Treating minor rust?

[MorganColeman]

Hey Everyone,

I recently bought a used bike (Soma Juice). While I certainly wasn't expecting the frame to be in pristine condition, I was bummed out to find minor rust on the frame, mostly located on and near the cable guides on the top tube. I assume the rust accumulated as a result of unwashed sweat from the previous owner.

Aside from the surface rust spots on the cable guides, I see tiny (very small) blisters in the paint right near the cable guides. On one cable guide, I sanded off the paint completely and applied nail polish. The rust easily came off, but I wasn’t able to get to the inside of the cable stop.

Here’s my question: Do I have to sand off every tiny spot of rust and apply new paint (or nail polish) to the exposed metal to stop the rust for good? It seems like if I attack every spot, the frame, which otherwise looks good, will get pretty ugly. Can I leave those spots alone and take care of the frame and not worry about the rust spreading?

Thanks!

[Liberace]

Hey Everyone,

I recently bought a used bike (Soma Juice). While I certainly wasn't expecting the frame to be in pristine condition, I was bummed out to find minor rust on the frame, mostly located on and near the cable guides on the top tube. I assume the rust accumulated as a result of unwashed sweat from the previous owner.

Aside from the surface rust spots on the cable guides, I see tiny (very small) blisters in the paint right near the cable guides. On one cable guide, I sanded off the paint completely and applied nail polish. The rust easily came off, but I wasn’t able to get to the inside of the cable stop.

Here’s my question: Do I have to sand off every tiny spot of rust and apply new paint (or nail polish) to the exposed metal to stop the rust for good? It seems like if I attack every spot, the frame, which otherwise looks good, will get pretty ugly. Can I leave those spots alone and take care of the frame and not worry about the rust spreading?

Thanks!


Try a brass brush to get the rust off and then touch it up or just ride it and get it powdercoated in a couple years.

[pablo pinchasso]

Get some phosphoric acid or check out POR15 website for their acid same thing. go to a auto paint store.. scrape the rust out then put the acid on to neutralize the rust....this turns the iron oxide into iron phosphate which then can be coverd with primer put on from a small paint brush then cover with nail polish....try Rust-oleum primer....
been using Phosphoric acid on everything from a vertical wind tunnel to bikes since the 60's...

[ckamp]

http://www.evaporust.ca/
http://www.evaporust.com/

Dont listen to anyone else. Its the best for minor rust removal. :beer:

[MorganColeman]

Thanks for your input. So it looks like I need to scrape up the frame to stop the rust. I was hoping to leave it alone, but it seems like it needs to be sanded.
Thanks for the tips!

[Dekonick]

Check inside the tubes too...

You can (carefully) use a hone and clean up the rust, then use frame saver or pour boilled linseed oil in the frame and slosh it around. - either way it is smelly, and messy.