Vinegar for corrosion removal? Really?

[bluefish69]

I was told about Vinegar in the last 100 Yrs. to loosen Brass over Chrome Rod Ferrules from Reel Seats. I never had much luck with it. Ended up heating the Ferrule & remove it. Then remove the Reel seat the same way. Used a 3/4" Dowel & Hammer - that did the job. I only buy 1 piece rods now.

I found Vinegar 1/2 & 1/2 works better on Reels. Yes I have over soaked Reel parts.

Mie 

[mizmo67]

Oversoaking is definitely bad with any of the corrosion removers.

*sniffle* I miss you, lil 5500SS... (At least it was MY reel I kilt with the Corrosion X Rust Remover)

[sdlehr]

Hi Mo. So sorry for your loss.

[thorhammer]

Hi Mo. So sorry for your loss.

X2

[mizmo67]

What an awful overflow mess that was too...the chemical reaction was amazing! It bubbled right over.

[Maxed Out]

      Straight up vinegar in short soaks is the most I'll ever do, but those short soaks and a quick toothbrush job will work good on built up green deposits.

     Here is my soaker bowl that WAS   straight vinegar. I laid a large brass salmon spoon in it then let the vinegar evaporate over several weeks. All that remained was what the vinegar had removed from the parts I had put in there. Before the vinegar evaporated it just looked like green colored vinegar, no chunks or anything visible. This dried up green stuff is hard as granite and stuck like glue. I used a soup spoon to scrape most off the glass bowl.

  I do have another followup coming as the spoon is now soaking in clean vinegar again

[Maxed Out]

    Same spoon 20 minute straight vinegar soak. No toothbrush, or anything, just vinegar soak....and it also took the green corrosion off my wifes dish from her kitchen  . As long as she doesn't read this thread, she will never know what her salad bowl had been thru  



  Remember the phrase "you can't make tenderloin out of ground round", that holds true for a reel that has been neglected and put away wet, the vinegar will neutralize and prevent any further corrosion, but returning it to as new just isn't going to happen with a nickel plated reel. 

[Tightlines667]

 Nice Ted... can't get much clearer then that.
Get it.."Clearer"

[johndtuttle]

      Straight up vinegar in short soaks is the most I'll ever do, but those short soaks and a quick toothbrush job will work good on built up green deposits.

      Here is my soaker bowl that WAS  straight vinegar. I laid a large brass salmon spoon in it then let the vinegar evaporate over several weeks. All that remained was what the vinegar had removed from the parts I had put in there. Before the vinegar evaporated it just looked like green colored vinegar, no chunks or anything visible. This dried up green stuff is hard as granite and stuck like glue. I used a soup spoon to scrape most off the glass bowl.

   I do have another followup coming as the spoon is now soaking in clean vinegar again

So, what you have probably have created there is a standard battery (electrochemical cell) where the acid (vinegar) is catalyzing the consumption of electrons of the cathode (brass) and supplying them to the anode (stainless rings).

Eventually, if left in there too long the oxidized Brass is not only removed but it starts consuming the healthy brass in an accelerated corrosion like process.

This is why we like to insulate parts with grease when dissimilar metals are in contact. It prevents saltwater from helping the exchange of electrons and the resulting disintegration of the refined metal.

Regardless, it is a great demonstration of the power of even weak acids (remember, a little lime juice will cook fish in time) and a good warning to use it after tests etc to not damage your parts.

Also, and especially important, be very careful soaking parts that contain dissimilar metals....it will lead to accelerated corrosion as we see here, not the removal of corrosion.

[foakes]

   ....and it also took the green corrosion off my wifes dish from her kitchen  . As long as she doesn't read this thread, she will never know what her salad bowl had had been thru 

Let me know how that works for you, Ted -- Wives always know, not sure how -- but it is a fact of life.

Yesterday, Sue came down from my reel shop, and she sez: "I see you have been using my Pyrex pie plates for cleaning reels". 

This wasn't a question to her, it was a statement of fact.

When I explained that these were the ones that belonged to her Mom, and we were going to donate to the Veterans Store...and I kept a few useful things for cleaning reels, before dropping off the stuff at the Veterans -- she still did not believe me until she went to her cupboard to see that hers were still there.

Not sure if I passed the "test", or not -- but she is always suspicious. 

It is their nature to always keep us on our toes -- and we must always have ironclad, and quick responses.

And even then, it does not always work.

In her defense, she did say that if I wanted to use hers -- I was welcome to, and she would just buy some new ones.

Best,

Fred

[Maxed Out]

  You're right Fred. After 30 years and still happily married, I'd say the main reason we are still together and happy is she has some sort of super power and can always tell when something is up.

  I stay away from her moms pie tins, those are for pies only. Paper plates and bowls she has no attachment to are my choice 

[cbar45]

Chad, I can't believe how nice that reel came out. Night and day. Nice work.

I checked out the other thread you linked. When you clean the chrome with WD-40 do you use a brass brush to get the tarnish off. I use the same process but I've never gotten one that clean before.

A stiff-bristled toothbrush and scratch-free scotchbrite pad are used during the de-greasing process to remove gummed up oil and loose tarnish...For scrubbing the parts (after soaking), I use a bit of soapy water and a second scratch-free dishwashing sponge...It's one of those regular sponges covered in a textured nylon or polymer type of material..

It did take more than one soaking and scrubbing of the crossbars to remove all tarnish...For heavy corrosion I seem to get better results soaking parts for 30 min, scrubbing for 5 min, and re-soaking for 30 min--compared to an hour-long soak and scrub...For stubborn areas I will sometimes use very fine steel wool, but you need to make sure the part is thoroughly cleaned of steel dust/residue prior to soaking in vinegar..

[bluefish69]

It's the Natural Guilty Look on our faces that gives us away. Ted I have you beat by 16yrs. @ 46Yrs.

Mike

[Lunker Larry]

I don't envy you salt water guys. The worst I see in freshwater reels is "petrified " grease and reels so dry of lubricant you only need compressed air to blow out the dust😀
Come across very little corrosion. Lucky me.

[FatTuna]

Chad, I can't believe how nice that reel came out. Night and day. Nice work.

I checked out the other thread you linked. When you clean the chrome with WD-40 do you use a brass brush to get the tarnish off. I use the same process but I've never gotten one that clean before.

A stiff-bristled toothbrush and scratch-free scotchbrite pad are used during the de-greasing process to remove gummed up oil and loose tarnish...For scrubbing the parts (after soaking), I use a bit of soapy water and a second scratch-free dishwashing sponge...It's one of those regular sponges covered in a textured nylon or polymer type of material..

You do some nice work. Thanks for the write up.
It did take more than one soaking and scrubbing of the crossbars to remove all tarnish...For heavy corrosion I seem to get better results soaking parts for 30 min, scrubbing for 5 min, and re-soaking for 30 min--compared to an hour-long soak and scrub...For stubborn areas I will sometimes use very fine steel wool, but you need to make sure the part is thoroughly cleaned of steel dust/residue prior to soaking in vinegar..