Oxalic acid in France

westernman

westernman

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Anyone know where can I get this, and what is it called?

I am looking to remove some rust stains from the paintwork on my hull (with out removing the paint!).

Thanks.
 
Be very careful with Oxalic Acid, especially in unfamiliar doses etc.

To cut a long story shorter, a good few years ago when warning labels were not so much of a growth industry and I was having an even thicker day than usual, I was washing down my boats' topsides prior to painting.

Seeing the instruction on the acid 'to neutralise rinse with water' I didn't take it seriously, and let the residue run down my arms...very soon I was in agony, and rinsing under the tap wasn't stopping it.

Very luckily for me, a member who'd been a hospital matron was present; she got me to fill a sink with cold water and keep my forearms immersed for 40+ minutes, I was very close to being a hospital case.

What's even worse, I wasn't wearing eye protection...very lucky not to be blind now.

So please do wear goggles, gloves etc and take the stuff seriously, also watch out for people passing nearby and other boats which might get splashed.
 
Seajet said:
Be very careful with Oxalic Acid, especially in unfamiliar doses etc.

To cut a long story shorter, a good few years ago when warning labels were not so much of a growth industry and I was having an even thicker day than usual, I was washing down my boats' topsides prior to painting.

Seeing the instruction on the acid 'to neutralise rinse with water' I didn't take it seriously, and let the residue run down my arms...very soon I was in agony, and rinsing under the tap wasn't stopping it.

Very luckily for me, a member who'd been a hospital matron was present; she got me to fill a sink with cold water and keep my forearms immersed for 40+ minutes, I was very close to being a hospital case.

What's even worse, I wasn't wearing eye protection...very lucky not to be blind now.

So please do wear goggles, gloves etc and take the stuff seriously, also watch out for people passing nearby and other boats which might get splashed.
Click to expand...

Thanks very much for the warning.
 
I wouldnt use it but would use a t cut type paste, for me its normally Farecla, works on all types of paint i think and safe to use.
 
I think it will be fine if handled carefully suitably diluted - that's the snag, one doesn't know how strong a product is - but when I tried 'Starbrite' or similar on topsides stains on a white boat it didn't really have much effect.

I think if faced with this problem now I'd forget Oxalic products and use a little T-Cut, but one can't do that too often or one's through the gelcoat !
 
Seajet said:
I think it will be fine if handled carefully suitably diluted - that's the snag, one doesn't know how strong a product is - but when I tried 'Starbrite' or similar on topsides stains on a white boat it didn't really have much effect.

I think if faced with this problem now I'd forget Oxalic products and use a little T-Cut, but one can't do that too often or one's through the gelcoat !
Click to expand...

No gel coat in my case but paint. Originally International two pack, but has since been recoated with International Toplac (single pack) in the exact same colour.

I am starting to lean more towards the idea of using t-cut as well......
 
I don't think Oxalic would harm Toplac, but not sure it would clean it...

I use Toplac on top of 709 2-pack as well; I'm probably lucky in having dark blue topsides, but one very handy thing I've found with Toplac is that one can 'touch up' small areas, and painting the whole boat is relatively quick.

I have found Toplac requires a LOT of thinning, say 30% thinners / white spirit, though that is using it in a British springtime usually ( inside the quoted temperatures though ).
 
Seajet said:
I don't think Oxalic would harm Toplac, but not sure it would clean it...

I use Toplac on top of 709 2-pack as well; I'm probably lucky in having dark blue topsides, but one very handy thing I've found with Toplac is that one can 'touch up' small areas, and painting the whole boat is relatively quick.

I have found Toplac requires a LOT of thinning, say 30% thinners / white spirit, though that is using it in a British springtime usually ( inside the quoted temperatures though ).
Click to expand...

I have a galvanized steel band around the whole boat on top of the rubbing strake and this has been rusting badly. This has hopefully been dealt with by liberal application of rust converter. Now I need to deal with the streaks of rust running down the topsides from the rubbing strake.
 
Oxalic acid has no harmful effects on Toplac or any other type of paint that I have come across. There is also no real danger in using it as long as simple, normal precautions are applied.
The OP is talking of rust stains, there really is no comparison between taking the stains out with Oxalic acid and trying to cut them out with rubbing compound. Why take the much harder and damaging route when you can paint on/rinse off with no effort. Oxalic every time.
 
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