DO NOT use steel wool! Steel wool is made from scrap metal. You can
never be certain as to what's in it.  If there are traces of copper or
brass in it, you could be setting yourself up for another corrosion
problem down the track. Also, by rubbing steel wool onto ferrous objects
you set up a permanent magnetic field in the objects, which attracts
further steel and iron particles, which can then cause pitting
corrosion.

Consult a metals or objects conservator for an appropriate treatment
and subsequent protective coating.

The "Lemon juice" that was referred to was probably Citric acid with an
appropriate corrosion inhibitor, such as thiourea.

George Bailey
Manager
Beaufort/Lancaster Conservation Projects
Australian War Memorial.


Use steel wool.  If the rust is bad start w/ #2 or #3 grade to get the
rough stuff off.  Then move to 000 grade or 0000 grade steel wool to
clean up the rest.  Wash and rinse.  Lastly, put a very, very, very,
very light coating of mineral or lemon oil on the spikes to prevent more
rusting.

Lana Newhart-Kellen
Registrar
Collections Dept.
Conner Prairie Museum
>>> [log in to unmask] 08/09/02 01:29PM >>>
Does anyone have any recommendations on how to safely remove excessive
rust
from an artifact?

I have a pair of 1960s football cleats and our exhibitions manager
wants
the excessive rust removed from the metal cleats.

I heard that rust was removed from the bell of the shipwreck Edmund
Fitzgerald by using lemon juice and a toothbrush.

Any suggestions will help.

Thanks

Jason Aikens
Collections Coordinator
Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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