Is there a good way to remove rust and recondition sewing machine needles?
By Judith C.
Rusted, old sewing machine needles are best tossed in the bin and replaced with new, clean, sharp ones. You'll never get ALL the rust barbs off the shank and those miniscule barbs will catch in thread and fabric.
Plus old points loose their sharpness after 5 or so years in storage. You can try plunging them in and out of a strawberry (that dangly thing attached to a pin cushion tomato) but you'll never get the true sharp needed for sewing back on those points.
Basic sewing machine needles are very inexpensive-just be sure you buy the correct size for your machine and project. Different projects (fabrics, thickness, etc) require different sizes and types for success, and you'd be using a different needle on a Brother embroidery machine than you would on a standard Singer domestic machine for sewing clothing and household items, for example.
But if you are on a desert island or incredibly tight financially, you can try soaking the needles in WD40 then after wiping off all of the WD40, holding the flat end in one hand and scraping the shank and point between the folds of a sheet of super-fine grit sandpaper.
Be advised the above rarely works for any real length of time-you might be able to get a little more done on the project but really, it's at best a stop-gap measure. Better to replace if at all possible.
I have some very old sewing machine needles in the original packets-I have those in a shadow box decoration near my sewing machine. I'd never try to sew with those antiques, though.
I would not want to even attempt this - just not worth the hassle, and I really don't think it will work for any length of time. Best to just toss them and buy new ones...
Hello!
Do not try to scratch the needles ! Especially with sandpaper !Otherwise the needles will become rough and will not be able to go softly along or into the threads of the textile.
From the softest to the most agressive, here are 3 methods :
1 . Let the needles stay a few days in oil (mineral oil)
2 . Stick the needles into an onion. After 15' wipe them with soft cotton.
3 . Put the needles in lemon juice and then put them in a box with fine salt and shake the box for a few minutes.
To finish the process you should put petroleum jelly or mineral oil again on the needles and use them on your sewing machine. Make them sew without thread through a cotton rag the textile will softly abrase the needle.
Hope this help!
Catherine
This really interests me as I just bought a ma h8ne from 1860 that has rusted needles that are curved and I cant get anymore!
Tips for keeping rust off tools. Post your ideas.
To keep your tools rust free, rub a small amount of cheap hair conditioner on the metal. No more rust.
By Mary Primorac
We have a bucket of used oil & sand mix that we shove all the tools into after using. the oil coats and the sand cleans and sharpens
Spraying with WD-40 works.
Another good and easy way to keep tools from rusting, is to put a couple pieces of chalk in your tool box. The chalk will absorb any moisture in the air, and they won't rust.
I have a number of gardening tools that need a good cleaning and de-rusting. Can any one out there give me some ideas? The more organic, the better! Thanks.
By maria r. from Blue Ridge, GA
I have heard that WD40 will remove rust . also that after your tools are clean keep them in a bucket of sand ( plunged into the sand) to keep clean Anyone else heard of this? WD40 is a natural product.
CLR works well and is enviroment friendly. Yes they say a bucket of sand with some oil in it wil keep them from rusting. For heavy rust a wire wheel on a drill will clean things up in a hurry, the drill does the hard work for you.
Bucket of sand with any oily product will help a lot. Naval Jelly will be good if heavily rusted, to start with, then the oily sand routine.
This is a page about removing rust from saw blades. Rust can develop on any exposed metal surfaces, including your tools.
Here's a sharp idea: remove rust from household tools by using Morton's Salt and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
To remove rust, try using table salt and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice. Apply the paste to the rusted area with a dry cloth and rub.
Remove rust from garden tools with steel wool dipped in kerosene or turpentine. Then oil the tools lightly to prevent the rust from forming again.
I forgot some gardening tools in a bucket of topsoil last fall and discovered them just a few days ago. The hand clippers were especially encrusted with rust.
