Rust on flyrod

[Flubber]

Fellow forumers,

Got a bit of rust on two of my flyrod's o-rings. Any remedies to remove the rust and protect in future? I do not know if tackleguard, etc will help after the rust has occurred to stop the rusting... The rod is properly cleaned after every outing in the salt and not stored with anything that has been in contact with seawater...

Information would be very helpful.

Regards

[Trevor28]

I have used a very fine water paper and a small drop of machine oil (the oil you get with hair clippers) to remove small amounts of rust off one of my rods but you have to be very careful not to rub the rod itself as it takes the finish off, (rub lightly), that worked for me but in all fairness it was a very small amount, as far as stopping it still looking for some thing that stops it, I just wash my rods in fresh water and leave them to dry before putting them away

[Michael]

You can also use 0000 steelwool (not the cr@p you buy at Pick & Pay...go to Hardware Centre or a decent hardware and get the real 0000 stuff) to remove the rust. Careful not to scuff the actual fly rod.
It's a good idea to rinse the fly rod properly a.s.a.p. in fresh water after a salt-water trip, then use Mr. Min on the blank to clean it (but not where the ferrules fit into each other), and spray WD40 or Q20 onto a small lint-free rag and lightly wipe the guides with the oil. This will disperse moisture, and gaurd against rust.
And then leave the rod out of the rod-bag for at least three days, so it can dry properly. Then only stow it away.

[William Ewels]

Personally I feel any abrasive will create a surface more susceptible to rust next time around. But of course you can compensate a bit by being more cautious after next salty outing. Nevertheless I prefer the gentlest possible approach first:

1) First see if you can scrape off some rust with fingernail or edge of old credit card.
2) Try polishing remainder off with some "brasso".
3) If there is still some rust patches try a dremel tool with felt polishing pad and some jewellers rouge polishing compound.
4) If all that fails go the steel wool or fine sand paper option..

[Flubber]

Thanks guys,

Appreciate it... Will explore all options.

Regards

[RobG]

Hot water and brown vinegar. It converts all of the rust....but you no longer have the sheen that you once had.

I think the answer would be to paint on the mixture a few times on the affected area for a 24 hour period. Then polish dull finish off.

I use it for my pliers etc and it works like bomb.

[wernerm]

I use it for my pliers etc and it works like bomb.

You shouldn't leave your pliers in the rain

[Herman Jooste]

Personally I feel any abrasive will create a surface more susceptible to rust next time around. But of course you can compensate a bit by being more cautious after next salty outing. Nevertheless I prefer the gentlest possible approach first:

1) First see if you can scrape off some rust with fingernail or edge of old credit card.
2) Try polishing remainder off with some "brasso".3) If there is still some rust patches try a dremel tool with felt polishing pad and some jewellers rouge polishing compound.
4) If all that fails go the steel wool or fine sand paper option..

Brasso is highly abrasive as is Silvo. Both will leave microscopic grooves which will aid future deterioration.

They both work are far as the "eye" is concerned. The finished article looks perfect for about a week. Then you have to redo.

Think back to "polishing" your brasses, mess tins, etc in your army days.

[William Ewels]

Brasso is highly abrasive as is Silvo.

Herman, yes correct - but far less aggressive than most other abrasives - and easier to use accurately on a very small area, e.g. fingernail on the rust spots only.

The OP wanted to remove the rust already on the "0-rings" (guides I presume.) Guides are constantly abraded by grit on the flyline, backing etc .... as a result some of mine, especailly tip tops, have become visibly grooved and needed to be replaced. Yet they did not rust with proper care after use.

So limited use of a mild abrasive is quite in order Thereafter the rust can be held at bay with fresh water rinsing and various sprays/wipes to coat the metal surfaces after use.