Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ

finishing.com -- The Home Page of the Finishing Industry

The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing since 1989
-----

Antiques restorer wants to protect original finish on cast iron

We have found a two-wheeled coffee grinder, circa 1900, all cast iron with some original paint and lots of dirt and rust. Grinder restorers generally sand blast and repaint ending up with something gaudy and new. Cast iron toys are more cherished by the quantity of original paint finish remaining. That is what we want. How do we clean off the dirt and then the rust with as little damage to the paint as possible?

Guy Clow
antiques restorer - Fairfax, California, USA
2003

You can try ammonium citrate solution (pH 3,5---5% water solution, temp 2 deg. C). Good luck!

Goran Budija
- Zagreb,Croatia
2003

(No "dead threads" here! If this page isn't currently on the Hotline your Q, A, or Comment will restore it)

Q, A, or Comment on THIS thread -or- Start a NEW Thread

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories: