john m flores 

I'm rebuilding my old Gary Fisher Hoo Koo e Koo. It's solid but has plenty of battle scars from racing, touring, and the urban jungle. I want to clean the spots with a wire brush and then want to protect the metal from further rusting.

I don't want to us touch up paint though. The battle scars are part of the bike's story now and I want them there but not rusting any further.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

Iride01 

Clear coat it with some polyurethane or urethane that is made for autos or other outdoor vehicles. I haven't been too happy with the rattle can clear coats I've bought at the big box building supply stores that claim they are exterior. I didn't use them on a bicycle though. However they didn't seem to last long for the lawn art and other things my wife likes to buy.

Or just clean it up and keep a coat of car wax on it.... if they make car wax today. Been several decades since I've used it.

I like the character and history such stuff relates too.

Andrew R Stewart 

I would be very careful is using a wire brush, it is easy to scratch up the good paint next to the scratch. Instead I would suggest a knife edge to scratch off the rust, much easier to control at the edges of the scratch. I would also hesitate to spray the frame completely with a clear coat. Lots of prep work on large areas not needing any protection... Clear nail polish or cleat model car/plane paint only on the damaged spots should work well and take a ton less time. Andy

FBinNY 

Use vinegar or citric acid (lemon juice) to stabilize the rust, then a cloth to rub off whatever it will.

Repeat and rinse well, and paper towel dry. Now paint or clearcoat to seal. If you don't see much weather, multiple coats of wax be adequate protection.

FWIW the steels typically used for bikes, especially better ones, don't tend to rust that quickly, except, maybe, in harsh marine environments. All my steel bikes have seen years of hard all weather use, and never more than a vinegar wipe every once in a long while and never did worse than show their age.

streetsurfer

Scratch pen

maddog34

That red? for future Reference.. "Toolbox Red" from Rustoleum.. it's a dead-on match for Specialized Bright Red, non-metallic... and looks to be identical to the red Gary Fisher bikes too. .. and possibly many Treks.

Canker

You could buy or mix up the same stuff they use to protect the patina on old cars, poppy's patina for example.
The whole vid is useful but he mixes his own sauce around 26 mins

Crankycrank

+1. These scratch pens are great for removing rust and paint fast while having control in small spots and areas and they come in different diameter tips for small to large areas. I've used these on small chips where you can just twist the pen and confine the scratching to an area the same size as the chip and just add a dab of paint to fill it in. I'll add that when using this wear some latex or nitrile gloves as the super thin glass strands break off during use and get imbedded in your skin and near impossible to find and remove until your skin sheds them. Also, use some kind of cover over your work area to catch the broken strands as they will end up stuck in bare feet eventually.......IME.

streetsurfer

All great points, and thanks for adding them Crankycrank

Chuck Naill

Definitely take care of the rust, but the battle scars are a part of your and the bike's connection.

grumpus

He sells the stuff now: Derek's Shine Juice.