Need help removing rust from beer can

[SkyPirate]

OK I found a very old beer can. It has no pull tab and is not a cone top. It looks like a regular can and was opened with a can opener that puts triangle shaped holes on the top. I can make out some of the writing on the can but it is pretty well rusted. Seems that the rust is just on the surface and not rusted all the way through. What is the best way to clean this to make the lable more readable? Is it possible? If you need to see a pic, let me know and I will get one on here. Thanks, Joe

 

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[jeffmrgan]

when i was a kid i collected old beer cans, we would submerge them in a plastic tub in water and add carburator cleaner...........it gets much of the rust off, but dont leave in too long or the paint fades. cant remember what it was called ,but it was a powder. we also used naval jelly, it worked if the can wasnt too far gone

 

[Minrelica]

25 years ago I used to walk into Champion Auto Parts and buy a little jar of oxalic acid and use that to take the rust off my found beer cans.

Now you need to go to your local hardware store and get some wood bleach aka; oxalic acid crystals.

I use this mostly for bicycle parts these days. Works like a charm on old pedals.

I would advise practicing on a junk can first. Let it soak for an hour or so and hit it with a little non-abrasive brush(lightly). Sometimes they need to soak overnight or in many cases for days. There is a point where a can is far too rusty for this method to do any good though. I'm sure you'll learn that quickly.

*This is acid so be careful. Wear safety glasses and rubber gloves.

 

[VERDI-CHEMIST]

Be very careful working with this as oxalic acid is one of the strongest organic acids known. I suggest using a very low concentration to start.

 

[woody50]

OK I found a very old beer can. It has no pull tab and is not a cone top. It looks like a regular can and was opened with a can opener that puts triangle shaped holes on the top. I can make out some of the writing on the can but it is pretty well rusted. Seems that the rust is just on the surface and not rusted all the way through. What is the best way to clean this to make the lable more readable? Is it possible? If you need to see a pic, let me know and I will get one on here. Thanks, Joe

That's the way we used to open the cans with a triangle tool with the beer opener on one side and on the other a bottle cap remover...

 

[boogeyman]

Hey! Another ole timer that remembers the old church key!!

Rub it with a rag and a paste of citric acid (safer than oxalic) When clean to your liking, hand buff with a flannel rag and some Scotts Liquid Gold or some Kramers restorer.

 

[woody50]

Hey! Another ole timer that remembers the old church key!!

Rub it with a rag and a paste of citric acid (safer than oxalic) When clean to your liking, hand buff with a flannel rag and some Scotts Liquid Gold or some Kramers restorer.

Old timer is correct. Another use from the ol' church key was to walk alongside a car that you were jealous of (because his was better than yours), holding the church key in you hand with your arm lowers, and presto, you had a nice v scratch all the way from front to rear. I didn't do this, but others did, including mine.

On the other hand you had a cut and bent piece so when your beer cans were gone you could open your beer bottles, and get more drunk (we always found someone to buy the beer for us...)

 

[boogeyman]

The Reeeaaallllllyyy cool thing back then was.............. NO PULL TABS!!! and they were all silver & wheats

 

[woody50]

The Reeeaaallllllyyy cool thing back then was.............. NO PULL TABS!!! and they were all silver & wheats

Well you must be ancient, I started searching in 84 and had all pull tabs and funny two metal coins back then.

 

[boogeyman]

My first detector (Whites) had tubes a big 9v & 97.? batteries. Thing was almost heavier than me! Then Grandpa got me a BFO for Christmas! No discrimination. Found out REAL fast what nails & hot rocks (leaverites) were