On Fri, 22 Feb 2013 17:02:05 +0000 Danny D. wrote:

Toolbox was left outside for a couple of months (forgot about it).
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12252772.jpg

What's the best way to get this surface rust off?
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12252771.jpg

On Sun, 24 Feb 2013 14:35:58 -0800, Oren wrote:
... for the OP, naval jelly is the tool of choice.

UPDATE:
Thanks everyone for the advice on the phosphoric acid.

Here is a before picture of some of the newly rusted tools:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12287169.jpg

The pink slime was muuuuch more gloppy than I had expected:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12287553.jpg

The metal turned black and was washed off in a bucket:
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12287531.jpg

Then it was dried before applying motor oil to the metal:
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12287582.jpg

In hindsight, the rust-spotted chrome worked the best, and
the prybar steel worked worst - with the saw blades fairing
rather poorly with respect to restoring the original surface:
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12287597.jpg

Within minutes of drying, a white "lard" formed on the tools:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12287619.jpg

Nobody had mentioned that white lard. Any idea what it is?
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12287630.jpg