An absorbable iron-based instrument is provided having an iron-based substrate, a zinc-containing protector in contact with the iron-based substrate, and a degradable polyester in contact with the iron-based substrate and/or the zinc-containing protector. The range of the ratio of the mass of the zinc-containing protector to the mass of the iron-based substrate is 1:200 to 1:2. In the degradable polyester, the mass fraction of a low-molecular-weight part with a molecular weight of less than 10,000 is less than or equal to 5%; alternatively, in the degradable polyester, the mass fraction of a residual monomer is less than or equal to 2%.