

Regards

Andrew