Rusty tools..

[Hellrazor]

Ok Guys, I have a bunch of old tools in a toolbox that were given to me. They are old box wrenches, cold chisels and other assorted items that are all coated in rust. None looks to be heavy enough to be pitted bad but they are 100% covered. Any recommendations for cleaning and protecting them? I was thinking about coating them with naval jelly to clean them off. But what can I coat them with that will last.

[newbie2wood]

There is not much you could do to permanently prevent rust unless you coat it to prevent oxidation (e.g. electroplating or galvanizing). Tools need to be maintain. If the tools are not pitted, try steel wool or a chemical remover like Topsaver. Use WD40 or wax after removing the rust.

Here's a website that may be helpful:

http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/rust/rust.html
________
BUY CANNABIS SEEDS

[Stick]

after you get them clean, soak them in hydraulic oil for a week or so, then wipe clean with a rag. Don't get them completely dry, but leave a very thin film on. Something about that stuff seems to prevent rust, not forever, but it lasts a good long time.

[dedaddy]

I have just finished rehabing 3 old planes that were covered with rust. I was going to use the electrolisis method but could not figure out a good way to do the small parts. Then I found Evapo-Rust at www.theruststore.com. It is not cheap at $22 per gallon but it goes a long way. This stuff is amazing! I soaked the parts in this stuff to 24 hours and ALL rust was removed. It does not touch the paint. It cleaned rust stains from the brass parts. Seems industry uses this stuff in great quantities to derust engine blocks. One antique restore shop here uses it to de-rust automobile frames.

It is biodegradable, non-acidic and ph neutral. You can pour it down the drain. No bad smell. It uses a chelation process to remove the iron from rust (iron oxide) and combine the removed iron with sulfur to form iron sulfate. Your parts have a black coating that can be rinsed off. I then used a 320 grit sanding mop in my drill press to shine the stuff up.

It works for me. I just ordered another gallon.

[Hellrazor]

Thanks guys, there are a lot of choices. I've even thrown around the idea of cleaning them up a bit and paint them with POR paint like you use to restore car frames. The wrenches I want to restore and use, they are heavy duty. The cold chisels,etc I just want to look decent and be in shape to use. I also have a few cans of some old stainless and galv spray coating. By old I mean 10 years old, so you know it still the good mean quality stuff. I usually don't bother cleaning stuff up like this, its just its a bunch of my grandfathers tools.

I've found some weird stuff I've never seen before. For instance old sockets that are based on a star not a square drive.

[steve-u]

You can use naval jelly but I believe it will leave them dark looking. I had some old wrenches from my grandad that I wanted to clean up that are at least 55 years old. I used PB Blaster that you can get almost anywhere - Walmart automotive aisle, Lowes, and Menards is where I have seen it. I used that and a wire brush on a drill of mine. It took a while as I let them soak in some paper towels after spraying them with PB Blaster and then every couple days I would take them out and wire brush them and then put then spray them and put them back in the paper towels again. After about three times they looked pretty good. Not like new but respectable and I could read the sizes finally. PB Blaster seems to evaporate failry quickly like after a day or so. So what I did was sprayed the tools, put them in paper towels and wrapped them, sprayed the paper towels, and then covered the paper towels with aluminum foil and kind of wrapped it all up so that it did not evaporate. After done I sprayed them with a lubricating spray that contains silicone. --- Steve

[25]

I've found some weird stuff I've never seen before. For instance old sockets that are based on a star not a square drive.

Are they for Torx bolts?

[Hellrazor]

Steve, PBlaster, Kroil, etc all work great for rust. Only problem is they really stink and everyone I know hates when I use them. But thats their problem. I use Kroil on everything from cleaning my muzzleloader barrels to stuck bolts.

25: Its a typical socket, just the side that fits on a ratchet handle is a 5 point star not a typical square. I should take some digi pics of this stuff.

[steve-u]

I guess I am kind of weird as the smell of WD40 or PB Blaster does not bother me at all. Matter of fact I kind of even like the smell of Hopps No. 9.

Steve

[Hellrazor]

Steve, Kroil smells like kerosene.

[Stick]

I'm just as weird. I love the smell of penetrating oils, cutting fluids, kerosene, diesel fuel, hydraulic oil, etc. Good thing, i guess, being a former trucker turned millwright and now farmer as well, I spend a good part of my life working with the stuff.

[Lance]

On a similar thread, long ago, someone posted and swore by CorrosionX. I have not yet tried it, but your thread reminded me, and I am planning to pick some up today.

Here's the website:
http://www.corrosionx.com/