Products featured in this video. Soaks: Eastwood Rust Dissolver: amzn.to/3LCbt4L POR 15 Rust Remover: amzn.to/3Jr4ObN Krud Kutter: amzn.to/3h25dpb Rust Kutter: amzn.to/3GQpKaD Metal Rescue: amzn.to/3gMSPcd Evapo-Rust: amzn.to/3uQikSq Distilled White Vinegar: amzn.to/3oOgPjJ CLR: amzn.to/3BkugwM Gels: Rustoleum Rust Dissolving Gel: amzn.to/3rO1gu9 Permatex Gel Rust Dissolver: amzn.to/3gKYQq8 Navel Jelly: amzn.to/34AMxu3 Metal Rescue Gel: amzn.to/34zcFFD My Amazon Store: www.amazon.com/shop/repairgeek Help support the channel, buy using my Amazon links As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases and your cost is exactly the same.
I agree that Krud Kutter would be the absolute best from my experiences. The problem is finding it on the store shelves. It's not so expensive when you don't buy it from Amazon and have to have it shipped. I'm also surprised that the Evapo-Rust did so poorly for you. Project Farm did a comparison and ranked it pretty high. I've also used it in place of Krud Kutter since it's more readily available. The soak takes longer to get results (24+ hours), but I did get pretty good results.
Appreciate the comparisons, but I personally would never try to recover anything nearly as rusty as the bolts and nails from eBay you tested. For antique or misused tools, I have found EvapoRust to work very well to convert the rust to an inert coating. I have also used Ospho in the past (Phosphoric Acid based). I don't consider either of these to really be rust removers, even though some products are marketed as such. As noted by some of your other commenters, rust "removal" is better accomplished by mechanical means, then you "convert" the remaining rust to something more inert. Thanks for making your videos - they are unbiased and thought-provoking and much appreciated!
I use Evapo-Rust all the time at it removes rust, but does not do damage to the metal! I would rather use a more gentle product and it’s considered safe. The Rust Dissolver is an acid based product. Might as well use sulfuric acid, that’s probably the main ingredient in the product anyway. I believe that product is too harsh to be using as a basic rust remover. Just my opinion.
I'm trying Evapo-Rust and Krud Kutter now since they are conveniently available retail in smaller containers locally but have 15 years experience generally pretty successfully using Mirachem 250. Downside of Mirachem 250 that works well is that I have never seen it retail so have bought in 4 x 1 gallon cases from manufacturer in AZ that ship it as Hazmat. Even actively doing car restoration work on multiple cars a 4 gallon case may be $180 investment but since it can be filtered and reused this will be a decade worth of rust removal. Also, one thing you did not cover in testing (so far anyway) is quality of surface left over after derusting. Mirachem 250 is partly useful because it leaves a pretty stable surface that won't rerust and generally has a grey phosphate coating look (which makes sense because Mirachem is phosphoric acid based like some of these other rust remover options). It can be slow so I check every 12 hours but usually do 24-48 hours soak.
I've had great results using evaporust, I think the temperature is why yours did not test well. I put an aquarium heater in my solution and kept it around 100 degrees.
WOW great help, I love Project Farm but was looking for some thing to soak antique galvanized NIER lantern in to remove spotty surface rust. I was about to go get Krud Kutter but after watching this, thinking Evaporust will be the way to go as it is only one easy one zinc! You win!
Most acids will remove rust. This is why phosphoric acid, vinegar, muriatic, coke (yes the drink - it contains phosphoric acid), molasses (it's slightly acidic), and many other seemingly random concoctions all work for rust removal. HOWEVER, they will also all attack metals like iron and zinc to varying degrees, even after all the rust is gone. For this reason you may not want an acid-based solution to be fast-acting, since that likely means it will simultaneously remove more good substrate iron/steel than a slower-acting acid-based product. Depending on what you're after that may or may not be an issue but I think for most people we all want to preserve as much good material as possible. From what I've read I think phosphoric acid products are the best of all the acid-based solutions. This is mostly because you get a surface coating of iron phosphate as a byproduct. This iron phosphate coating is very thin but does have desirable chemical characteristics such as mild corrosion resistance as well as promoting adhesion for paints and the like, a property widely taken advantage of by industry. For those interested, check out "The Iron Pillar of Delhi" - an iron monument that was created 1600 years ago and stands in open weather with hardly any corrosion! According to Wikipedia, it's theorized that the high levels of phosphorous in the iron are the primary reason it has weathered so well over the centuries.
