Best Rust Converter? POR-15, Eastwood, Rust-oleum Rust Reformer, Gempler's

Overview of the test

The video tests multiple rust encapsulators/converters to see which best:

1. Stops rust recurrence (outdoor exposure ~60 days, with extra corrosive treatment on only the top two panels)
2. Resists rock chips (impact with a steel ball ~200 mph)
3. Resists scratches (drag test with a weighted screw ~1.5 lb)
4. Survives a pressure washer (~2,450–2,500 PSI)

A control spray paint is included: Rust-Oleum 2X (paint + primer).

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Products tested (8 total)

• POR-15 (most expensive)
• Eastwood Rust Encapsulator
• Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer
• Rust-Oleum 2X (control)
• Permatex Rust Treatment
• VHT Rust Converter
• Gempler’s Aerosol Rust Converter
• PlastiKote Rust Converter

(Plus “Rust Cutter” as the lowest-ranked rust cutter-style product in the first phase.)

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Rust prevention / recurrence results (outdoor + corrosive exposure)

Top results

1st: POR-15

• “Seals rust permanently,” described as thicker and glossy.
• Very little rust “popping through” on the top two panels.
• Panel not exposed to the rusting agent showed no visible corrosion aside from minor paint fade.

2nd: Eastwood Rust Encapsulator

• Small rust breakthrough on top two panels.
• Note: some peeling at the bottom, attributed by the reviewer to application/coating near edges.

3rd: Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer

• Close to Rust-Oleum 2X in appearance.
• Rust “popping through” on top two panels, but the bottom panel looked better.

4th: Rust-Oleum 2X (control)

• Surprisingly beat most others on rust prevention.
• However, top two panels had quite a bit of rusting underneath the paint; bottom panel had very little oxidation.

5th: Permatex

• Gloss level seemed less glossy.
• Better than several others on the top panel, but middle/lower panels still rusted.

6th: VHT

• Considerable rust across all panels, especially the bottom.

7th: PlastiKote

• Similar to Gempler’s; still showed rust on treated panels and some rust even on the untreated one.

8th: Gempler’s

• Considerable rust, especially with hydrogen peroxide/vinegar/salt exposure.

9th: Rust Cutter

• Most rust formed after ~60 days (despite no corrosive agent on the bottom panel, some rust still appeared).

“Blocking rust” order (subjective summary)

• POR-15 best, then Eastwood, then Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer, then Rust-Oleum 2X, then Permatex.

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Rock chip resistance (steel ball impact, ~200 mph)

Measured chip sizes (mm):

• POR-15: No exposed metal / no metal chipping underneath (top overall).
• VHT: 2.2 mm
• Permatex: 2.8 mm
• Rust-Oleum 2X: 2.84 mm
• PlastiKote & Gempler’s: ~2.91–2.98 mm
• Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer: 4.18 mm
• Rust Cutter: 3.74 mm
• Eastwood: 3.17 mm

Key takeaways:

• Rust-Oleum 2X chipped but still performed decently.
• Rust Reformer had a larger chip than Rust-Oleum 2X in this test.
• POR-15 topped the test: chip occurred under the topcoat, but the POR-15 underneath did not chip and showed no exposed metal.

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Scratch resistance (drag screw test)

Qualitative results:

• Rust-Oleum 2X: significant chipping; scratch damage present.
• Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer: better—scratch reached metal but paint did not chip and surrounding area stayed intact.
• Rust Cutter: similar to Rust Reformer (surrounding area not fractured).
• Permatex & VHT: performed poorly—screw went all the way down to metal (and coating seemed minimal/weak).
• Gempler’s & PlastiKote: similar—screw cut through to metal (good enough to prevent coating fragmentation, but not penetration).
• Eastwood: scratch width appeared narrower than most competitors.
• POR-15: impressed—scratch occurred, but screw could not cut all the way through.

