Rust Stains around SS

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Good subject. Not sure I would remover and re-bed my hand rails.


https://boattest.com/article/preven...c_g&utm_content=192736966&utm_source=hs_email

 

[Marco Flamingo]

I just posted about some severe "rust stain" caused by stainless steel. I'd never seen anything like it.

 

[C lectric]

In your packing box use of bolts, the bolts as a minimum should be grade 316SS.
That includes the nuts and washers.
Often a special order. The bolt heads will be stamped 316. The nuts also should have a 316 also although sometimes hard to see.

Any bolts stamped anything else are almost always NOT 316
18-8 SS is NOT 316 either.



I will hazard a guess that your carriage bolts are NOT 316 SS.

When working with SS use a brass or a SS wire brush.
Do not use a steel wire brush which will leave iron deposits on the SS and actually hasten corrosion. If the work is cosmetic you will defeat your efforts.

I have not yet really had a chance to try it much but according to Practical Sailor Mag. the use of lemon juice from the fridge will passivate SS so it is far less likely to suffer rusting. Passivating removes contaminating material, metals, that will interfere with the bright chromium appearance and its protection of the iron.
It will NOT help 304 though to become corrosion resistant in applications that 316 should be used.

They are suggesting the lemon juice because the other passivating agents oar downright dangerous acids if not dealt with properly. Citric acid is not to fooled with either but is is no where near as dangerous as the others.

Two books I have are:
--Metal Corrosion in Boats -- Nigel Warren. 1980 Likely out of print but maybe can be ordered or found through Ebay, Amazon or used book stores.
ISBN 0 540 07397 0


--The Boat Owners Guide to Corrosion -- Everett Collier. 2001 May also be out of print but through the above mentioned sources. ISBN 0 07 155019 4

 

[FF]

On SS fittings Ospho mixed with Joy and a scrub pad can be left on to dry which gives the Ospho longer to work. Give it an hour after it turns white.

On most SS , why bother and take a risk?

Good bronze nuts and bolts can be had that are no risk of departing underwater.

May cost more but you will sleep better.

 

[Taras]

Use Gramsters Pride. Spray it on, let it sit for a few, hose it off. Rust stains are GONE!! Stuff works great. No scrubbing needed. Order it online

 

[Lepke]

All alloys of stainless steel are subject to crevice corrosion. The corrosion is caused by the absence of oxygen and water. Stainless propeller shafts can get crevice corrosion. That's why they make monel shafts.

The way to avoid the ss rust is put a coat of epoxy on the parts that will be next to the deck or hull and isn't exposed to oxygen. Also a couple epoxy drops down the screw hole so the screw is sealed and water can't work it's way down the threads and cause the rust streaks there. If you're going into wood or a core, more than a couple drops of epoxy down the screw hole. With the screws epoxied in, stanchions will never get wobbly.

 

[Bmarler]

Use Gramsters Pride. Spray it on, let it sit for a few, hose it off. Rust stains are GONE!! Stuff works great. No scrubbing needed. Order it online

Googled, but didn’t find it.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Use Gramsters Pride. Spray it on, let it sit for a few, hose it off. Rust stains are GONE!! Stuff works great. No scrubbing needed. Order it online

Do you have a weblink? I tried to pull it up and got all kind of strange things.

Opps Bmarler beat me to it.

 

[Taras]

my apologies. I ordered Grampsters Pride about a year ago and I'm still using the same bottle. When I googled it, I found it here on Amazon but it says its "not available" right now. Don't know if this is a supply chain issue or not??

https://www.amazon.com/Renew-128-oz-Boat-Cleaning/dp/B00KOSMU4W/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pb_opt?ie=UTF8

When I get down to the boat, I'll check the label and see if there's a number or something to call......
This stuff really works great!!

 

[Leatherneck]

Found plenty of used copies of Nigel's book through a google search. Ordered a used very good condition hardback for $6.02. Free shipping.

 

[Leatherneck]

Check AbeBooks online for Nigel's book.

 

[HopCar]

The best thing I’ve found for removing rust stains from fiberglass is a product called Whink. Light stains just disappear. Heavy stains might need to be rubbed with a rag.
https://www.acehardware.com/departm...yZmIkME2R7-g_CQBcNBoCCkoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Bmarler]

my apologies. I ordered Grampsters Pride about a year ago and I'm still using the same bottle. When I googled it, I found it here on Amazon but it says its "not available" right now. Don't know if this is a supply chain issue or not??

https://www.amazon.com/Renew-128-oz-Boat-Cleaning/dp/B00KOSMU4W/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pb_opt?ie=UTF8

When I get down to the boat, I'll check the label and see if there's a number or something to call......
This stuff really works great!!

i suspect you may have the last bottle of it. i tried to find the company and they don't seem to exist anymore. there was a little activity from 2014 through about 2017 but not much after that. use it wisely!

 

[koliver]

The best thing I’ve found for removing rust stains from fiberglass is a product called Whink. Light stains just disappear. Heavy stains might need to be rubbed with a rag.
https://www.acehardware.com/departm...yZmIkME2R7-g_CQBcNBoCCkoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Purchase of chemicals that actually work is becoming more difficult year by year, as these recent posts indicate. Just try to find an effective paint brush cleaner. Off the market now for several years, so I have reverted to cheap, throw away brushes for many projects. I suspect this is another unintended consequence of attempts by regulators to clean up our environment.