Personally if I want to absolutely minimize the loss of good iron/steel, I go for Evaporust because it works through chemical chelation instead of being acidic. The chemical reaction specifically reacts with metal ions and so should not react with base metals all. It will react with iron in its oxidation states like Fe(+2) and Fe(+3) aka rust while leaving Fe(0) untouched. In theory you can just leave pieces submerged for days or maybe weeks without damaging them. It does struggle with heavy heavy rust like the nails and spikes in your video though, so it's helpful to physically knock off loose rust and scale before immersion. There are other chelation based products out there, I think WD Specialist Rust Soak is basically the same thing as Evaporust from looking at the data sheets, so I would get whichever is cheaper. This is speculation here but I think if the product label includes "antiques" on it somewhere then it is probably chelation based - my thinking is that acid products wouldn't dare suggest that use case because of the issue of base metal attack that I outlined above.
@@RepairGeek Interesting! I did not know that. So there must be a little more going on than I thought. I was just looking at Project Farm's video on molasses vs Evaporust and it looks like molasses is also very gentle by virtue of it's extremely slow action (not to mention cheap in bulk). Talking about days/weeks versus Evaporust's hours/days. In theory since molasses is slightly acidic it should attack base metal as well but in practice it looks to be negligible/nonexistent. Do you know if molasses attacks zinc also?
@@JPearlLapis not sure never tried it. I did all of this converter/remover/paint testing for research for the chassis paint video that you also commented on.
@@RepairGeek I did a little more reading about Evaporust and found this excerpt from caswellplating. I'm copying it here for anyone in the future that comes across this comment chain: "Evapo-Rust [...] will remove blueing, browning, zinc phosphate, zinc plating and cadmium plating in approximately 30 minutes. It will not harm solder points or lead and preps the surface for refinishing like no other product." So that seems consistent with removing the zinc plating from your test pieces. Interesting that caswell says 30 minutes though, makes me wonder if there's thinner zinc plating on guns (which they were referencing on the page I'm quoting from)
Klean strip concrete and metal prep from home depot/lowes etc. works well too. Green color liquid, contains phosphoric acid, comes in a gallon jug. Under $20
Once you clean the nuts and bolts how do you keep them from rusting again? I’m cleaning up the nuts off my 69 Chevy van. Not sure how to keep them from rusting again
This was a great set of tests. Love that you divided it between liquid and gel, because for many applications the parts are vertical and too big to soak. Also love that you're separating these rust removal/converter products out from the "fake" products that are basically just paint or primer. One suggestion, though... Some of these may be hydrochloric acid based, and I believe the fumes or residue from those products can actually CAUSE rust. So maybe test 3 would be to put some clean, oil free plain steel in a jar with a little bit of each, and see if they result in a rust film. Just a thought. Meanwhile, I'll be using Rust Kutter or Naval Jelly from your tests, because the SDS list them as being phosphoric acid based, and I think that's safer than hydrochloric/muriatic. Love the channel, thanks, subscribing!
I'm hoping your Evaporust evaluation will work on my exposed, partially rusted, chrome coated racks. I'm concerned Rustoleum Rust Desolver may be too harsh.- Any feedback greatly appreciated.
Have seen other videos. I'm a subscriber based on your videos. Good comparisons. Neutralizing many of these products once they're don is important and working in a well ventilated area? Couldn't find basic Krud Kutter on amazon so I purchased the Rustolium product and a Krud Kutter version to run my own tests. Have used vinegar and it works well if you're patient. LOL! Muriatic acid is dangerous but has been around for awhile. cleanup and neutralization most important. Different acids are components of these products. Thanks for testing on severe rust. Also vertical surfaces and mentioning optimum temperatures. Eastwood occasional has sales. My current task is to remove rust from attached snow plow connective bolts on truck I recently purchased. Thanks! for taking the time to show your results. Project Farm is also good source.
