Cleaning rusty dies??

T

Toddrod505

Inactive
I acquired some died and they had some surface rust, I cleaned them up on my wire wheel they coated the heck out of them w WD40, well I went to decap some .243 rounds and noticed the case wouldn't seat the whole way in the die and was mared. Closer look found rust and corrosion inside the die. Any advise on how to clean or revitalize the die or should I just buy new ones?
 
Low tech might be 0000 steel wool wrapped around a dowel an stuck in a drill to slowly polish the inside.

I almost wonder weather it would be worth throwing it in a tumbler.
 
The best rust remover in the business is Naval Jelly (rust dissolver) usually available from hardware or building supply stores. This is heavy duty and does the job. I've used it on a few rusted dies. Will leave the metal dullish after use but better than rusted, scratched or pitted. It rinses with water and more than one application may be needed, one right after another.
 
^^^^^^^
Yup Yup ! ! !

Once found a printing press in a barn in Kansas, so rusty the broker told me not to waste my money. a few weeks later and gallons of naval jelly, it became one of the most profitable pieces of equipment we ever owned.


Also, a trick I learned from the dragster team who's shop was next door... Automatic transmission fluid is terrific for cleaning metal. It is full of detergent and, with a little scotchbrite or steel wool, works wonders. Better than WD-40 IMO.

Matt
 
Evap-O-rust.
Non toxic, biodegradable, non etching & a worthy successor to Naval jelly.

Degrease the dies with alcohol, dismantle & drop in the Evap-o-rust overnight.
remove, water rinse & oil lightly.
 
Toddrod505,

I acquired some died and they had some surface rust,
Click to expand...

I have no clue what brand of dies your acquired, I do not know if the surface rust in on the inside of the die or outside. I purchased 40 pounds, 2 boxes of dies for $20.00, I had no interest in hauling all that weight through the parking lot so I decided to lighten up. I was going to give all the Lee dies back as a kind gesture, problem, the dealer did not want to haul them home so he made a good argument. He said the Lee dies were included and I did not pay for them because he gave them to me.

Inside or outside?: the inside finish is my only concern when cleaning dies, I do not use degreasers, sandpaper or abrasives on the inside of a die. I like the finish it came with, I use a towel on a dowel.

I have use vinegar to remove surface rust on old tools, saws and cast iron, it takes time. To speed things up there are other acids that demand your attention.

F. Guffey
 
Don't know about others,
Rust INSIDE has made my dies feel 'Gritty' and the cases come out scratched.
I also had 'Sticking' issues no matter what lube I used.

Inspection showed me a rust pitted surface inside, not the usual smooth surface.

Output wasn't over sized, just scratched.

Taught me,
1. Don't buy used dies that are rusty,
2. Clean and spray my dies with WD-40 before I put them back on the shelf.
 
On another forum I think it was Marlin Owners a poster used Evap-O-rust like posted above to clean some rusty dies it did a very good job cleaned them better than I thought was possible
 
I am concerned with the finish inside the die, rust inside the die can leave pits. I want 100% contact between the die and case, pits will allow trash to built. The only dies I have found rusting is Lee. Not my Lee dies but Lee dies that belong to someone else.

F. Guffey
 
I'm with Guffey. I only care about rust on the inside of the die. I don't want to scratch up the brass. Still, I guess if the rust was removed and the dies didn't scratch the brass, we're good to go.
 
I had a few similar dies. I tore them down to the smallest components and tossed them all in with my WET SS tumbler (no brass with them) and spun them for about a day.
Couldn't believe how good they turned out.
WD40? Didn't use it but I wonder if I should. They looked so good coming out that I never did anything else with them. Air dried. and they work great. Or did after a took a few min making some dummy rounds and getting them set back up.
 
SS tumbler seems like a must have piece of equipment, very versatile in what it can clean and do in the reloading world. I was looking at the Frankford one, does any one have opinions on it?
 
Rust

Try soaking in Molasses solution. 1:9. Google it and you will find lots of info and a few you tubes. Did 2 dies and it worked well, took a day or two.
 
A couple of tablespoons of citric acid in a hot water soak will clean out rust and leave he surface passive. Its safe, biodegradable and cheap. Its used in food prep, flavoring and abunch of other uses. Health food stores, grocery or if you have an appetite for it(see dudadiesel.com-citric acid bulk). I use it to clean range brass, cleans tarnish easily. Clean the dies, polish the inside surface with fine ~ 400 grit emory, wash in hot water and try a well lubed case or two, fine pits if not too extensive probably won't affect anything.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top