How do I stop my tools going rusty?

now, I hope you lot are not going to do a Contralube on me !

Thsi company makes a variety of corrosion inhibitor products, including MetalGuard, which seems to offer a two year duration.

http://shieldtechnology.co.uk/products.html


Also some excellent pics of well-rusted tools before and after treatment with another of their magic fluids.
 
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My tools tend to get a bit of surface rust over time at work, don't like spraying oil on them as you end up covered in it every time I use them.

Wurth silicone spray seems to keep the rust off as well as WD but without the mess
 
lanolin in spray form or a copper spray had my tools in a plastic tool box for the last 4 yrs and no rust and they are only cheapish tools.
 
New steel woodworking tools are best allowed to develop a fine rust on surface, then cleaned off with fine emery and oil. This gives a decent finish to steel which helps them to stay clean. I keep an oily rag in my waterproof toolbag giving tools a very occasional wipe. Never seen any rust on them. Best kept in the driest place you can find.
 
sarabande said:
I thought that oak fret was acidic - best to ask a tree specialist ;)
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:rolleyes: Can't find it mentioned but tannic acid present in oak and now used in rust inhibitors so logic dictates that shipwrights probably did put shavings in with their tools. :encouragement:
 
RV1

I'm interested in this acidity business. I know that fresh oak leaves are about 4 pH (quite acidic) (they lose acidity as they decay in the soil)and that freshly turned oak can make metal lathe parts rust quickly

(http://www.aawforum.org/vbforum/showthread.php?t=7300 #2

and

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f6/turning-wet-wood-rusting-my-lathe-24006/)

I wonder if really dry oak shavings would act as moisture absorbants, thereby reducing the water vapour in proximity of steel blades ?

I'll try a PM to Cuchilo.
 
The OP's username should have suggested what coat the tools with ...................... Snake oil !
 
My own solution is to only carry old tools which will rust but it doesn't matter. Certainly pliers with tight hinge and adjustable spanners can be jambed up pretty quickly with rust.
If you want to avert rust the only thing is to cover them in oil or similar. Which means grubby hands when you use the tools. I would try a tool roll in cloth soaked in oil then in a plastic or metal box. good luck olewill
 
tolhurstorganic said:
New steel woodworking tools are best allowed to develop a fine rust on surface, then cleaned off with fine emery and oil. This gives a decent finish to steel which helps them to stay clean. I keep an oily rag in my waterproof toolbag giving tools a very occasional wipe. Never seen any rust on them. Best kept in the driest place you can find.
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It's called 'rust blueing', and although the colour is brown, it works well. I discovered it a year ago, very easy to do. Get any grease off, and positively encourage it to rust. Once you have an even layer, wire brush it gently and then soak with oil (I used 3in1 because it was handy). Wipe off excess as they say, and you're done.

I think that the layer of rust just hangs onto the oil better than bare metal. I've done some with hot wax instead, because I was a bit dubious about epoxy curing with oil present, and it's worked well too, but for less time.
 
Here's a question - remember seaside cafs? They used to keep rice in the salt shaker, would that work? A small bag (the type my wife uses to put herbs in when cooking) filled with rice and chucked in the tool box in place of silica?
 
rice as a dessicant only works when the container is almost airtight. I suspect that you would need to have about the same vol of rice as spanners. And then the rice will go mouldy....
 
Things with moving parts like pliers, you need to oil.
A lot of other stuff can usefully be sprayed with el cheapo furniture polish and wiped off.
It removes traces of grime quite well and leaves a wax layer behind.
Most stuff I take home, you can't carry everything you will ever need on the boat.
Buying a cheap set of basic tools, screwdrivers, sockets, pliers for everyday jobs and replacing it when rusty or too many bits missing is helpful.
Before I go to the boat, I want to know exactly what's aboard, so I can know what to take.

If your tools are rusting badly in a season, then your boat is damp and needs mending (wooden boats exempt!).
I have 'clean' tools used for my electronics work which I would never leave aboard, likewise my more expensive spanners.

It's worth picking up old 8, 10 and 13mm spanners from charity shops or whatever, you don't need snap-on quality for the nuts on machine screws and a 20p spanner is less loss when it goes over the side, in the bilge or whatever.


Too many years in my youth of playing with bike engines has left my skin a bit 'funny' so I don't like my tools to be swimming in oil or WD40 etc.
On a related note spares like filters, I seal in Tupperware type boxes whilst at home in the dry.
 
Another one for use ACF-50 plenty of it on Ebay a bit dearer than other stuff but very good at what it says on the bottle, get the one with the free spray bottle.
I must admit the spray bottle is a bit fiddly in it's use your fingers slip around the spray trigger and shut the valve.
But it really does work and stops re-rust and still lubes even after getting wet.
 
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