Well done video, but it' really hard to judge your bolt results. Widely-varying crud levels, and so much crud remains on them that I really can't tell on some if it's rust or not. TTYTT I have used Evaporust with great results.
I've been using rustoleum gel on my project car and it's great. It just really sucks when it dries. Such a mess. Careful with the spray bottle though. It will splash back and you won't know until your skin starts itching...
ya I been using this too. it works great. Converts any stuck on rust into a gooey black substance you can rub off with a wire wheel easy. I've just washing it off with a hose after.
Which product would be best suited to ready a under vehicle spare tire compart for primer or paint ? Usually found on pickup trucks (22 year old pickup truck) lucky very minimal salt exposure.
white vinegar has been one of the best for me. its dirt cheap and works really good. here's the thing. you leave it for 3 or 4 days. not 24 hours. 3 or 4 days and that thing will take care of you.
Great video! I would recommend switching to a mic that is really close to your mouth to avoid the echo. Something similar to DPA 4088 (headset mic with a directional mic) should be great but maybe look for something cheaper.
You should definitely redo this test, heavily rusted metal builds up a crust so it may not melt it off but it'll definitely flake it off if agitated. Ultrasonic maybe?
Klean-Strip phospheric acid Concrete Etch, Metal Prep and rust inhibitor at Home Depot and Lowes. Find it in the paint department. $16-20 a gallon. Puts it around 12-15 cents per oz. Best money to performance product I've found.
It seems that Evapo-Rust is a clear winner as long as you have enough time to wait for it to work. Unless you're working with pure iron parts, the fact that Evapo-Rust doesn't destroy plating materials is a huge bonus. It would have been interesting to see what Evapo-Rust can do in 2-5 days. If it's truly safe for non-rust metals, it would be a great way to get off all the rust without destroying any pristine metals, including thin plating.
I did not watch the entire video so apologies in advance if you addressed my comments. What do they list as the active ingredient? Do they need to be neutralized? A strong acid like Hydrochloric acid is excellent at removing rust, but is also good at devolving metal if not neutralized (only rinsed) the rust free metal will quickly begin to rust even if coated until the acid is neutralized (I learned the hard way) good job, your channel has a cornucopia of good information keep it up
Sulpherized molasses for livestock is really cheap and works similarly to evaporust. I make a big batch with water and let big stuff soak for days. Does become a biohazard in warm temps though...
Hi great test ,my question to you is that I want to use something for the underneath of the car were the sub frame an some parts are corroded , what is the be options to spray or brush on and to rub off after a few hours or longer I saw your test and I wanted to get your opinion. Kin regards
I buy and clean old tools as a hobby. I have tried vinegar many times but I stopped when I left a pair of needle nose pliers (cheap brand like jobmate or something) in for 2 days and when I took them out there was like a 1/2" of slop. It literally ate the pin that holds the pliers together. I mean, they were job mate so I felt nothing about it but I learned to be more careful after that!
Great video as always. My only thing thats worth mentioning is how badly each affects the underlying steel. Most of these will eat away at the steel as well as the rust. Whereas evaporust will not (as its Ph nuetral) and electrolysis wont attack the steel
Awesome video thanks. I have the rustoleum gel and it’s worked well for me as well as Krud kutter. I’m trying to clean up an engine bay and was wondering if you or anyone has ever tried krud kutters metal clean and etch. just want to remove oxidation & residues and get a 20+ yr old cast aluminum tranny nice looking again without painting it. (Was advised to paint once on another car and I did a lot of prep work degreasing and wire brushing just to get something that looked great at first but didnt last)
the eastwood rust desolver is just 10% hydrocloric acid. just buy muriatic acid and delute it if your so inclined. also if you dont clean the shit out of it to remove all the cloride ions the rust will just come back.
The reason the Eastwood Rust Dissolver works so fast is because it is Hydrochloric Acid. I just checked the SDS. You don't want to use that inside a shop. It will flash rust every piece of exposed metal in the shop. Might as well get a Gallon of Muriatic Acid from the grocery store cleaning Aisle. Same stuff, much higher concentration, and 1/4 the price. Defenitely do not recommend Muriatic. Way too dangerous with too many side issues.
