Rust Removal BATTLE: Evapo-Rust vs. Electrolysis vs. xTool F1 Portable Laser

Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. In other words, today I'm using nothing more than some fancy LIGHT to remove decades of dirt, paint, and rust from an old Ridgid pipe wrench.

The xTool F1 Portable Laser has both a 10W diode laser and 2W infrared laser to cut, etch, engrave, and in my case, remove rust! For these experiments, I used the 10W diode laser at 100% power.

What other experiments do you want to see using this laser? Let me know in the comments!

A huge thank you to xTool for sponsoring this video and sending me their F1 Portable Laser Engraver for free to include in this (and future) videos. Catalyst Restorations will always remain transparent in my experiences using this product and any other sponsored products now and in the future. I will never recommend something I wouldn't use myself, safely, every day in my own workshop.

_______Timestamps______

0:00 - The competition
0:28 - Evapo-Rust
1:04 - Electrolysis
2:27 - xTool F1 Laser
6:31 - Wire Wheeling Comparison
8:15 - Hot Bluing
8:36 - Priming and Painting
9:35 - Reassembly
9:52 - Before and After
10:10 - Who's the winner?!

(I earn an affiliate commission for any sales made from the above link. 100% of this revenue is used to make future restoration videos on this channel!)

_______ Social Media _______
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[CatalystRestorations]

If it wasn't obvious enough, don't go out and buy a laser JUST to remove rust! 😂 The F1 is pretty cool for all it's other features like engraving and cutting, but removing rust is a fun bonus!

Evapo-Rust and electrolysis will always be more economical if you're just looking to remove rust.

[metallurgymike]

The clicky-clacky of the alligator clip made me very happy. Gotta test it out make sure it clicks AND clacks

[MarkMeadows]

I'm glad you're getting sponsorship, but don't let those sponsors fool you! They can get in the way sometimes, and can be annoying for some of us viewers lol!
I would say Evaporust would be the best choice. It can get expensive, but can be reused over and over again. Even Hand Tool Rescue loves the stuff!

[akoznasovajusername]

Vinegar is my number one choice.
It is very cheap, reuseable and safe to use.

I used to use a HCL, and it is an excellent rust killer, but it damages the chrome plating within several minutes.

[johnmorris]

Interesting and fun to watch. My vote goes to Evapo-Rust.

[charlesK]

technically you could do etching with electrolysis and stainless steel....competitor 4; muriatic (hydrochloric HCL) acid....you make a good counterpoint....BUT LASER!

[mskayla]

The plus for the laser is the other things you can do with it.

The drawback is the price.

The restorers I watch tend to use EvapoRust or electrolysis. Some use a sandblast cabinet, but those can be a bit more spendy than some can afford.

Thanks for doing the comparison. 👍

[mattyal]

Evaporust is expensive. Start up costs on electrolysis can be high but this lazer thing looks a winner... providing it has a decent lifespan.

[jasonemmons]

Electrolysis ftw. It'll blast off the paint and rust and is super attainable.

[brysonalden]

Hadn't seen anyone using a laser for rust removal, and wouldn't have thought of trying that, so thanks for the comparison. For my work I need to remove rust and mill scale from steel before forging, and I've found vinegar or muriatic acid to be the most effective. Wouldn't want to try using a laser on some of the big pieces of steel I work with!

[squiremc]

Retired metallurgist and blacksmith here. Don't use hot blueing on critical components as red heat removes temper and leaves hard steel in its softest state. Cold blueing is an excellent substitute which is easy to find in a gunstore or chemical supplier. The nut is now softer and will have a reduced service life, but still probably many years.

[T_B]

Finally!! This is the type of experiment we all wanted, but never thought to ask for.
Big question here: how much does your electric meter spin when you use the laser? That definitely needs to be accounted for.

[matthiasweigel]

So why in the world would I buy a laser?!? Evapo-rust has been my go to for years and it just works without any complicated setup or expense.

[oneshotme]

I'd still go with the Evapo-Rust it cost the lest of the three. The Laser did the best but cost the most out of the three way more!! Over 2K
I enjoyed your video so I gave it a Thumbs Up

[nesvarog]

Interesante comparación, todo puede depender de la pieza.
Como siempre excelente trabajo, gracias.
Sigue adelante.

[raelenecronin]

What about good old fashioned vinegar? 24 or 48 hours and the rust is gone. Costs about a dollar a gallon...

[briangoldberg]

laser rust removal is good for surface stuff, but it doesn't really help with deeper stuff