Is this corny keg salvageable?

[IslandLizard]

the dip tube likely needs a brush ran through it as well

Absolutely!
Use a long 5/16" or 3/8" diptube brush and BKF (powder). You won't believe how much gray crud comes out of those.

 

[BrewinInPA]

Keep it until spring then do the baking soda and white vinegar trick, then hit it with the power washer. I break down and power wash all my used cornies when I buy em. Worst case scenario, hit it with dilute muriatic for a couple hours, neutralize with baking soda, rinse 10 times then power wash. If u go the muriatic route you MUST wear goggles.

 

[OleBrewing]

Let her rip. Unless the pitting is serious. Hard to tell in pics.

 

[OleBrewing]

I could sand it. Do the interiors of cornys have an interior coating that I'd be losing? Or does it not matter

It's stainless steel and high quality at that. Just don't use any iron abrasive to leave residue behind that will rust.

 

[bracconiere]

If u go the muriatic route you MUST wear goggles.

you took the words out of my mouth.....or drop out of my eye!

acids aren't scary on the skin, but eyes are delicate.....


but to @RyPA we've lead this to $25-30....or $120 and, hold on, that's only a 25% savings over the torpedo... but i WANT to know if the vinegar works! so report back...

 

[Bramling Cross]

I'm in a place, financially and psychologically, where I don't have to deal with dodgy kegs anymore.

You mentioned getting a Torpedo keg, I've done the same over the past three years. Lock, stock, and barrel, I got rid of my old mishmashed kegs, and I'm so much happier for having done it.

It's a huge relief having kegs you can trust. Best of all, it's so much easier having a single keg in my brewery. I no longer have to keep a confusing stock of replacement parts for the Island of Misfit Toys that I used struggle to keep running.

If I were you, I'd dump your money into converting to a single, known keg that has dedicated spare parts support.

I've been running a full Torpedo Keg brewery for over a year now, and I'm still thankful every time I package. It's so, so much easier.

 

[Beermeister32]

You are maybe 10 bucks into a used garage sale Corny keg from 10 years ago that has an unknown corrosion from who knows what. That keg could have held pesticides, fertilizers, fuel, corrosives or worse. Some chemicals cannot easily be removed from the pores of the metal and welds like fuel tanks.

Step back and think about it, not everything needs to be saved. Corny kegs are used for things other than beer. Go use it for pesticides. Or better yet, go find a dumpster and crush it so nobody else gets the same idea to re-use corroded kegs for beer. I’d TOSS IT.

 

[RyPA]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I'm leaning towards the torpedo 6 gallon instead of investing in turd polish and time/effort for saving this corny. I would like to eventually replace my other corny with a torpedo, but for now it works fine and is spotless.

 

[PCABrewing]

I could sand it. Do the interiors of cornys have an interior coating that I'd be losing? Or does it not matter

Yes, if you either etch the rust out or sand it you remove the oxide layer, but, as bracconier says below, the oxide layer will renew itself if you expose it to acid like starsan or citric. I'm not sure what works quicker but that is the process of passivation.
As long as the pits are not too deep you can recover the surface just fine. The problem with deeper pits is that they prevent you from getting all the rust out and therefore it propagates. IF you do sand and can eliminate all of it to a 400 finish or better you should have a keg for a lifetime. Just follow passivation steps after you're done sanding.