Light surface rust to chrome forks

[Ed no-more-lemons]

Vinegar or gel bath, or can anyone suggest anything else?

As I've never really got to grips with making much of an effort with metal rot.

 

[midlife]

Aluminium foil dipped in vinegar and followed up with Autosol or failing that dunk in oxalic acid.

 

[swee'pea99]

Believe it or not, crumpled up kitchen foil dipped in coca cola. See here: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/a-tip-for-tarnishing-corrosion.42400/#post-843490

 

[Spiderweb]

If it's light it may come off with a cutting polish, T Cut or Auto Sol metal polish.

 

[Ed no-more-lemons]

Aluminium foil and Autosol or failing that dunk in oxalic acid.

Thanks for all the feedbacks.

Just to clarify as I have never really made the effort, is oxalic acid anything like deox gel?

As Wiki does not appear to say what products contain these ingedients.

In the first instance I am thinking of dipping foil in cider vinegar, as that is what is immediately available.

 

[Lee_M]

you don't need the vinegar or the coke, aluminium foil and water works just as well

 

[midlife]

Rust is basically iron oxide, the aluminium (foil) is higher in the electrochemical series and will steal the oxygen from the iron oxide leaving metallic iron which is silver and shiny when polished. The aluminium turns to aluminium oxide.

If my a level chemistry is right this happens best in an aqueous acid environment like coke and any sort of vinegar.

It really works

I got my oxalic acid in powder form from eBay, advertised for cleaning wood.

Shaun

 

[rogerzilla]

It will rust again, especially if pitted. Worst case scenario if it gets too annoying - you can roughen, prime with acid etch primer and spray paint. The chrome fork blades and rear stays on my Holdsworth were like that and Argos are just going to paint over, since rechroming is bad for the steel as well as costing a king's ransom.

 

[Drago]

0000 grade wire wool and Autosol if its slight.

Oxalic acid if its more advanced.

If theyre suspension forks...once its clean and spangly serious pitting can be filled with araldite and flatted back. Won't look pretty, but will be completely functional.

 

[ChrisEyles]

@Lee_M's nailed it, the easiest and least messy method is to use tin foil and water. I've done this on loads of bike parts an it works a treat.