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Is this possible?

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iMac266:
Hi all,

I hope I have posted this in the correct forum.  Anyway, I am currently trying to figure out why the following happens.

When concentrated KOH (Potassium Hydroxide) comes in contact with the dull (steal) metal of a hacksaw blade, it causes the blade to become shiny.  

The only reason I can think that this happens is that the corrosion is being reduced by the alkali and hence turning from rust back to iron.

Does this sound chemically sound?

Thanks all,

T

Donaldson Tan:
i dont think the metal was corroded in the process. more likely, the substances that make your blade dull are deposited on the surface of the blade. NaOH removed these substances by reacting with them, thus exposing the shiny surface

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