anyone know how do you clean rust pickguard screw tops ?

onezero4u · Post by **onezero4u** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:25 pm

hey all

i replaced the rusty top screws on a pickguard with new ones & would like to clean the
old ones for a pal who could use some extra ones for his spare guitar that needs them.

any advice on getting the rust gunk black funk off the top of the screws ???

thanks
zero

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:29 pm

Post by **Mike** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:31 pm

Buy new ones.

They're not expensive.

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:32 pm

That was a joke... this isn't !!!!

Drop it in some of this for the night !! you'll be amazed !!

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:34 pm

It really does sound like more work than it's worth.

gaybear · Post by **gaybear** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:36 pm

pour some beer on it

onezero4u · Post by **onezero4u** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:37 pm

im going to try the CocaCola !!!

thanks

gaybear · Post by **gaybear** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:42 pm

Coke will just eat it up.

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:59 pm

Not if they're chromed which I'm sure they would be... not much to lose either way... and not a great deal of hassle.

Your call anyways. I know a lot of people in bicycle restoration swear by this . You can rub it with tinfoil too !!

you could also try any kind of chrome polish - brasso / autosol / autoglym , and polish up with clean cloth or even better a dremel & a polishing mop. I love cleaning chrome... !!!!!

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 11:04 pm

just use some sandpaper and file the rust off. It'd take what? 2-3 swiped?

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 11:13 pm

That'll scratch &/or take off the chrome, and will be prone to rusting even quicker.

Bill Oakley · Post by **Bill Oakley** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 2:51 am

Probably not a good idea to drink the coke after you do this though. I just wanted to make sure so consider yourself warned.
I use Mother's polish for pretty much anything metal. It's for your car but gets rid of rust on just about anything.
I personally would just get new ones though.

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 4:37 am

just leave it alone. the rust looks cool.

filtercap · Post by **filtercap** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 6:16 am

Pullover · Post by **Pullover** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 1:31 pm

I wouldn't use coke because it has so much sugar in it.
Try rubbing them with some 0000 steel wool, but as Mike suggested new ones don't cost a whole lot. I'd put the old ones on ebay and sell them as MOJO screws.

blankfield · Post by **blankfield** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:43 pm

Bar Keepers Friend. Shit is the shit.

TieDye · Post by **TieDye** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 12:00 am

OK, the real answer here is to mix a solution of 3 in 1 oil and lighter fluid. Let them soak overnight. The rust will be off with very little effort ad no harm done.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 12:38 am

By all means dunk it in a can of coke (phosphoric acid cut with super-sticky corn syrup), to wash down the feast that is years of your accumulated oils and sweat, but after that:

20 fender style pickguard screws
$3.79

http://guitarpartsresource.com/screws_p ... fender.htm

These are probably about the same price as a bottle of cleaner or steel wool, and the heads aren't little petri dishes.

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 12:51 am

I recently cleaned all the metal bits on my mustang. they were ridiculously rusty. I soaked them in this stuff:

cleaned it off with a quick fresh water rinse and then dried with a paper towel. it worked wonders. I'm pretty sure it's carried by most supermarkets and drug stores.

superfuzz · Post by **superfuzz** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 3:49 am

Tinfoil works, kind of, I mean, on big pieces of chrome it'll just scratch the chrome to hell.

A good chrome polish, or metal polish like semi-chrome, will knock rust off.