Help with cleaning please

[ERussell]

I have recently purchased, from an 'Antique and Secondhand shop', a replica Roman helmet. It has some rust spots which I am managing to remove with a branded metal cleaner, but it also has some darker marks, almost like minute pitting. Can anyone suggest a product or method of cleaning my lovely replica helmet please.

Many thanks in advance

[Augustus Janus]

I'm not an expert on restorations but generally a pitted surface in steel can only be removed by bringing the outer surface down to its level by sanding, grinding or polishing but deep pits are sometimes too deep to do that since you would remove most of the metal and end up with a thin foil. Any other method would require filling and then polishing the pitted area. That isn't an easy task and it requires specialised skills.

If not too bad you can just keep it from getting worse by keeping it oiled or coated and protected from the atmosphere. Iron/steel rusts over time and the process can only be slowed (not stopped) as long as the object is in the presence of oxygen.

I know this isn't much help to you but it's my experience with machinery and steel

Jim

[Gaius Colletti]

Do you have a pic? It would be a little easier to judge what exactly you need.

A Scotchbrite pad and mineral oil should take off even moderate rust

[ERussell]

Thanks Matt, hubby is now detailed with getting scotch pad and oil to have a go. It's only gonna be on a stand for me to admire, not being seen by people who will criticise, but want it looking ok.

[Manius Acilius Italicus]

Hi Edna, if I may, I like to throw my two cents in, since I believe in saving rather than discarding old things.
As Matt stated, it is rather difficult to be specific with restoration, but I will give you several general things you can do. There are several good products that will convert rust without metal removal. One I have use is Evap-O-Rust which I purchased at Harbor Freight. Follow the directions and submerse the entire helmet in the solution and it will come out free of rust (if fairly heavily rusted). If lighter rust, you can use Never Dull and a lot of elbow grease and it will clean up well. You can also use 0000 steel wool with or without a light oil and it will polish out with some work. If you have a buffer, you can use a fine wheel and knock the rust off without removing much metal.
Lastly, when I manufactured my helmet, I had it completely silver soldered. It is really fairly easy after watching the shop do it. Just get some liquid silver solder and a propane torch. Heat the metal, brush on some silver solder and then heat to set. This will fill in all of those small pits and will help preserve the metal for the future.
If you are a purist and only want an oiled helmet, the last suggestion may not fit your needs, but was used during some periods.
Hope this helps.