Restoring rusted tools as well as prevention?

I think that I’ve been careless with the use of my metal tools, as
many have rusted. I might try a wire brush, to knock the rust off,
but was wondering if anyone had any tips for either restoring or
maintaining tools? For gardeners, I remember reading about storing
shovels and spades, blade down, in a bucket of sand mixed with some
sort of oil. Wonder if something with mineral oil would work for
slopping workers like me.

Thanks
Ros

You could try putting the lightly rusted tools into a diluted
solution of phosphoric acid to get a phosphate, anti rust coating on
the tool. When you see tool that have a black metallic look to them,
they are usually/often treated to get a coat of phosphate on them.
Another thing is to give the tools an occasional wipe-down with
WD40. If your studio is pretty “air tight” your acid pot, especially
if you leave it on (hot) all the time, this could be creating an
"acid atmosphere" in your studio and this will rust steel tools.
Lastly you could give the tools an occasional wipe down with a light
oil (“gun” oils are good as they are thin, don’t make the tools
slippery or oily and they are made foe keeping guns from rusting) and
you could also put a lightly oiled cloth in the tool drawer(s) and
store the tools on these.

I am sure there will be some other ideas, but #1 to me is the
potential of the acid pot being your problem. Difficult to say
without seeing your layout and seeing the rust on the tools.

Good luck.
John Dach

Wrap you tools in lambs wool, you can also spray them with Linnox.

I’ve been given a tool list for next year, so I’m thinking of making
a roll up satchel, lined with lambs wool pockets. I probably could
buy something, but this way I can carve it :slight_smile:

Like you I don’t like to clean tools unless I have to.

Regards Charles A.

Hi Ros

Tools will definitely corrode in an acidic environment, such as
being near a warm pickle pot. The wire brush will work but will also
erode and pit the surface of the metal, so be sparing with it. You
could also try sanding with some wet and dry sandpaper or even some
steel wool. Then for maintenance, wipe the tools down with Marvel
mystery oil, 3 in 1, or WD-40 once a week and they should stay clean.

Have a good day!
Drew Horn

There was a thread about removing rust from tools a few months back
and it should be findable in the Archives…

John
Indiana

Thanks Charles, thanks JohnCharles, what is linnox? Is it an oil
spray? I did a search on the web, and found all sorts of info about
Lennox furnaces, as well as Linux operating system…John, my
pickle pot is in a different, albeit adjacent room, but that reminds
me to change the lid on the crockpot to one that doesn’t have a
vent.I know that I’m being a bit sloppy by letting tools get wet,
so I should find a system for wiping them down and storing them
(lamb’s wool perhaps, as Charles suggests, or an oil cloth).

Thanks!
Ros

Before using carnauba wax, I dry my steel tools with a hairdryer to
remove any moisture that would normally get locked-in. Carnauba wax
is very hard and won’t attract dirt the way oils will.

Just my seven cents,
Jeff Herman

If you store your tools in a drawer or a toolbox, you can throw a
block of camphor gum in the drawer. Or if you keep your tools on your
bench, you can put a block on your bench and then cover the bench
with a plastic dust cover when you’re not using it. The camphor
evaporates slowly over time and leaves a light coating of oil on your
tools. You can get camphor gum blocks from your local pharmacy or
search online.

If you store your tools in a drawer or a toolbox, you can throw a
block of camphor gum in the drawer. Or if you keep your tools on
your bench, you can put a block on your bench and then cover the
bench with a plastic dust cover when you’re not using it. The camphor
evaporates slowly over time and leaves a light coating of oil on
your tools. You can get camphor gum blocks from your local pharmacy
or search online.

Hello,

If the rust is light, you can soak them in Coke - be sure to use the
Coca-cola brand because it contains phosphoric acid. Overnight
exposure will probably change the rusty areas to black. However,
those areas will not have a good polish, so it will be necessary to
buff them out just as you would for silver or gold. I have had good
results with Zam. If the rust has really penetrated the metal, you’ll
need to grind or sand down, then progressively sand with finer grits
until the scratches are gone before buffing.

Regarding prevention of rust in the first place, a light coating of
oil is good, but I like using Engen Joe’s Brown Polymer. It’s a
paste-like consistency and is rubbed into the metal, all over the
surfaces. It seems to last. Here’s the phone number from the label:
315-402-8608 (it’s very small print and I may have misread a number
or two!).

Judy in Kansas, where it’s a brisk, sunny winter day. Stay warm, ya’ll.

Just plain concentrated Lemon juice Wally world sells will remove
your rust and leave a plain finish. If the rust has pitted it will
clean the pits. Once the rust is removed you can coat with
Brownpolymer. The best part of the polymer is it leaves a dry not
oily feeling doesn’t collect dust or dirt and is resistant to acid
and water from re rusting the metal plus it doesn’t wear off easily.
I have done a study of all the product for removing rust and
concentrated citric acid works the best phosphoric acid leaves a
black phosphate finish that’s ok for some removal. The citric acid
has worked on some pretty bad rust and only took 2 days to be back
to bare metal.

Thanks Randy
AKA Enjen Joes

Hi Ros,

I’ve got a spray can of it outside, I’ll read the label for you
tomorrow. Basically it’s a lanolin spray that is meant to prevent
rust.

Spray this stuff on, it doesn’t dry like other oil based sprays, it
works very well.

Regards Charles A.

Where do you find Brownpolymer? I have never found this product
anywhere.

Thanks Roxan
www.designsbyroxan.com

Where do you find Brownpolymer? I have never found this product
anywhere. 

Here: Jar of Grease

Elaine
http://www.CreativeTextureTools.com

Spray this stuff on, it doesn't dry like other oil based sprays,
it works very well. 

The real name for the product is “Lanox”.

This got to prove that you should keep the cans facing you on the
shelf and not rely on a tired mind :smiley:

Also is a testament to it working well, in that I haven’t needed to
use it after the initial spray :slight_smile:

Here’s a link anyway
http://www.inox-mx3.com/inox.htm

Regards Charles A.