Any plans to do a video on electrolysis rust removal? I think it is superior for larger parts for the price. Might not even cost anything if you already have the necessary supplies. Most people seem to use car battery charger with either 12 or 24V. I've done some tests with 12V PC PSU and also stick welder with 40V. In my tests, 40V seems to give a permanent black finish, while with 12V the black finish washes off easier. I have not been able to figure out why this is. Electrolysis could be also used for a whole car underbody or frame, if you just build a container large enough. If you decide to make a video on this, I would be interested in comparison of voltages (eg. 12V battery charger VS ~40Vstick welder), comparison of water (tap water vs distilled water), and comparison of chemical, most commonly either baking soda or washing soda. These seem to be the most common variables, however there are not really any well documented tests on these.
I'm happy you used what you used for rusy parts. I restore extemely rusty axe heads that look like they've been burried in a farmer's field for 30 years.....just like your irems.
@RepaiGeek Would you use any of these products on a rusty car frame/underside? I'm struggling to understand why I would use something like VHT or Rust Kutter in your other video over something like Evapo-Rust or the Por-15 converter here - may you please clarify? In addition, say you could use one of the products from this video for automotive purposes, would you apply a fluid film or the Blaster oil-based undercoating afterwards?
Which would be the best to spray the underbody of a vehicle with? My wife bought me a used 2018 silverado and turns out it was from up north and has some surface rust. I'm guessing either eastwood or rust kutter?
1. To remove Zinc use Muriatic acid only, not mixing with water for the fastest and best result. Then use regular Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda) to neutralize the acid. 2. To remove Rust use Dr X The Ultimate Cleaner Rust Remover, the best and fast result,, it's safe, but not cheap. It's impossible to find one product for both options. Thanks for Eastwood Gel Rust Dissolver!
I love this channel..no lie. can i suggest something? Can you use a LED ring light inside the garage? Video look underexpose. Thx and keep up uber duper work.
"Threads have rusted right off them"? That actually sounds EXACTLY like my car project... Ok I exaggerate slightly here, but some of these metal parts are CRUSTY! I've had good success with evaporust, but it's expensive. I think the small sample you used there was likely working, but once it turns really dark like that, I find it's pretty much time to change it out for fresh stuff. A bigger vat would have probably gotten the job done. I've also had decent luck with a product called Rust911 available on Amazon. It's similar to evaporust, but it's a concentrate so you have to mix it with water. It's a lot cheaper than evaporust per gallon mixed, but I'm uncertain if it lasts as long as evaporust without doing some head-to-head testing.
You're doing a great job buddy. However, I would suggest it would be better if you could keep your videos under 10 minutes like Project Farm does. A short and brief photo/video of each product and then moving onto the next one keeps it short and precise. Last part can be for ranking on a chart. That will be the absolute best video you can make with objective and quantitative graphics in between or at the end for a quick glance and analysis. Shorter videos get way more views than the long ones. Thanks for doing this though!
I've heated molasses and water solutions the same way to force the reaction. Actually, my method used a drill pump and a spare inline coolant heater, with tubing pulling from, and returning back into a 5 ga. bucket of molasses-water solution. That way you're not waiting around for molasses to -also- form the horrible moldy scums they're famous for. And you have space to fit larger parts into the bucket. It's not as suitable a method for application to broad surfaces, but it's viable for dumping handfuls of rusty fasteners and other rusty parts that would fit into a 5 gallon bucket. Downside is -- equipment costs versus cost of molasses. You need a pump, tubing, and the coolant heater -- but I happened to have the drill and drill pump, and coolant heater lying about unused, and only needed to buy 3/4" vinyl tubing and a few hose clamps.
As of right now probably not until this fall when I recoat. If something drastic happens I'll have an update when I notice something but as it sits now, I'm not going to shoot an update until fall. Mostly because I have nothing to update if that makes sense. The product is still on my truck and still working. Outside of that, I really don't have much to update you on at this point. If I shoot a video it needs to have worthwhile content if that makes sense.