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Pressure washer resistance (~2,450 PSI; ~169 bar)

Qualitative conclusions + relative ranking:

• POR-15: by far best — no visible damage.
• PlastiKote: 2nd (some evidence of less fade where product remained).
• Eastwood: 3rd.
• Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer: 4th.
• Rust-Oleum 2X: worst among those listed—pressure washer removed most of the paint.
• Rust Cutter: removed completely.
• Permatex & VHT: unclear where the washer passed (VHT looked generally rusty; Permatex surface looked mostly “nothing there”), implying product did not strongly resist removal/erosion.
• Gempler’s: pressure washer removed product and knocked loose some rust.

Reviewer’s survival order (pressure washer):

• POR-15 best, then PlastiKote, then Eastwood, then Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer.

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Prices mentioned (to contextualize value)

• Rust-Oleum 2X: ~$4 for 12 oz (33 cents/oz)
• Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer: ~$5 for 10.25 oz (49 cents/oz)
• Rust Cutter: ~$17 for 32 oz (53 cents/oz)
• Permatex Rust Treatment: ~$10 for 10.25 oz (98 cents/oz)
• VHT: ~$14 for 10.25 oz ($1.37/oz)
• Gempler’s Aerosol Rust Converter: ~$18 for 13 oz ($1.38/oz)
• PlastiKote Rust Converter: ~$16 for 8 oz ($2/oz)
• Eastwood Rust Encapsulator: ~$30 for 15 oz ($2/oz)
• POR-15: ~$33 for 16 oz ($2.06/oz)

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Overall pros/cons (as implied by the results)

POR-15

Pros

• Best at preventing rust recurrence
• Best at rock chip impact (no exposed metal)
• Best at pressure washer resistance
• Described as thicker, “rock hard,” non-porous finish

Cons

• Most expensive
• “Professional use only” (per video claims)

Eastwood Rust Encapsulator

Pros

• Strong rust prevention (2nd overall in rust recurrence phase)
• Good performance against chips/scratches relative to many
• Good pressure-washer survival

Cons

• Some peeling at edges/bottom in the test (likely application-related)

Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer

Pros

• Decent rust blocking (near the Rust-Oleum 2X)
• Scratch test: scratch reached metal but surrounding paint remained intact

Cons

• Worse in chip test (4.18 mm chip)

Rust-Oleum 2X (control)

Pros

• Surprisingly good for rust prevention for a cheap option
• Reasonable chip resistance compared with some converters

Cons

• Performs poorly against pressure washing (paint removed)
• Under corrosive conditions: rust showed under the paint

Permatex / VHT / Gempler’s / PlastiKote / Rust Cutter

General pattern

• Most showed meaningful rusting after outdoor exposure, especially under harsher chemical cycles.
• Many did not hold up well in scratch or pressure-washer tests (coatings either penetrated or were removed/failed to look intact).

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Final verdict / recommendation

• Best overall rust protection and durability: POR-15 Ranked #1 for stopping rust recurrence, best against impact, and best against pressure washer with no visible damage.

• Best alternative (premium, but less “perfect”): Eastwood

• Best budget/value suggestion by the reviewer: Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer Recommended when cost matters, despite not topping durability tests like POR-15.

• Control note: Rust-Oleum 2X performed better than many converters in rust prevention, but it did not hold up well to pressure washing.

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Unique points mentioned about product behavior (condensed)

• Some products require presence of rust to work (many don’t work on bare metal per instructions).
• Surfaces were cleaned (brake parts cleaner) and applied per specific coat instructions (often multiple light coats).
• Applied surfaces can turn black (at least some products like Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer).
• Eastwood had peeling likely from edge application/coating overlap.
• POR-15 described as permanently sealing, drying to rock hard non-porous finish; in tests it prevented rust spread and didn’t expose metal even when chips/scratches occurred.

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Speaker/role views

The video is presented as a single reviewer performing and ranking tests; no separate speakers are distinguished in the subtitles.