smoothness

Sorry if there's been oodles of threads, but I just can't think of the right search string to bring up the answer that I need. I have a painted fork with chrome underneath that's rusted. I have citric acid in powder form, and I was wondering whether the citric acid would lift all the paint/chrome if I dipped the entire fork in the solution to remove the rust. Here's a picture of the seat tube and the stays to give you an idea of what kind of rust I'm dealing with - I have no direct pictures as of right now. Any help is appreciated.

gbalke

Do a search for oxalic acid, it's been discussed here many times. It works well to eliminate rust from both painted surfaces and chrome.

bbattle

If you want to remove the paint and rust, use some of the thick gel paint remover that you brush one then hose off. After getting the paint off, use the oxalic acid to remove any leftover rust. Rinse with baking soda water, dry then prime asap.

For my rattlecan jobs I used a primer that reduced rust to back to iron as a precaution after removing all the rust I could see. If you are sending the frame off the painter will have to prep the surface anyways or if it's to a powdercoater they like to media blast the surface first.

Citric acid is not as effective as oxalic acid or sodium hydroxide. If you don't rinse acid off of steel thoroughly it will catalyse the formation of new rust like salt does.

smoothness

I'm trying to not use oxalic acid seeing as A: it seems to be a bit more dangerous than citric, and B: I already have the citric acid powder. The objective is to remove as little paint as possible, hence the query as to whether or not citric acid would lift paint/chrome along with whatever rust there is on the frame or inside of it.

wrk101

Do a search, citric acid has been covered as well. I have no experience with it, as I always use oxalic (I have used it on over 20 bikes, using it on two right now).