Originally Posted by
Glennfordx4
I got a nice triple TA on my Dawes Super Galaxy that I really like the looks of and it is cleaning up nicely, except the damn chainring bolts and crank to chainring mounting bolts. I can't afford what they are getting for NOS bolts ( over $60 a set) even when you can find them,what have you guys done when your bolts are in poor shape.
Take the arms off the bike, disassemble all the bolts, brush off the loose rust with a wire brush and then drop them in a bowl of dilute oxalic acid to get rid of the rest of the rust. While they're soaking, use some Simichrome and a buffing wheel (or a soft cloth and elbow grease) on the arms and chainrings. They'll polish up to a lovely mirror finish. When the bolts are done soaking, coat them with boiled linseed oil before reassembling. The oil will provide lubrication while you're tightening things up, and then over the course of a few days will harden into a protective varnish to help prevent further rusting.