Restoring Old Tools for passive income?

Every single time I go to a Flea Market I see someone selling a bucket of rusty tools. It wasn't until I became a blacksmith that I realized the goldmine that I had been passing up. Good metal is expensive,and often times old tools were made out of hardenable steel which makes them desirable to a blacksmith.

If you find yourself at a Flea Market this spring and come across a bucket of old rusty tools for $5, then buy it. Vinegar is already a mild acid, and by adding salt you can safely increase it's acidity enough to strip rust from metal in about 12 hours.

To make the rust stripping solution fill a 5 gallon-bucket half way with white vinegar, adding 1 cup of table salt for every gallon of vinegar and stir to dissolve. It's that simple, safe to handle, and can be dumped outside or down your drain (though I recommend outside as it will be full of rust).

After 12 hours you can remove the metal (wear gloves just to keep the rust smell off your hands) and rinse with plain water. The metal may not look perfect, and may be pitted or even discolored. That's totally fine; the only reason you would need to put them back in the solution is if they still had visible rust on them. If you're unsure you can use steel wool and give the area a light scrub.

There are some specific tools you should be looking for if you have the option. Ax heads, hammer heads, old circular saw blades (from around the 70's or earlier), and other saw blades (the older the better). Some items to avoid purchasing are modern tools (most are very shiny and have chrome in them), rebar pieces, and anyone who has melted down metal into ingots.

A local blacksmith may also be interested in buying railroad spikes. If you find a bucket full at the Flea Market then don't pass it up. However, do NOT go out to the local train track and gather these things. It is illegal and could land you with a big fine even if they are just sitting on the ground.

To sell your newly cleaned metal just get onto craig's list and put an ad there, or Facebook marketplace. You can visit a blacksmithing forum and leave a comment, or even get on youtube and find a local blacksmith making videos. I can speak from experience; if there is good metal to be had, we will drive to get it for a reasonable price. Negotiate with them, and make sure to price your metal so that you get compensated for the bucket, the vinegar and salt, and your time.

Aside from finding metal, a Flea Market is a great place to see how people are selling their resale items, and can be a wealth of information for someone looking to start their own resale business!