[TheForge] stainless rust

[Bruce Freeman]

I may be wrong, but I expect the citric acid will remove existing rust
but not prevent further rusting.

Stainless steel is largely iron with typically >25% chromium and
nickel.  The iron at the surface will rust.  Passivation is the
removal of the surface iron to prevent the rust.  Note that SS will
not rust AWAY.  Nitric is a good choice to remove surface iron because
it is an oxidizing acid.  It seems to me that any passivation
treatment would require an oxidizer and either an acid or possibly an
alkali.  If someone knows a way of passivating without using nitric
acid, I'd be quite interested.

On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 11:25 PM, Steve howell <ballardforge at msn.com> wrote:
> Thanks Jim,
> I think I'll go with the Citrisurf. I try not to handle any more muriatic than necessary.
>
> Steve
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-- 
Bruce
NJ

The total lack of evidence is the surest sign that the conspiracy is working.