Removing carbon layer from mild steel

A. Not knowing what these deposits are on, or how they got there, I can't hazard a guess as to whether they are carbon or not.

But there is a commercially available product called "Carbon-Off" [on eBay or Amazon] . Note that it contains 40-70% methylene chloride plus some other nasty materials, so gloves [on eBay or Amazon], goggles [on eBay or Amazon] and excellent ventilation are required. Personally, I can't recommend spraying or aerosolizing methylene chloride, so I'd suggest the liquid version and working outside, from upwind.

I don't think bicarbonate of soda will do anything as a chemical solution. But people might have been talking about using a soda blaster [soda blaster on eBay or Amazon]
Luck & Regards,


Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

A. Hi again. If you don't like the Carbon-Off idea, or it isn't available to you, Thread 41066 has several entries about aluminum cooktop burners. Among the suggestions were Silvo metal polish [on eBay or Amazon] and Brillo [on eBay or Amazon].

But doing this manually with metal polish or a Brillo pad sounds like it might take forever. I'd suggest trying a polishing buff on a Dremel [on eBay or Amazon] or a Mothers powerball mini [on eBay or Amazon] on a low-power battery-operated drill, using a compound like Mothers Aluminum & Magnesium Polish [on eBay or Amazon]
Luck & Regards,


Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

A. Dear Mr. Sharma,

You can try the following steps:
1. Hot Degreasing
2. Anodic Cleaner (I)-High Alkaline
3. Acid Pickling - HCl 40% v/v + inhibitor or and accelerator
4. Anodic Cleaner (II) - High Alkaline
5. Acid Dip
6. Next treatment.

We tested and got good result.
Try and you can see the result.

Good luck.
Best regards,

A. A high pressure water jet can be very effective. Don't try it on small parts - it will throw them all over the shop.

A. Dear sir
first what kind of metal finishing you will make in the surface of this carbon steel ?
if you will make any kind of electroplating you must work in the following sequence
1- hot soak chemical degreaser
2- cold rinsing
3- hot cathodic degreaser
4- rinsing
HCl 40% by volume at room temperature
5- rinsing
6- hot anodic degreaser
7- cold rinsing
7- complete the sequence of electroplating
if you will painting it you must make the following sequence
1- hot soak or spray pre-chemical degreaser
2- hot soak or spray chemical degreaser
3- hot (50- 65 °C ) sulfuric acid 8 - 10 %
4- cold rinsing
5- cold rinsing
6- alkaline passivation
7 hot dryer
best regards

A. Lots of ways and options. Put a picture of the part on to enable select the right one for you.

A. In addition to one of the pre-treatment sequences already mentioned, the use of an ultrasonic transducer in the first rinse after the sequence should help to remove any residue that is still on the steel.

A. The advice given is good. Just one final comment. Are you sure it is carbon? It could very well be iron oxide.