What about pure chemicals like specific acids from the label? I bet they are multiple cheaper than the products from fancy bottles, so manufacturers just making money on people's ignorance.
do you think you could spray this in a sprayer bottle to remove rusted bolts from the undercarriage of a 97 toyota rav4? there are bolts attached to the frame that need to be removed and the toyota mechanic said i would be taking a chance if he removed them because they could break...any info would be helpful ...thanks!
Wow, hydrochloride acid works the fastest. Who would have thought? Let me know how you like your rusty part being pitted when you leave it soaking too long.
rustolem and krud kutter are the same product... you can get both as a liquid or gel better to buy by the gallon for rustolem liquid and the spray gel in Krud kutter
Run your 24h vinegar test again, but add baking soda. 2 or 3 times in that 24 hours, scrub with a brush. My rusty items come out looking like Eastwood. (I use the pickling vinegar, it's a bit stronger)
Molasses is better then vinegar ive used and acids are the best but remove to much material all depends on what you are doing where electrolysis or acids or removers or Molasses no one solution for all
If you want cheap, fast, and aggressive, just buy muriatic (hydrochloric) acid. The same as the active ingredient in Eastwood. If you're gonna be stripping plating and base metal anyway, might as well do it cheap. You can get it at any hardware store or pool supplier for a few bucks per gallon. I think Evaporust is good for something you actually want to save and not destroy the base metal. Knock off excess rust, and just give it a couple days.
Great review.. As usual Andrew! This is EAGLE from Buddygo. We are a car product service company, we mainly produce the car Cabin Air Filter for cars. My purpose of contacting you is to seek business cooperation, and I look forward to your reply. best wishes
Ive had success with other types of videos, it just takes longer for them to get popular. I can only shoot so many videos on undercoat. I've looked into opening an undercoating business. I'm not sure that I want to spray that stuff 8hrs a day 5 days a week. Plus the overhead involved etc. I'm still toying with the idea but need a bigger space with a 4 post lift for it to work.
@stephenWVU4life it probably wasn't clear because I don't word good but I said all but evaporust are acid and I think I was saying to get muriatic acid for testing but it is fine for removing rust you just need to pay attention and not juat leave it in after the rust is gone but it's the same as all the rest but evaporust just stronger it just depends on what you are doing
Gotcha Gotcha. My bad man… Yeah evaporust is really good when you need a gentle rust remover. I use acid based products for some stuff, but not often. I will say I use Muriatic acid for my pools salt cell as well as for an etch on certain things, if you take steel and put it in muriatic acid it’ll literally eat that shit away! It’s kind of cool to watch.
@stephenWVU4life ya I figure if you are using an acid you might as well do it as fast and cheap as you can and vinegar is cheaper but if you dilute the muriatic acid to the same level it's probably cheaper or close but ya no something like vinegar that takes a day in muriatic acid or diluted like 2 to 1 will do it in like 10 minutes or an hour
@@RepairGeek Ha! Hey your videos are GREAT. I have worked in industrial corrosion inhibition for 28 years and have a degree in chemical engineering. While I think you get a few things technically a tad askew, your approach is so practical and helpful. I am actually very impressed. Do you want a job? I am serious.
This doesn’t really have much meaning if the heavily rusted parts are just random metals, without a control or cross section to see how rusty each piece is. No way to tell what kind of rusty metal it is? Is it iron or steel? Also who tries to remove rust from parts without brushing it or anything afterwards? Even the part at the end you wire brushed.
One thing you didn't evaluate was applying heat especially with Evaporust, at 140 degrees it's amazing and you get about a ten fold increase in effectiveness. If you have time white distilled vinegar works well too.
Yes but in the time frame you were using there would be a Marked difference is what I was talking about. Also what really works great is heating evaporust to 60 degrees centigrade in an Ultrasonic cleaner for fast & through results. Give it a shot on one of your Railroad spikes and see how it works. If the part is small I put it into a glass jar with evaporust and place the jar in the Ultrasonic cleaner filled with Hot water & run it.@@RepairGeek