: I have a friend who recently aquired an old cast iron wood stove . : She wants to know what she can use to get the rust off of it without scratching the surface.Hello Kim, a good wire brush will work well, you may think that it will scratch, but it wont harm cast iron. Also phosphoric acid changes iron oxide into something else (iron sulphate I think). You can also buy circular brushes with brass fibres, these fit into an ordinary electric drill to make the job easier but you must wear goggles or safety specs and I would also advise on using a mask to prevent dust inhilation. Good luck…..john.