Jerry Cans

[jafo]

So I got two vintage jerry cans with my '79 CJ7 . I just got around to popping them open. One was dirty nasty but in good shape inside, just needs a light rinse. The other however is pretty bad with carbunckles. What can I do to get this one back into useable state? I was thinking some kerosene with a bottle of Seafoam and dropping in a couple handfulls of nuts and slosh it around until my arms fall off. Is there anything else or method that might work better?

 

[Hedgehog]

Muriatic acid (pool acid) diluted 50/50 with water. Let it sit for a couple hours. The acid will remove organic material and largely leave the metal alone. I did this on a set of Harley Davidson gas tanks to remove old gas and prep the metal for a liquid tank liner. Adding bolts and such to help rattle around in the can won't hurt. Be careful of how you handle the acid.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Marbles work better than nuts and bolts.
LG