Full Metal Digger
Active member
I have recently been practicing restoring damaged iron relics. I'm starting with simple items and then as I get better, I will try more difficult relics. This is a late medieval key. It was badly rusted and missing parts due to advanced rust. I removed all the existing rust and then rebuilt the missing parts using steel putty. That stuff hardens like real metal and can be sanded down to get the desired look, shape, and appearance. I then coat the whole thing in Gempler's rust converter and seal it in paraffin. 
