Spruce up a stove - stoveblack on non-painted plain iron to even coloring - combat surface rust?

[tickbitty]

I've posted before about the nice soapstone stove I got that I may or may not be able to use. Now that I have it here and have inspected it further, It really appears excellent and sound, almost as if it had very few burns in it. The gaskets on the doors look pretty new-ish and close well, all the inside parts look intact and just have a teensy bit of surface rust. How do I know for sure that it's as sound as it looks, pull it into the yard and make a fire in it?

Whether we use the stove or sell it, I would like to spruce up the looks a little bit. It's a 1986 Hearthstone II with the grey stone and plain-iron trim (no enamel.) The stone is all nice and intact, not scratched or dinged up but the finish is a little dull. I just saw one on ebay that someone sold that was very shiny. Do people treat the stone with something? I don't want a fake looking shine but would like to get it looking pretty as it would look if wet, know what I mean?

And on the iron, it's got some very light surface rust like cast iron pans would get if left sitting in the garage or whatever. Would this clean up with oil or stove blacking? I don't want to paint it and I don't want to put anything on that would look unnatural or smoke or be unhealthy, just want to make it look prettier again!

Bring on the expert advice guys, you are all really helpful. Thank you!

 

[tickbitty]

Just bumping up to see if anyone has opinions on treating the plain iron parts of the stove (outside only of course)

 

[mushman]

If you don't protect the surface with something it will eventually rust up again.Try some steel wool, tape off the stone,and some stove paint.The smell burns away pretty quick, just open a window or two.I've seen some black stove polish that comes in a tube that you rub on, but I think it makes the stove look glossy, and then you'd have to do the whole thing.