Main > The Armoury
Rust, preventing and cleaning
Ian:
Yes, being proactive is key. You have to realize that as rust develops, it's literally displacing the steel on the surface of your armor. So the more it is allowed to develop, the more the potential exists for the rust to penetrate deeper in to the surface of the steel. When you remove it, it will leave tiny pits in the steel, whether they are visible or not. Those tiny pits hold on to moisture better than a polished surface, and that means they invite the rust to come back with more frequency than a smooth surface.
The smoother the polish on your armor, the more difficult it is for rust to develop. You don't need to have an obnoxiously shiny mirror polish, but don't allow rust to sit for long, or it will pit your armor. You can of course fix this with the right grits of buffing wheels and sandpaper etc... but it's a lot easier to just keep it clean in the first place! :)
The more you neglect rust, the more it will return to haunt you. And rust, like sand people, will be back, and in greater numbers!
Sir James A:
Sir Ian has it covered very well.
My primary rust issues are things like VARF when the armor is used all day, put in a box, used the next day, put in a box, I get home, unload the car/truck (sometimes), shower, go sleep, go to work, Monday is trash / recycles / kitty litter / etc so typically chores then bed (unpack/unload if I didn't already), Tuesday is work all day, and by Tuesday I get to start cleaning. The rust is minimal, mostly inside due to sweat (sweat is salty / salt water) and where the liner rubs off from contact with the mail / other plates. A couple days of 6-7 hours at 90+ degree temps makes armor rather icky. Even then, it's light rust, no pitting; the bright orange, "early" rust that is easy to clean.
Outside, very light surface rust I just wire wheel off, since my armor is basic unpolished mild steel - and I have a lot of plate surface area to clean. The scotch-brite that Sir Ian mentioned works just as well and is better for polished / carbon steel. When I wire wheel off any one piece of armor, I do the whole set. Somewhat OCD with that.
If there's no rust outside, it's just a basic wipe down with an oily rag to remove any sweat / moisture, and a fresh spray of oil. Since it stays on the stand (with air circulation), it isn't as prone to moisture issues as being in a box.
I'm sort of the "middle ground" between Sir Ian and Sir Edward with maintenance. :)
Sir Nate:
--- Quote from: Sir James A on 2014-04-11, 20:17:31 ---Sir Ian has it covered very well.
My primary rust issues are things like VARF when the armor is used all day, put in a box, used the next day, put in a box, I get home, unload the car/truck (sometimes), shower, go sleep, go to work, Monday is trash / recycles / kitty litter / etc so typically chores then bed (unpack/unload if I didn't already), Tuesday is work all day, and by Tuesday I get to start cleaning. The rust is minimal, mostly inside due to sweat (sweat is salty / salt water) and where the liner rubs off from contact with the mail / other plates. A couple days of 6-7 hours at 90+ degree temps makes armor rather icky. Even then, it's light rust, no pitting; the bright orange, "early" rust that is easy to clean.
Outside, very light surface rust I just wire wheel off, since my armor is basic unpolished mild steel - and I have a lot of plate surface area to clean. The scotch-brite that Sir Ian mentioned works just as well and is better for polished / carbon steel. When I wire wheel off any one piece of armor, I do the whole set. Somewhat OCD with that.
If there's no rust outside, it's just a basic wipe down with an oily rag to remove any sweat / moisture, and a fresh spray of oil. Since it stays on the stand (with air circulation), it isn't as prone to moisture issues as being in a box.
I'm sort of the "middle ground" between Sir Ian and Sir Edward with maintenance. :)
--- End quote ---
I have realized that Either way with a box or stand oil dry's up just as fast.
I find there to be more maintanance in winter since its going unused, and you forget to re-oil/clean
Ian:
--- Quote from: Sir Nate on 2014-04-11, 21:37:17 ---I have realized that Either way with a box or stand oil dry's up just as fast.
I find there to be more maintanance in winter since its going unused, and you forget to re-oil/clean
--- End quote ---
The BreakFree CLP I recommended will not evaporate. I did 0 maintenance from October to late January (the first time I wore it after October) and had no rust. CLP will not appear wet and shiny anymore, but it has formed a film that will last indefinitely until it's mechanically removed by wiping. This is true of most firearm lubricants and other metal oils.
Sir Nate:
Is that common at local hardware stores?
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