Best way to get surface rust off a keg

[gava]

hey All,

I have got a keg with some surface rust and i want to know the best things to clean this up with...(on the cheap)
I've searched and couldn't really find to much.

cheers

Gavin.

 

[Moad]

Get a flap wheel for an angle grinder, 180 grit. You will probably want to do the whole thing once you start!

 

[Fat Bastard]

Make sure you use a new disk too. If it's been used to grind normal steel, it'll embed particles of iron in the stainless which will rust and mark the SS in time.

 

[kymba]

see if your local hardware has 'quickleen s'

 

[lael]

Make sure you use a new disk too. If it's been used to grind normal steel, it'll embed particles of iron in the stainless which will rust and mark the SS in time.

this is slightly off topic - do normal grinding discs also have this problem if they are new? or are they fine?

 

[mmmyummybeer]

I would recommend pickling paste, anyone who welds stainless should have some. You will just need to wash it well after-woods.

 

[431neb]

Make sure you use a new disk too. If it's been used to grind normal steel, it'll embed particles of iron in the stainless which will rust and mark the SS in time.

FB, is that why when I attacked my keggle with a cup brush , that I have ended up with a fine patina of rust over my keg / kettle? Would the steel from the cup brush get into the stainless?

My effort was pretty weak but it looked OK after I finished. Now not so good.

 

[Edak]

Bar keepers friend gets rid of rust almost instantly. It also repassivates the steel. Too easy. Kitchenware direct is where I got it. Everten also have it.

 

[Fat Bastard]

this is slightly off topic - do normal grinding discs also have this problem if they are new? or are they fine?

New discs should be fine

FB, is that why when I attacked my keggle with a cup brush , that I have ended up with a fine patina of rust over my keg / kettle? Would the steel from the cup brush get into the stainless?

My effort was pretty weak but it looked OK after I finished. Now not so good.

Yeah, pretty much. As the steel wire breaks down, it embeds iron particles into the SS, which then rusts. As others have stated, something acidic (Pickling Paste) will eat the iron and make the SS like new. This is one of the reasons that Handy Imports stock pots have a bad rep here. They're fine, but the factory seem to have used abrasives that have also been used on carbon steel and that makes the stainless spot and rust. If you can't be bothered getting some pickling paste, you could try some Citric Acid from the baking section at the supermarket, some oxalic acid deck wash in a weak solution, or even a bunch of cut up lemons in some hot water for a ghetto version. None of these work as well as the proper stuff, but they all work to some degree. The citric acid cleaned my Handy Imports pots up a treat

 

[emnpaul]

Straight Starsan (sold as deoxidine) is used for this purpose in panel beating/spray painting applications. Use a scouring pad and it will get surface rust off almost instantly. Wear gloves.

 

[manticle]

I'm not a metallurgist by any stretch but when I've wanted to remove rust from something, my first port of call is starsan (undiluted) and a non metallic abrasive.

 

[Moad]

I've used lemon juice (bottled stuff) and a green scourer with success inside cornies

 

[kymba]

If you're fresh out of lemons or starsan, vinegar will also work