Recognize excavated iron object?

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Thanks, I think beeswax will work fine just to keep his thing from crumbling to bits, and it is something he can get easily. If I thought there was any chance he had something of historical value I’d change the recommendation but I’m 99.9% sure he has some kind of furnace dropping or ore that’s not a fabricated product of any kind, and worthless to everyone but him.

 

No doubt there is a lot more to metal conservation than the wax method. I'd expect there are chemical reactions going on inside. My thought is that it would exclude oxygen, similar to the way being submerged would.

Also, it conforms to the old repair/conserve rule about not doing things that can't be undone. I wax practically everything I ever clean up.

 

do you get wax buildup ........??
Get Endust....for that great shine...with no heavy wax buildup !

 

That object is so rusted you can't tell if it's anything of value or just iron ore .

If you want a fast way to strip rust from basic items , pool cleaner (hydrochloric acid) will dissolve the rust in 20 minutes without damaging the steel underneath .

Dilute it 30-50% if you like but use all appropriate safety equipment . It will burn skin or eyes !

Rust removal can also be done with citric acid (1 cup citric to one Gallon of water)

Or 30% vinegar (acetic acid) , which is slower than the above two methods (household vinegar is 4 %)

The molasses and water method would have been discussed on these pages ad infinitum.

For items of high value consult with professionals .

 

I’m 99% sure there’s either nothing at all in his rust lump, or at best some pebbles. But as long as the rust is there he has hope that something wonderfully historic is inside, and I don’t want to take that away.

 

My general rule is to never use acids on metals. (No doubt there are exceptions.)

If I wanted to remove the rust on this piece, I'd probably go the electrolysis route.

 

The finder has gotten the advice he wanted and left. What he really wanted was references on projectiles (I know there isn’t one in there.) I gave him links to Col. John Bemeck’s books.