248659 Rust Reformer Brush On, 8 oz, Black

Rust-Oleum makes several products that carry the label "Rust Reformer." At the time I wrote this review the above listing contained numerous selections including a choice between a liquid and an aerosol. Although the liquid and the aerosol are both labeled Rust Reformer, the products are fundamentally different. Accordingly, understanding the differences will likely help you choose the more appropriated product. Also worth noting is that although there are two fundamentally different products, there are at least five or six different labels and part numbers. Because I became confused I called Rust-Oleum for clarifications and some answers to some questions. The information below is based both on my usage and the information provided by their technical staff. Also worth noting is that both products contain the identical phrase "Instantly converts rust to a protected paintable surface." Related to the labels, it is worth noting is that Rust-Oleum packages some products in more than one product line. The products listed above carry the label used by their automotive paint division. The Liquid: I was told that the liquid was the superior product for converting or transforming rust. The liquid is water based and contains water-based chemicals that react with rust to convert it from chemical rust to another iron-oxide based compound that has different physical properties. So, in that respect it does indeed eliminate the rust. The product is milky white out of the can and dries almost black on rust (indicating conversion) and pretty much clear elsewhere. At the time I wrote this, the 8 ounce bottle was identified by the number part 248659 on the back label (not to be confused with the number on the front label which is the label number). The same product in the household division has a label that depicts a chair and has the part number 238433. There is also another part number in an 8 ounce container of a different shape that also appears to be the same product. That part number is 7830730. As I recall, the staff was unfamiliar with the part number and suspected it was the same product being marketed to another segment of the paint market. And, there is also a gallon size with the part number 3575402. The Aerosol: I was told that the aerosol stops rust basically by encapsulating it thereby not allowing water to cause further rust. This appears to conflict with the phrase " Instantly converts rust to a protected paintable surface." However, this characterization is consistent with a review that someone else wrote about, where the reviewer stated that he used the aerosol on rusted metal, sanded the result, and discovered the rust was still present and was not converted. This product comes out of the can black and dries black. This product also appears to be Xylol based as are a lot of aerosol paint products. Possibly there is something in the paint that may do something more than standard primer to convert or retard rust other than encapsulate it, but typically chemical reactions with metals transpire in a water based environment. As I recall, the automotive division product has the part number 248658 and the home division product has the part number 215215. I have used both products and both worked well. I did not do a direct comparison and did not evaluate their long-term durability. I also used another liquid product called Corroseal around 15 or 20 years ago and at that time found it to be excellent. Regarding which product to choose, my advice would be to use the liquid where possible and convenient especially over heavier rusted areas. Obviously, the aerosol is easier to apply in many instances. Also, in many cases it is likely you will apply a top coat of paint especially if you don't want the resulting surface to be black. And, in my experience it is always preferable to remove as much rust as possible by scraping, wire-brushing, sanding, or by chemical means.

A chemist told me about this. It actually chemically alters ruat on metal and creates a durable protective layer that you can paint over. It is truly outstanding.

This stuff works very well for turning rust into a Black paintable surface. The cap on this product is awful. I’ve never used such an ineffective child safe cap before. It’s almost impossible to open this more than once, you pretty much just end up getting pliers, squeezing tight as possible to get that cap off. Awful.

Awesome! This has worked great.... so far. PLEASE read the directions! It needs to be shaken. The surface needs to be prepped... I.E. - scraped with a wire brush or sandpaper to remove any loose rust. If you plan on pouring it into a container to brush it on the container needs to be metal .... or I used an old glass ashtray without any issues. It didn't etch the glass. I used a disposable brush. I painted it and set my ashtray below my pipe to catch any drips. This worked out great because I didn't get any drips on my concrete. I allowed it to sit the MINIMUM 4 hours before I coated it with an exterior oil based paint.... Yes it needs to be painted with an oil based paint. (exterior, if outside) This is not meant to be the only coating. It needs a top coat. I am happy with my project of painting the gas lines on my new generator. It turned out really nice looking.

Out of the 3 different "rust converters" I've tried. This one is the best one. A little goes a long way.

Worked as described. Converted rust to a black primed surface. I prepped the surface by grinding the excess paint covering rust and cleaning with alcohol. Quantity was good, milky so it last a long time.

I have used this product about 20 years ago and knew it would work really great. I needed to do the same small spot rust touch-ups on my vehicles and purchased again. To avoid contaminating the whole bottle, I’d suggest to pour a small amount into a disposable plastic cup. Just use a small paint brush and paint over the rust. Await for a few hours and it’ll become a paintable black spots. It stops further development of rusts growing. Very easy to use and does what it says it does. Water-soluble and easy to clean up the brush. Highly recommended.

I was disappointed with how poorly this performs against surface rust. Areas were treated with aerosol brake clean, dried, then treated with the rust restorer solution, and allowed to dry for two days. The surface was black when dried, but the coating was then scraped off with a fingernail without much effort. An oil-based paint could be applied for appearance's sake, but with such a poor foundation for adhesion, I doubt the effort would be worth it for more than a temporary repair.

Works like a charm… just fresh metal where rust used to be!