Handplane Restoration #19: Cleaning Parts with Citric Acid

Wayne, Thanks for this article. I just picked up 5 planes at a flea market this past weekend. Three of which need a little attention as this one you got. This will help immensely. Looks like it works really well.

-- Carpe Lignum; Tornare Lignum (Seize the wood, to Turn the wood)

Your welcome PanamaJack. What kind of planes did you get?

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Wow….very nice…whodah thunk it?

-- Bob

Well…Good question Wayne. I don’t know anything about Planes, but here goes:

This guy claimed one to be a ”Sears Craftsman”, however it has Dunlap ”reverse embossed” on it. It also says Made in U.S.A. 107.1. This one is in really good shape. Hardly any rust. 9 inches long +/- x 2-13/32 wide.

Another one has Lakeside stamped on it. This one has a “grooved” bottom plate on it. It’s 12-1/2 inches long x 2-3/8” wide. Very light rusting mostly on the bottom in the grooves and under the blade.

One has no markings at all. It’s about 9-1/4” length x 2-3/16” wide. Metal looks a little darker, but very little rust. Knocked most off with 0000 steel wool today. A little rusting under the blade

The other two are 6-1/2” small palm(?) planes, no markings at all. Really good shape, with little noticeable rusting.

All blades need to be sharpened badly, however appear not to have been used much at all. All I have used so far is the 0000 steel wool and a little penetrating oil to minimize further rusting until I can fix them the right way. $32 for all. All stamped Made in U.S.A. on them

-- Carpe Lignum; Tornare Lignum (Seize the wood, to Turn the wood)

The citric acid bath was interesting to see. Seems like it did the trick, but knocks off finish that you’d like to retain. What is the “bluing” that you referred to?

Also, with regard to the linseed oil wicking technique: I have read in a book on Swedish carving of wooden ware and what have you the suggestion that you immerse the entire piece in oil and leave it for a day or so. I did that with a handle I made for a knife, and really liked the results, so I can relate with the wicking! Just imagine if you first heated the oil up to 120 degrees! That would be really good!

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

THanks Wayne – becomming a chemist as well as woodworker – If I could find some tools, then I will keep this in mind – have you tried this on saw blades and router bits to remove the resin – or is this mix too strong?

-- Tony - All things are possible, just some things are more difficult than others! - SKYPE: Heron2005 (http://www.poydatjatuolit.fi)

I’ve only tried this on handplane parts so far. I’m still in an exporing stage. Also, I imagine you could very the strength of the mix.

On Stanley planes, there is a finish on the back of chip breakers and on the metal piece that is used to adjust the frog. The parts coated in a finish in the factory. If your restoring a plane with collector’s value you want to retain this. Normally, I would scrub gently with scotch bright and then coat with schallac. The process I’m using is based on the video by Earnie Conover – Reclaming Flea Market Planes. Check out my video reference page – http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/WayneC/blog/680

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Sounds like you got quite a haul PanamaJack. The small planes sound like block planes. Can you post a few photos? I am curous about the one with no markings.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

It looks like a good way of removing rust. I have these old 5 & 6 foot long cross cut saws. Would I have to immerse them, or just brush on?

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

The only instructions I have seen for this show immersion. You could try brushing it on. On your saws, what is your goal? Preserve or put back into use?

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Here’s the two small block planes:

“Sears/Dunlap” plane:

“Lakeside” Plane:

9-1/4”x2-3/16” Plane:

-- Carpe Lignum; Tornare Lignum (Seize the wood, to Turn the wood)

Hopefully they weren’t too small a picture for you Wayne. I could email larger pics.

-- Carpe Lignum; Tornare Lignum (Seize the wood, to Turn the wood)

Dorje,

Here are wiki articles to bluing and japaning. Hand planes are likely have a mix of japaning and bluing depending on the specific part. Both processes are designed to cover and protect the underlying metal from rust. Bluing is a surface oxidation process wherein chemicals are used to oxidize the surface of the metal creating a protective layer. Japaning is a lacquer like coating which mechanically bonds to the surface of the metal protecting against oxidation and wear.

Bluing will leave an almost imperceptibly thin surface layer and will get into all cracks and threads. Japaning will leave a more durable coating but is a significant surface layer.

Neither surface stands up extremely well to surface abrasion.

Wiki Bluing)

hmm, the embedded link has a closing ) that doesnt stay with the link, so here’s the link in plain text

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluing_(steel)

Wiki Japaning

It makes sense that the citric acid bath would remove bluing. The goal of the bath is to remove the iron oxide (red rust) and since bluing is a surface oxidation process it seems reasonable that bluing would be removed along with the heavier rust.

For display,maybe the rust adds to the look, but I thought it would be fun to experiment a little. If someone wanted the saw to be usable also.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1