Relic M35 rust removal, electrolysis or oxalic acid?

[Glenn66]

You need to be careful with steel wool, I used that on my first Oxalic cleaning attempt and it really removed paint like nobodies business!

I agree the helmet is in pretty good condition already. I probably wouldn't bother with the Oxalic on the outside and if the inside is a bother then you could mix the Oxalic at a ratio of 100g/8L water or 50g/4L, just keep the ratio the same as too strong will fade the paint. If you were only to clean the inside of the lid i'd tape up the air vents and sponge the solution around the inside (using the soft side of the pad) for about 15 minutes, always keeping the metal wet because if it dries the green salts will appear. After the first 15 minutes you can try a gentle scrub with the scourer side and you should be able to gauge your results. Make sure you have another bucket of water saturated with the Na2CO3 in order to neutralize the acid and remove the salt buildup.

If the rust is still there, just do another 15 minutes, you'll work it out by yourself i'm sure. Don't worry too much about the decals if they get wet, just don't touch them until they dry. Mine haven't moved or lifted away but I hear they can get soft if dunked in the acid solution for extended periods so if you do dunk the lid, just avoid the decals until they are dry.

As other posters have mentioned, do this in a ventilated area, wear gloves and once the rust is removed and the helmet pulled from the neutralizing solution get her dry as soon as possible as the rust will form on the fresh metal (if you expose any) pretty quickly. I'd then coat with the renaissance wax for a nice sheen and you should be good!

I'd be great to see the results of your efforts!

Glenn

[davejb]

I would say that the wiping over with a damp cloth shouldnt hurt, but be careful around the decal,it looks flaky, the "wood" that you see, could it be cork, the reason i ask is that there appears to be glue around the interior dome and the strange square shape may be the shadow left by a certain type of liner, possibly a civic style of sorts

[Glenn66]

That square shape looks like a tag was stuck there for awhile, can't see how it would be period at all. I agree about the piece of wood, thats just odd, maybe its hiding a dome stamp? You never know...

[Eric Zentner]

Very nice lid I hope to have one..SOON

ERIC

[qotd]

Yeh the wood is strange.....could have been glued in their post war maybe for display, but the sea of a dome stamp sounds nice. Think I will just give it a wipe over with some warm so spy water, it is mainly a rusty dust on th interior, rather than rust that has damaged the shell. I will go that far and see how it goes

[WW2headgearlover]

This is one of the best threads on rust removal methods. All the different inputs on times, amount of acid used, as well as rust inhibators and wax.
A few mistakes made on that helmet with steel wool and soaking to long in acid but final outcome was not a nightmare.

[Mannlicher]

Good day to you all.

Quick question: can the water+oxalic solution be kept for a period for cleaning items sometime in the future? Or it's loosing the cleaning proprieties after a while....

Thanks guys. And happy relic hunting.

[KradSpam]

I would imagine that an unused freshly made solution would last for some period without losing it's properties. When it goes green it's time for a new batch.

[Glenn66]

The oxalic acid powder is quite cheap really and the hassle of keeping 10-12L of acid stored somewhere isn't worth the grief IMO. I can't imagine it loses it's acidic properties over time either but the more you use it the murkier the solution becomes and I'd like to be able to see what i'm treating in a clean solution rather than a green/brown soup.

[Mannlicher]

Thanks guys. Point taken. Have a nice day