Removing salt water from iron relics?

[NOLA_Ken]

So, I talked to a friend earlier and we have made plans to go out over the weekend and do some magnet fishing. The spot I have in mind is where police used to dump confiscated guns. I'm told there are literally thousands of them on the bottom there. Of course none of them will be in any way usable, but that doesn't really matter to me. I'm planning to weld them into lamps or other decorative art. If anything truly rare comes up I'd make a nice display mount for it as well.

I've done some reading and it seems that the consensus is that electrolysis is the way to go to leech out the salt, and hot wax sealing is the way to preserve them. So I'm just looking for tips on things like how long to cook them on average, best ratio of baking soda to water, that sort of thing. Also open to other methods and any info anyone might want to share. It would be a real shame to go pull them out just to have them turn to dust.

I'll definitely post whatever we come up with and share the story here after we get out there.

 

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[Professor of Engineering]

Hello NOLA Ken,

I have very good luck with vinegar or apple cider vinegar. I soak them in a bath covering the item and check every few days, removing any loose rust...etc. I change the solution after a week and repeat.

There are other ways, but this way works for the iron artifacts I attempt to clean. You must check the artifact; VERY important. If you leave it for a long time unattended, bad things may happen. Large iron pieces, horse shoes, oxen shoes and farm tools usually will be more tolerable about the time of checks.

I have used it on old brass locks, tokens and other metal items, but you really must watch the process.

Many other members have interesting ways of dealing with this problem, choose the one you feel most comfortable using.

Regards,

Doc

 

[NOLA_Ken]

For iron that's been in salt water though? I've one the vinegar treatment on dug relics with good results

 

[huntsman53]

Two to four baths in fresh water will leach out most if not all the salt but just to be safe, add Baking Soda to the last bath to neutralize any leftover salt, then rinse each object with fresh water before drying.


Frank

 

[smokeythecat]

Go to your local tropical fish store and buy one of the little gauges that measure salt in water. They're cheap. Soak the iron in plain water for a week or so. Change the water and after about another week, use the hydrometer to check the salinity. Repeat the process until the gauge shows zero salt. Then go ahead and clean and preserve it the rest of the way.

 

[Truth]

So, I talked to a friend earlier and we have made plans to go out over the weekend and do some magnet fishing. The spot I have in mind is where police used to dump confiscated guns. I'm told there are literally thousands of them on the bottom there. Of course none of them will be in any way usable, but that doesn't really matter to me. I'm planning to weld them into lamps or other decorative art. If anything truly rare comes up I'd make a nice display mount for it as well.

I've done some reading and it seems that the consensus is that electrolysis is the way to go to leech out the salt, and hot wax sealing is the way to preserve them. So I'm just looking for tips on things like how long to cook them on average, best ratio of baking soda to water, that sort of thing. Also open to other methods and any info anyone might want to share. It would be a real shame to go pull them out just to have them turn to dust.

I'll definitely post whatever we come up with and share the story here after we get out there.

You from New Orleans?


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[NOLA_Ken]

You from New Orleans?


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I am, How's things up in Abita?

 

[Truth]

Going good. I went to old Covington two weeks ago and look what I found about 7 inches deep between a sidewalk and the street. I [emoji90] you not.

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