Hello mrwizard, I guess different method suit different case but in my opinion you might want to consider "electrolysis rust removal" for this particular case. There are several threads on this forum mentioning this method, or google for it. I've tried this method with much success on keris blade as well as for other purposes (gas tank cleaning etc)
I'm lazy with setup so usually I just use whatever lying around, but a tube should be good idea for broader item like this particular.
When we mention the word rescue/preserve I guess we should avoid acid as much as possible. I consider myself as conservative but I really don't look into fruit acid anymore.
I'll post result on keris if needed.
Note: this method did not remove pitting, it will expose good metal/anything below the rust, and also keep in mind that you need to gently scrap/brush the left over carbon into beautiful shiny metal after the process.
Good luck if you consider this method
