Relic M35 rust removal, electrolysis or oxalic acid?

[Adrian Stevenson]

No need to add vaseline. It will just make it glossy and sticky. The rust will already have been sorted.

Cheers, Ade.

[klokhoane]

I would stick to the electrolyses.. You can get very nice results by using electrolyses.. I don't know if it's possible but
i would try to remove the thick bubble of rust with a rubber/plastic hammer, not a metall one!!.. To get rid of a thick coat of rust with electrolyses can take a while, during this process it could damage the rest of the helmet..
As some have stated the fumes are not that healthy and they are explosive.. Do this in a room with enough fresh air, like a garage.. A car battery charger with 14.4 volts
is quite rare i believe.. I only know of 6 volts and 12 volts.. I use an Absaar 12 volts 8 Amps charger and it works great..
You could try to use WD40 (that's how it called over here).. It's a kind of lubricant.. Some people have had nice results with this, but i don't have any experience with it..
After the elecrolyses process u could use linseed oil to cover the helmet, what do you think Adrian?

cheers,

[crazy horse]

I'm no pro at any of the processes that were given to you, but just wanted to say that helmet is in pretty good shape to be a dug relic. I'm glad it was found before a few more years had passed.

[Glenn66]

No worries, i'll be wearing some big yellow dishwashing gloves to keep the nasties off me (I don't need anything else causing damage to my liver )

Glenn

[klokhoane]

Don't smoke eather... xD

cheers,

[Inf Div 121]

I use Oxalic or Phosphoric acid, prefer Oxalic, 100 grams solution in bucklet of water, if You will heat acid solution you will make from Wermacht feldgrau Luftwaffe light blue-gray and Oxalic acid almost always makes color lighter, Oxalic acid can leave yellow-green ugly salt on helmet, to avoid it I put helmet under running water, then in solution of 50-100 grams of Calcinated Soda Na2CO3.

I was using electrolysis only one time, I had very rusty WH buckle and I thought that there is no color, but after electrolysis I found some 40% of original color, but color became softer than after acid, so be careful. I made electolysis in Calcinated soda solution 12 volts, 1,5-2 Ampers for some 2-3 hours, rust became really soft and came off when I touched it with fingers. After electrolysis paint have it's natural color but it could be damaged more easily than after acid.

Never use Caustic Soda, it can eat color.

All cleaning I make in my bathroom, it isn't dangerous, but very dirty.

[Glenn66]

Haha! As I thought, 50% say electrolysis and 50% say acid!
I think i'll try the acid first and see how I go...I think those big lumps of rust might be a problem but i'll see how it goes.

Not sure about hitting the rust with a hammer though...plastic or not...sounds kind of 'extreme'

[Glenn66]

A car battery charger with 14.4 volts is quite rare i believe.. I only know of 6 volts and 12 volts..

The charger will be for a 12 volt battery but each cell wants 2.2 volts or thereabouts so 6 x 2.2 = 13.2 (I used to work for a battery manufacturer and i'm trying to remember the math)

[Inf Div 121]

As I see it was found in bunker, because piece of wood is on outside, under it could be color, in my opinion this helmet is too good for electrolysis, You need to try electrolysis first on some helmet in bad condition, if You will make electrolysis paint bubbles will fall off.
With acid You have better chances to save them, for taking off rust I use old cheap kitchen knife made from bad stainless steel, it don't scratch paint, you need to find something like it. Also for taking off rust I use hard green side of kitchen sponge.

[Glenn66]

Thanks again!

I was planning on using a scotch brite pad for the more gentle scrubbing, I hadn't thought about a kitchen knife, hopefully I won't have to do too much heavy work with the knife but that big lump of rust with the wood in it will take some shifting I imagine.

I'm planning to tackle this job sometime over Christmas so I'll be sure to post photos of the before and (hopefully successful) after...