Overheated pot, cherry red, with torch and now rusts?

[sablesurfer]

Any way to fix this?

I took my eye off the torch flame as I was trying to watch some silver solder melting. The flame stopped moving over one part of pot for maybe 4 seconds, but before I moved it there was a cherry red glow.

After getting things finished and wires hooked up I went for a water test to make sure I hadn't melted any o-rings.

No leakage, but I do have about a quarter spot on inside of kettle that is already reacting from being boiled in water. Can this be fixed? Any way to make it 'stainless' again?

 

[Zuljin]

I don't know. Just spitballing. Could it be seasoned like cast iron? It's just a quarter sized spot. How much trouble would a little cooking oil seasoned spot like cause, if it'd even work?

 

[Zuljin]

Another idea. Solder over it with food safe solder and smooth it out. Shooting in the dark...

 

[acidrain]

Polish it out with fine sandpaper, then polishing compound. No problem.

 

[ChuckO]

Try to repassivate it with citric acid or Bar Keeper's Friend. Clean any rust off first and then apply a paste of BKF and let sit for an hour.

 

[sablesurfer]

Putting this here for later, from John Palmer. The issue appears, I did my water test like 1hr after my soldering and overheating accident. Oooops.

http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixB-1.html

"The key is to clean the stainless steel to bare metal. Once the metal is clean, the oxygen in the atmosphere will reform the protective chromium oxides instantly. The steel will nearly as passivated as if it was dipped in acid."

"The best way to do this is to use an oxalic acid based kitchen cleanser like those mentioned above, and a non-metallic green or white scrubby pad."

 

[Bsquared]

Try to repassivate it with citric acid or Bar Keeper's Friend. Clean any rust off first and then apply a paste of BKF and let sit for an hour.

I've had some success with Bar Keepers friend with over heated stainless. Over time though, that spot will be weak and might develop cracks from heating and cooling, especially if you are using a direct fire, so you'll want to keep an eye on it.