This product that HC has found is made up from Hydrofluoric acid. Its list of contents shows only that. Chemical grade hydrofluoric :https://www.laballey.com/products/hydrofluoric-acid-5-by-weight at only 5% is much more expensive, so the Ace Hdw stuff must be somewhat dilute.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

Purchase of chemicals that actually work is becoming more difficult year by year, as these recent posts indicate.

And some of the products are being reissued with a different, less effective (more safe) formula, thereby relying on a reputation that is no longer deserved. Kaboom brand toilet cleaner would quickly remove rust stains (and fingernails), but it was taken off the market for months. When it returned, it was nowhere near as effective for removing stains on the hull. Part of the problem may have been people using it without rubber gloves, despite the warnings and directions. I was surprised when reading the label on Kaboom that it was shipped through the mail. That might have something to do with these products disappearing. How can your product succeed if it can't be shipped by Amazon?

A gallon of muriatic acid is still less than $10 at my local concrete jobber. With that product, I know to wear eye protection, rubber gloves, and clothing that gets thrown away.

 

[HopCar]

Purchase of chemicals that actually work is becoming more difficult year by year, as these recent posts indicate. Just try to find an effective paint brush cleaner. Off the market now for several years, so I have reverted to cheap, throw away brushes for many projects. I suspect this is another unintended consequence of attempts by regulators to clean up our environment.

This product that HC has found is made up from Hydrofluoric acid. Its list of contents shows only that. Chemical grade hydrofluoric :https://www.laballey.com/products/hydrofluoric-acid-5-by-weight at only 5% is much more expensive, so the Ace Hdw stuff must be somewhat dilute.

Yes it is quite dilute. Hydrofloric acid is very powerful. It will etch glass. Follow the directions and wear gloves.

I used to sell a product called Erusticator which was less diluted hydrofluoric acid. It was mostly marketed to commercial laundries to remove rust stains. I haven’t been able to find it in years. Whink works almost as well.

 

[Sofa King Fishy]

304 SS is common for fittings & stantions/tubing & it will develop surface rust. Looks bad, but non threatening to the integrity of the part. 316 SS is a step up, but isn’t used widely for fittings. Choice is live with it, or experiment with mentioned solutions. If your decks are gel coat try FSR for a few hours.

 

[rcsomany]

Bar Keepers Friend?

Has anyone tried this for removing rust stains?

 

[catalinajack]

Oxalic acid. Get it from Amazon in powder form and mix up about an 8% solution. Spray it on, wait awhile, rinse, no more rust. Oxalic acid is the active ingredient in many, if not most, rust removers. Take a look at the SDS statement for a particular product and you will see it.

 

[Lostsailor13]

It needs to be passivated or electro polished before hand,it removes all the surface contamination from the part,they make paste,and even better a portable passivater you plug it in connect your ground and use a wand dipped into solution,i had 303 and 304 stainless on my last boat for over 10 years that was passivated and never any surface rust,and electro polishing works even better

 

[CarlF]

What you need is Spotless Stainless. Been using it for years. Amazing results with absolutely no scrubbing.

A few tips:

Air temperature must be above 70F
Dab it on with a foam paint brush
After 10 minutes dab on more
10 more minutes dab on more
Wait 10 minutes and then wash off with a lot of fresh water. You have to wash every bit off. Use a wet rag and a hose. If it dries the stainless will be cloudy and you have to repeat the process.

I do port and starboard sides of the boat separately. I just keep walking and dabbing from bow to stern.

Each time you use it, less rust will come back the next time.

Spotless Stainless Home

 

[DWJensen]

Has anyone tried this for removing rust stains?

We used Bar Keeper's Friend for years on the stainless stanchions and portlights on our Island Packet. It works really well at removing the surface rust and haze with very little effort. It's available in powder (like the old Comet cleanser) or liquid - We found the liquid to be much easier to use and it didn't cake.

 

[ronobrien]

my apologies. I ordered Grampsters Pride about a year ago and I'm still using the same bottle. When I googled it, I found it here on Amazon but it says its "not available" right now. Don't know if this is a supply chain issue or not??

https://www.amazon.com/Renew-128-oz-Boat-Cleaning/dp/B00KOSMU4W/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pb_opt?ie=UTF8

When I get down to the boat, I'll check the label and see if there's a number or something to call......
This stuff really works great!!

Several years ago I went to a direct chemical supplier and bought Oxolic acid in powder form. I forget the price but it was comparatively cheap. Oxolic acid is the active ingredient in a lot of these products (don't know about Grampsters). You can mix it with water as a sprayble liquid or as thick as paste for vertical surfaces. It worked quite well, and at the price you can be quite liberal with it.

 

[Rough Magic]

+1 on Barkeeper's Friend. Cheap, available everywhere, doesn't ruin your gelcoat.

 

[Lookin2Loop]

We were lucky enough to to “inherit” a stock of Grampster’s Pride products with the purchase of our new-to-us boat in September. We have been so impressed with their performance that I have had 2 reservations, kept to myself, but I wondered/worried about: Can products that work this well be environmentally safe? And, sadly my foremost concern as they’re used in very small quantities, Can this very small manufacturer survive?

I fear the 2nd question may be answered…. But HOPE not
Maureen

 

[Arc]

iron out, Barkeeper friend are both cheap and work fine. active ingredient is oxalic acid