Pickling solution

[Jeremy Hennen]

so I’ve been using muriatic acid as a pickling solution and I’ve found out it’s an aweful idea. My gravers, hand tools, mandrels, drill bits, just about everything metal in my shop is rusting. What do you guys use for a Less corrosive pickle? I feel like this acid is gunna cost me a lot of money in rusted tools…

 

[AJB]

What exactly are you trying to do?

 

[JJ Roberts]

I used muriatic acid to paint strips on a muzzleloader stock and found a lot of rust on tools in my shop a day later never try this in door's do it out door's. J.J.

 

[AJB]

JJ,
Muratic acid in the shop is the best way to ensure rust on everything. It is so bad that I won’t even keep a bottle of it in my shop. Any escaping fumes rust up everything.

 

[JJ Roberts]

AJB, You got that right. J.J.

 

[monk]

i will also add it's equally destructive on a persons lungs-- chlorine gas !!!! there are those that use salt and a battery to etch blades. the technique works-- but also releases chlorine gas.

 

[JJ Roberts]

I used muratic acid to strip bluing off a gun receiver what mistake it etched receiver so bad and had a heck of a time polishing off the finish before engraving. J.J.

 

[fitzo]

Sodium bisulfate or citric acid are two pickle materials that can be dissolved in water and are much safer than muriatic acid. They are common in jewelry making, thus easy to look up concentrations and methods. Hot is better. A couple of common sodium bisulfate brands include Sparex and Smart Pickle from Pepe's. You can also purchase the pool chemical pH Down. Same stuff.