Clean rust off of old Chouinard Ice Axe?

​Hey everyone,

I picked up this 1989 Chouinard ice axe the other day but it’s pretty rusted on the head and pick. Anyone have familiarity with cleaning these things up and know if the rust can be removed or if it’s too far gone? Pics are attached. Thanks for the help!

Looks pretty shallow, probably just some coke and steel wool

Second the steel wool.

Looks like it should clean up well.

Take care of it after a good clean.  Oil, WD40,beeswax the metal after the clean up.

Here's an interesting technique that may work
 

Try Oxalic acid, WAY easier than the video !

BTW- I've seen a lot of Chouniard axes, and I really don't recognize the model.  The head looks like a first generation with only teeth in the very end (which I believe were only put on the very original hickory shafts, maybe a few on the first laminated bamboo shafts but not sure) , yet the shaft looks like a much later generation metal shaft.  I know CAMP made some mountaineering axes with a knock-off of the first gen. head but those were not labeled "Chouniard" on the shaft.  

What's the complication?  Make a solution, brush it on; work it in, brush it off while rinsing.  Repeat until rust is gone.  Wash with soap and water to be sure oxalic is gone, then put oil (best is oil designed for gun barrels) to prevent re-rusting.

Robert Hall wrote: Try Oxalic acid, WAY easier than the video !

BTW- I've seen a lot of Chouniard axes, and I really don't recognize the model.  The head looks like a first generation with only teeth in the very end (which I believe were only put on the very original hickory shafts, maybe a few on the first laminated bamboo shafts but not sure) , yet the shaft looks like a much later generation metal shaft.  I know CAMP made some mountaineering axes with a knock-off of the first gen. head but those were not labeled "Chouniard" on the shaft.  

That's the "Zero" axe. Came out after they quit the wooden shafts. Sadly they don't command nearly the collector interest/value as the older piolets.

when restoring antiques it is critical to not destroy the patina.  In your case its  kind of nasty looking. so something has to be done but keep it minimal then coat with oil and wipe down. your best bet would actually be to just go climb 2k ft of neve with it.   go do the east face of Buck Mtn  or Teeweinot. in the next week or so should be pleanty of steep snow up there to clean that sucker off with ;) 

Electrolysis is the preferred and least destructive method for restoration of antiques. Chemical solutions like evaporust, oxalic acid and vinegar, although they do work, are corrosive and will pit the metal beyond what the rust has already done. If you just want to remove the rust so you can use it. Soak it in cheap vinegar for a day and scrub it down with 000 steel wool. I restore antique tools for a hobby. 

Gunkiemike wrote:

That's the "Zero" axe. Came out after they quit the wooden shafts. Sadly they don't command nearly the collector interest/value as the older piolets.

That is the inexpensive Piolet with an aluminum shaft circa late 1980s. They replaced the blue shaft laminate Piolet.  Chouinard made something similar for REI. Note the adze is welded on the head which made the mfg. cheaper than forging the whole head as one piece.

Gunkiemike wrote:

That's the "Zero" axe. Came out after they quit the wooden shafts. Sadly they don't command nearly the collector interest/value as the older piolets.

Zero's started out with wood shafts and went to that blue laminate layup thing.  I don't think the OP's axe is a Zero.

Scothbrite and Bar Keepers Friend.  Clean it and try to scour out the pits.  Then apply some oil to keep it from re-rusting.  Or some Cortec corrosion inhibitor.

Dave K wrote: OP: Do you want it to look good or do you want to use it? The rust won't affect performance and if you just use it much of the rust will probably scrape off eventually.

I’d like it to look good and probably hang it or put it on a shelf somewhere. I was going to try steel wool and Evapo-rust or just soak it in vinegar most likely to try and clean it up. It seems to be a popular suggestion 

Thanks everyone for the feedback! I saw discussion linked below and it is the Alpamayo axe from 89. It doesn’t have the value of the older bamboo Piolet, but I also haven’t seen any of them online or in pictures so it must be sort of rare, no?

Ultimately I’d like to just hang it up or put it on a shelf most likely. Here’s a link to the history write up of chouinard ice axes:

https://forums.redpointuniversity.com/topic/248/chouinard-ice-axe-history-identification-1969-1989/9

Robert Hall wrote: Try Oxalic acid, WAY easier than the video !

BTW- I've seen a lot of Chouniard axes, and I really don't recognize the model.  The head looks like a first generation with only teeth in the very end (which I believe were only put on the very original hickory shafts, maybe a few on the first laminated bamboo shafts but not sure) , yet the shaft looks like a much later generation metal shaft.  I know CAMP made some mountaineering axes with a knock-off of the first gen. head but those were not labeled "Chouniard" on the shaft.  

Check the link in the comment above this, if you haven’t read it you may find it really interesting! It’s a history of Chouinard Equipment and their productions. This axe is an Alpamayo, introduced in 89. 

Gunkiemike wrote:

That's the "Zero" axe. Came out after they quit the wooden shafts. Sadly they don't command nearly the collector interest/value as the older piolets.

Sorry....I own a "Zero" and the pictured axe is 100% no way a "Zero".  Zero has teeth along the entire length of the pick, and they were made with laminated bamboo shafts. (Whether they were also made with  metal shafts I don't know, maybe as it was the last bamboo-shafted axe Chouinard made.) 

Jake L wrote: Thanks everyone for the feedback! I saw discussion linked below and it is the Alpamayo axe from 89. It doesn’t have the value of the older bamboo Piolet, but I also haven’t seen any of them online or in pictures so it must be sort of rare, no?

Not rare, not popular. Clean it up and go use it use it. I still use my blue shaft tool.

Allen Sanderson wrote:

Not rare, not popular. Clean it up and go use it use it. I still use my blue shaft tool.

Bummer, still cool though! Thanks for all the help. 

Robert Hall wrote:

Sorry....I own a "Zero" and the pictured axe is 100% no way a "Zero".  Zero has teeth along the entire length of the pick, and they were made with laminated bamboo shafts. (Whether they were also made with  metal shafts I don't know, maybe as it was the last bamboo-shafted axe Chouinard made.) 

Yeah, the blue shafted models were made with a sandwich of fiberglass over carbon fiber over aluminum.  Also were some euro produced models that had very similar shafts as the Lowe Hummingbird (metal with clunky rubber grips).