Originally Posted by
Bikedued
A myth. It rusts because it has already rusted. It has little bits of rust still there, just less visible. Any water hits it, and it wil begin rusting again. Grease the surface and wipe off the excess. It will last longer, no matter what removal method you use.,,,,BD
Not true. Small iron particles will be left behind which will rust. I work in the aerospace industry and many machined parts are passivated after being machined to remove these microscopic loose steel bits before they can rust and cause more serious issues.
Regarding the rust removal, phosphoric acid is the ticket. It comes in a wide varity of products including Jasco Metal Etch and Metal Primer, commonly available in Lowe's and Home Depot.