How to paint cast iron fire place insert?

[Aedp1]

I have a second hand cast fire place insert which is rusted. I seek to paint and put in bedroom with a new mantle as decoration only. What steps do I take to prepare the cast iron and then paint OR can the cast iron be restored to its natural black finish? A friend said sand blasting the rust off??? TIA

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Aedp1,

Some images of the fireplace insert would be really helpful when providing advice on its restoration.  

Typically, you would start by sanding or using a wire brush to remove any loose rust. You can then treat the rust with rust converter, prime the insert and then paint it. The other option to an enamel paint would be to use White Knight 500ml Pot Belly Black High Temp Heat Resistant Paint, which might better mimic the traditional coating that was applied originally.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell