My anvil went from a rusty boat anchor to almost mirror finish in 3 days with just vinegar and a wire brush

I left it soaking in a vinegar bath for 48 hours and the rust just crumbled off, then spent Saturday afternoon scrubbing with a brass wire brush until it looked like something from a museum. Anyone else try this method or have a faster way to clean up old steel?

2 comments

2 Comments

faith_smith8d ago

Almost mirror finish" sounds like you're trying to use it as a bathroom mirror (which, I mean, I guess that's one way to check your hair before forging a sword). Personally, I prefer the "throw it in the backyard and hope it rains" method but to each their own.

emma_young8d ago

Lmao @faith_smith I feel that "throw it in the backyard and hope it rains" method is basically the same as my "leave it on the porch during a storm" approach to cleaning. Honestly though, if it catches the light and doesn't look like a crime scene, we're both winning. Mine's got this weird cloudy patch that looks like a ghost tried to use it as a bathroom mirror and gave up.