I bought a used straight Olympic bar and a curl bar but both have varying degrees of rust. Any tips to make it not such much a pain in the ass to get them cleaned up?

Im sure any store bought rust remover will work but I think the rust will always reappear unless you coat/paint them afterwards.

Not gonna paint them but they’ll have a light coating of oil applied to non grip areas as needed. In my experience the areas you use for grip aren’t as much of an issue.

Try a 4" stainless steel knotted wire wheel. You will need a 4" hand grinder. The small ones that fit in a drill chuck just don't spin fast enough. If you can not remove all the rust it will come back (rust never sleeps). There is a product that I've used called Rust Mort by SEM. It kills rust.

I'd assume these are chromed? If they are and it is flaking off. It's probably going to remain an issue as the plating is failing. I'd recommend evaporust. If they are actually straight and you can remove any collars to reduce the diameter enough to fit in 2" or 3" pvc. Buy a length and one cap. Pour in the evaporust to cover the entirety of bar and place vertically in warm area for a few hours. Remove, rinse with water and dry/oil immediately.

I've had good results with a Kroil soak on such as plated but severely rusted hinges etc. Old gardening implements, any threaded items, even stainless barrel that developed an odd blossom on a used pistol of uncertain history responded well.

If it's just surface rust. Use Whink rust stain remover, you can find it in the laundry section of the grocery store sometimes. Pour it on and watch the rust disappear, rinse it off, coat it with an oil.....I like breakfree clp.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
If it's just surface rust. Use Whink rust stain remover, you can find it in the laundry section of the grocery store sometimes.
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I've used this stuff for rust stains on concrete, and it worked really well. I can't comment on how it would work on the steel bars.
It contains hydrofluoric acid, so it's some potent stuff. Definitely would require some chemical gloves.

I would try naval jelly first though.
This contains phosphoric acid. Not as potent or dangerous as the hydrofluoric acid.

I'd scuff it with a Scotch Brite pad and spray some Ospho on it.

Just lift them. It’ll be alright. They’ll just rust again if you are in a garage or other non controlled environment.

Another vote for use them the way they are.

I was going to suggest Ospho. Smschulz beat me to it, but you don't have to order it from Amazon. Ace Hardware stocks it, if there's a store near you. If you were anywhere near me, I would pour a small bottle for you out of the gallon jug that I have, that will probably last me for the rest of my life.

Brasso maybe.

Wad/wrinkle up some aluminum foil and apply a little kroil or warm water on it rub over the rusted areas of the bar vigorously. I use this method when restoring chrome chair and ottoman legs. Works great!!

I agree with the Ospho idea. It is a great product.

Depending on how bad the rust is, maybe just a wire brush or an angle grinder with a brush attachment. When I powerlifted our bars not being used would get a little rusty due to no AC in our gym. We used wire brushes routinely to clean the chalk off the bars and light rust. As long as the bar is in use, it won't rust. Whatever you do, do NOT put on on the bar itself or you won't be able to get a good enough grip.

I have a neighbor who works in metal professionally. When he needs to clean up rust from steel too big for a blast cabinet he soaks it in muriatic acid. YMMV

I'd use ATF and steel wool to clean off rust and a wire toothbrush for the knurled areas.

I just used a brass brush on mine. Except one that was so bad the chrome plating was flaking off. That one I had re-chromed.

Scotch bright pad
0000 steel wool
Some sort of metal polish (mothers or brasso)
Brass brush for the knurled areas