Removing rust from stainless

[Quickstep192]

I’m looking at a 10 year old J Boat. Overall, the boat looks to be in pretty good condition, but much of the stainless stanchions have rust spots on them down toward the base. It looks as if there’s impurities in the stainless steel leaching out. Is there a way to remove or polish this out without replacing the stanchions?

As always, any sage advice is greatly appreciated. 

 

[El Borracho]

If you can remove the lifelines and stanchions from the boat there is nothing quite like polishing with compound and a wheel. Far better, shinier and longer lasting than the hand methods done in-place. It will not be impurities in the steel. Scratches and small pits can be ground out with a flapper wheel. Larger defects are easily welded up to be undetectable. Bends more that very slight are the only thing which cannot be repaired.

After any polishing the surface should be passivated. The easy way is to wash well in fresh water and store in a warm, damp but NOT SALTY place for a week. The harder way is 25% strong nitric acid for a few hours. I heard soaking in hydrogen peroxide (from hair dressers) works too. Fancy welding or metal shops might do all this work.

 

[silent bob]

Practical Sailor ran some tests, and found that Citric Acid was the cheapest, simplest way to passivate stainless for the ordinary person:

https://www.practical-sailor.com/brief/the-acid-test-why-buy-something-you-can-make-yourself

 

[ScowVegas]

For chromed parts, believe it or not WD-40 and aluminum foil is the shockingly effective - spray part with the WD-40 and rub with aluminum foil - try it and thank me later

 

[Zonker]

Bartender's Friend works for me.

 

[Irrational 14]

Same here. BF good on rust stains in gelcoat too.

 

[SloopJonB]

Lagostina makes a similar product to Barkeep's Friend but it's better.

 

[jamhass]

Once the heavy rust is removed, coat with Collonite Metal Wax.  Really great stuff, and removes light rust very nicely without damaging the passivated layer.  Their insulator wax is particularly effective at keeping rust away, especially when used after metal wax.

 

[Blitz]

For chromed parts, believe it or not WD-40 and aluminum foil is the shockingly effective - spray part with the WD-40 and rub with aluminum foil - try it and thank me later

This.  It works.

 

[Overbored]

Spotless Stainless is not the cheapest but one of the best if your time means anything to you 

 

[European Bloke]

Lagostina makes a similar product to Barkeep's Friend but it's better.

Big talk. BF can do anything, it is the king. What is this product of which you speak?

 

[Alberta]

Wichinox gives me the best finish 

 

[SloopJonB]

Big talk. BF can do anything, it is the king. What is this product of which you speak?

We've used both - this is better.

It's made by Lagostina to keep their S/S & copper pots & pans looking pretty.

 

[DavidYacht]

Y10 - don’t know if you can get it in the States

 

[silent bob]

Y10 - don’t know if you can get it in the States

I can't even get Nevr-Dull in California, anymore!  

https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/george-basch-company-case-settlement

 

[SloopJonB]

Nevr-Dull is a waste of time IME.

Doesn't even do a decent job on household copper & silver and that's a hell of a lot less challenging than marine S/S.

 

[Ishmael]

I like Flitz, the 3M Marine Metal polish, and Wenol, which I found in a bag of stuff I inherited from someone somewhere.

Flitz also works well as an acrylic polish, surprisingly.

Wadded newspaper and spit is better than Nevr-Dull.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

BKfriend is oxalic acid

 

[Sailabout]

BKfriend is oxalic acid

that will remove the rust but cause more later, polishing is long term answer