I spend a lot of time getting rust off.
I have lots of wire wheel and mandrels that I put in a lathe chuck and spin.
You want the finest wire wheel that will get the job done.
I have a couple jugs of evapo rust. That works.
Sometimes i put things in a salt -vinegar brine in the microwave and boil, and then rinse. That makes rusty files sharp.
I have set up the soda and electrolysis, but I don't like it.
For flat surfaces, I like to put fine wet and dry paper on a cast iron ground surface, like a table saw and rub them together. That is how I get the back of woodworking chisels flat. Did that with an old rusty one from ebay this morning.