# Rusty Bits, opinion?



## LikeIke17 (Mar 18, 2011)

I have no used one. But I had a friend who swore by them. Said it worked perfect for her Arab and that he preferred them. Up until then, I had never head of someone doing that (Pony Club background). Personally, I wouldn't but I don't think it would hurt them if it was smooth.


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

I have heard it's okay to use them as well. There are bits, like sweet iron, that are made to rust over time. I think making sure there are no flakes, and no sharp edges are important.


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## Copperhead (Jun 27, 2012)

I think I might try it with a rusted snaffle in my garage. I've long since switched my horse from a tomthumb (was the bit she "came" with) and to a regular snaffle. Now I'm curious as to what she would think of the rusted one.

Hmmm!


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## Joidigm (May 8, 2012)

She'd probably salivate all over the place. That's the point of copper and sweet iron bits, more or less, to make them salivate. Personally, I don't like my horses drooling all over themselves (or me for that matter) and frothing at the lips, but for some reason it is desirable in some show rings.


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

There are products to try to de-rust things, is it lime? I think you can try to soak it before you scrub. I found some instructions online somewhere once on how to take most of the rust off. I'd just make sure you clean it very well after.

I've used copper and sweet iron, it doesn't make my horse salivate all over himself. Nor does he get foamy at the mouth.


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## Joidigm (May 8, 2012)

You can go to an auto parts store and find this rust off stuff in the paint and body section that will remove rust without damaging the metal. It is called Evapo-Rust. The stuff really works. You pour the liquid in a bucket, drop the rusty parts in and let them sit for half and hour to a hour, pull them out, and wala! No more rust. We used it on some rusty bolts and various metal parts when putting my husbands Nova's front end back together. It really does work. But be sure to wash the bits before giving them back to the horses too.


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

I may have to try that.. then run the bit through the dishwasher on high heat to sanitize!


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## Joidigm (May 8, 2012)

The stuff is reusable too. You don't have to toss it when you're done derusting bits. Also, I don't suggest using anything that has been painted in this stuff. It will remove the paint. And, depending, it might dye your metal too. We stuck some blue painted bolts in, and all of our silver bolts became blue-y tinted. Was cool, but not exactly asked for lol.


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## Copperhead (Jun 27, 2012)

I was gonna say...I don't think I'd use that because it would have to go into my horse's mouth and I don't like the chemical idea, but the dishwasher idea makes me feel better about it.

I did take steel wool to it and it began to shine again, so I'm happy with that reaction. Honestly, I've never used a sweet iron in my horse's mouth before, so I'm interested in seeing how she would take to it.

I'm gonna look like some hobo at the barn with a rusted bit! haha, but its worth the curiosity as long as it doesn't hurt her. Thanks for all the tips! I'll try and get pics and definitely an update when I do use it. Pics are a bit hard for me to get since I tend to be the only one at the barn when I'm there. But we'll see!


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

If it comes off with a steel pad I defiantly wouldn't use the chemical! But yes if I did, I'd run it through the dishwasher (without soap) about a dozen times or so.


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## Faceman (Nov 29, 2007)

I would never "derust" a bit. Heck, in the olden days they would set them outside in the weather to rust them on purpose...


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## Copperhead (Jun 27, 2012)

Faceman said:


> I would never "derust" a bit. Heck, in the olden days they would set them outside in the weather to rust them on purpose...


Do you know why? Or is it the same reason we talked about with the horses enjoying the taste better, and it acting much like a copper piece?


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## Faceman (Nov 29, 2007)

Yup...they used to call it "sweetening the bit"...


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

We have many different snaffles, but the one that gets hung on a colt for the first time is an old snaffle that looks like we dug it out of the stock tank. They love that old bit! Colts always mouth a bit quite a bit the first few times they have one in anyhow, but they seem to really slobber with that one.


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## Copperhead (Jun 27, 2012)

Thats interesting. Now I know where the "sweet metal" idea originated from. Rusty bits! You learn something new everyday!


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Some bits are designed to rust, to make the bit more palatable to the horse to carry.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Alto (Jul 14, 2012)

If you want to get rid of the rust just soak the bit in vinegar for a few days then give it a good scrub . The vinegar disolves the rust and wont harm the horse if some residue is left on.


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## Dead Rabbit (Jul 14, 2012)

ive been using a borrowed snaffle bit. its very old and very rusted. i had no problems with it. on the previous mare i was using, nor on my mare i just bought. ive been using it on both horses for about 6 months now. 
ive since stopped using it, b/c im trying out a couple of different styles. but the rust seemed to matter not to either one of um. they both excepted the bit very readily.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

All of my hand-made bits are 'sweet iron' and are all rusty. I do not leave them out, so they do not get 'flaky' or 'crusty', but they are all dark rust color. I prefer them to any other bits I have ever used.

I hate stainless, will not use aluminum, and like sweet iron greatly over copper or copper inlaid. 

Is anyone here old enough to remember what a 'sulky rake' is? They are the old horse-drawn hay rakes that drag hay up into piles so it could be put in a loose stack with a horse-drawn 'buck-rake'.

Two of the best bit makers I know would rather use the iron rake teeth of old sulky rakes than any other 'mild steel' that they can buy to make the mouth-pieces from for a bit.


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## busysmurf (Feb 16, 2012)

Coke (as in the soda) works as well to remove rust. Used it on a bunch of car parts.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Cherie, don't have to be so old to know what those are :wink:. We had 2 functional ones until just recently LOL.

As for using rusted bits, it greatly depends on the bit. Sweet iron is supposed to rust and horses do seem to like the taste better. I don't try to clean the rust off, I just check them over frequently to make sure that there aren't any sharp spots that might hurt a horse.

HOWEVER, there are other bits, specifically those plated type bits (usually chrome plated ones are the worst) where the plating will start to crack and they will start rusting there. As they rust, the plating will start to chip away and leave some really nasty sharp edges that can tear a horse up horribly. But, those are those really crappy cheap bits that aren't worth having anyway.


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## candandy49 (Jan 16, 2011)

I bought my mare a sweet iron handmade bit and she did really well with it. An easy experiment to try to find out how sweet rust tastes is to find a rusty nail sanitize it then put it in your mouth. You will see how sweet it tastes. My Father was a carpenter and he would often put a nail or two in his mouth while working on something to have a nail handy when he needed one. He would give me a scrap piece of wood/board a few nails and a hammer and I would do the same thing with a nail or two.


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