Well I have started on my next project and I was wondering if anyone can tell me the best way to remove small spots of rust with out damaging the paint. I use evapo-rust but that doesn't work well unless you can soak the part. I've tried CLR and Vinegar but doesn't work. CLR takes the clearcoat off.

Search on "rust converter", there are numerous types but they all work by changing the rust into a black layer which resists further rusting and gives a good base for paint adhesion.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rust_converter

I've done the rust converter thing, mixed results as the rust seems to continue to edge out under the paint.

I've had pretty good luck with the old fashioned naval jelly and a wire brush / scotch brite pad. But nothing beats good old elbow grease and abrasives along with prime / repaint and clearcoat.

If it is a small bit, I've sometimes used wadded up aluminum foil, usually with a bit of lemon juice. While I get, conceptually, what the lemon juice does I'm not sure it really does anything here. It takes some elbow grease but it hasn't harmed the surrounding paint. If I have a lot of chips or what not, I'll still break out the Oxalic Acid bath...which is cheap and involves a lot less work. Then I'll clean thoroughly and usually touch-up with clear coat nail polish (sometimes a matching color)...sure, you still see the chip, but then I can also see if the rust comes back. I guess I figure that a metal colored chip looks better than a rust colored one.

When I do all this, though, it is never with the intent of restoring a bike or not seeing where the chip was, etc. If you go that route, I'm sure the prep and execution of the touch-up would be more involved.

Barkeepers Friend, which has OA, non-abrasive cleanser. $1.99 a can. Apply like a paste with a plastic dish scrubbing pad.

scrub it off, apply more paint.. its in the base metal , coming through the paint.

best if you get down to the bare steel .. then start over with a spot primer and repaint touchup.

Make sure that what you think is rust is not actually red primer and you're ruining your paint for no reason (DAMHIK)

Thanks for the tips. It is rust that I'm trying to get off. The thing is that it is only small spots of rust and I didn't want to have to get into to much elbow grease to ruin the frame. I though that someone may know of something that I can put on a rag and wipe off the rust just long enough to put some touch up paint on it if needed and get the bike put back together. After all I give these bikes away and although I like them to look as good as they can and be safe at the same time, I don't like to spend a whole lot of time on them .

Get yourself one of these babies. https://www.amazon.com/Prep-Pen-PrepP.../dp/B000J18RT6 Just a pen shaped tool with a small circle of protruding glass strands which you just spin back and forth over the rusty spot. Makes a very small round spot which can then be covered with just a drop of paint. Can be found at many auto parts stores as well. Take it easy at first until you get used to how fast it takes down the rust.

Great idea. Thanks for the help.