[gary rabbitt]

Hi Ken,
Stripping and sanding are probably the best for the home user. A light coat of prime for adhesion, then your topcoats.

I have not tried electrolysis yet for rust removal, sounds interesting.
Sandblasting should be avoided though. It can cause heat buildup (possible warping) metal thickness issues, pitting etc. are the downfalls. For severe cases of rust, you might not have any other choice.
For those that don't know, there is the sodium bicarbonate method of blasting. It doesn't present any of the issues a traditional sandblaster has. Works on light rust too. Leaves no pitting or 'signature' of sandblasting.
If one strips all the time, you can get a home version of a unit for around $300.
http://www.eastwood.com/soda-blasting/so...7Qod31A9YQ

A fellow in the radio club says he plans on getting one of the sodium strippers. I've seen it used on cars and it seems to do a good job.
For the casual restorer, it might not be economical to purchase one.
I'll post back, when the guy has had a chance to see how it works on his metal cabinets.
Take care,