Finish on tools after restoration ?

[whatknot]

Hi all

What is the preferred finish to apply to tools after restoration

After rust removal and cleaning up I find a wd40 or equivalent works well but isn't long lasting and can be messy if using that item

I wondered what was the preferred substance to use to prevent further corrosion

Wax?

Linseed oil?

I am looking for a way to protect the item (say a set square) and be able to use it without getting covered in wd40 or whatever

 

[Bod]

I use plain cheap wax polish, smeared on thick, allowed to dry, rubbed off on wood, left on, on metal.
Tools in use, the wax comes off the contact points, but stays in the pits!

Bod

 

[whatknot]

Thanks for that, I did have that in mind to try next

Oils are a pain as they soil your hands and the item you might be working on

Much appreciated

I use plain cheap wax polish, smeared on thick, allowed to dry, rubbed off on wood, left on, on metal.
Tools in use, the wax comes off the contact points, but stays in the pits!

Bod

 

[whatknot]

One thing I forgot to ask about

Microcrystalline Wax has been mentioned and wondered if it would be worth using this

Due to the cost I wondered if it would be any better than bod standard polish

Mostly for tools, some finishing etc, I understand its good for protecting scroll/band saw tables, I use furniture polish at present which appears to work well

Wondering if the extra expense would be worthwhile

 

[AndyT]

Don't agonise over it too much - there are lots of right answers.

I've used linseed oil on big old castings eg on my treadle powered lathe, where I wanted something to go a long way and be fairly permanent. For small hand tools I often wipe over with a smear of wax. I do use microcrystalline, which is really very economical in use - wrap a rag round one finger, wipe it in the tin and spread the wax on the tool, then buff off. I have "quite a few" old tools and have yet to get half way down my first tin of wax. There is no need to polish them up like your grandma's ornaments.

There's a sticky post at the top of this section on Restoration which might give you some more pointers.

And don't forget that the best results are got by keeping tools in the dry and using them!

 

[whatknot]

Thanks for that input

re sticky, I have read them several times and watched any links in them but they only go so far

I have read that Microcrystalline Wax is economical, about £9+ for a small tin seems the best price

Agree re usage and dry environment, not always possible unfortunately, I am blessed with a fairly large "workshop" but its also to large to heat to any degree, and also houses a condenser tumble dryer which I am sure doesn't help, so have to try and protect what I have as best I can

So far haven't had to many problems as I try and wax or protect fairly frequently

Don't agonise over it too much - there are lots of right answers.

I've used linseed oil on big old castings eg on my treadle powered lathe, where I wanted something to go a long way and be fairly permanent. For small hand tools I often wipe over with a smear of wax. I do use microcrystalline, which is really very economical in use - wrap a rag round one finger, wipe it in the tin and spread the wax on the tool, then buff off. I have "quite a few" old tools and have yet to get half way down my first tin of wax. There is no need to polish them up like your grandma's ornaments.

There's a sticky post at the top of this section on Restoration which might give you some more pointers.

And don't forget that the best results are got by keeping tools in the dry and using them!

 

[Racers]

Wood silk furniture polish, just make sure you don't spray it on the floor.
Its good for finishing wood as well.

Pete

 

[marcros]

be careful of pledge and similar- it may work just as well, but the silicone content in the workshop can cause issues with other finishes.

 

[Racers]

Wood Silk is beeswax, I wouldn't recommend pledge etc.

Pete

 

[Farmer Giles]

From the frozen wastes of the Pennines where tools rust before your eyes!

If you get condensation in your workshop like me, I use heavy vertical way oil on my milling machines and lathes, it is like treacle. Very annoying to have to cover up all the hard work post renovation but until I get the heating sorted so I avoid the dew point then it's the only one I have found that works on huge hunks of steel that get cold and don't warm up quick. I don't rate WD40 as a corrosion inhibitor, it is not what it was designed to do, its not that good as a penetrant either. Gibb's is OK for lubricating, penetrating and temporary rust inhibition but I tend to use liberon lubricating wax on hand tools and the cast beds of my woodworking machinery like PT and bandsaw, seems to work if I re-apply every couple of months. I hear good reports for Bilt Hamner Dynax UC and a few other waxes too.

Covering machines with dust sheets seems to help a bit too.

I keep my posh hand tools in the office where it is heated

Cheers
Andy

 

[whatknot]

Thanks for the additions, I was away chucking polish around ;-)

Yes only use tinned beeswax rather than a spray variety, all these things have their uses of course but beeswax stays where you put it

We are in Cornwall so its not the coldest place in the winter (it has its moments but not so many thankfully)

I will see how the polish goes first and any sign of corrosion will cast around and try other things

Much appreciate the input, all is appreciated

 

[Rorschach]

I like linseed oil on tools that are going to be in storage a lot, wax for other tools. Regularly used tools don't seem to need anything, I think the action of handling and wiping seems to keep rust at bay, I am lucky in my shop though, not much seems to suffer from rust.

 

[swagman]

https://www.amazon.com/Silbergleit-Dry- ... B006932KSC

 

[whatknot]

Thanks for that suggestion

Not cheap is it , cheapest I found was over £18 for 250g

Only three suppliers came up and all in Germany

 

[custard]

Silver Gleit is purely to make cast iron work surfaces slick and smooth to facilitate passing the workpiece across. Gleiten = slide or glide. They're not about corrosion proofing.

Best remedies for corrosion are Farmer Giles suggestion of dust sheets and Rorschach's comment that well used tools don't rust. If you're finding corrosion is a problem with hand tools then you've got too many tools and you're spending too long on the internet and not making enough stuff!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Many moons ago Castrol made a product (Surecoat, iirc) specifically for treating steel goods to be stored, It painted on like a varnish, but wiped off with virtually anything solvent except water. It was brilliant, I used to coat my bike in it at the end of the summer and wipe it off in the spring. I'm surprised nothing similar appears to made now. For tools I would use M/C wax by choice - apparently the British Museum have stopped using it as it is too difficult to get off again. I used Briwax on my bandsaw table which was fine (in fact probably about the only thing Briwax is good for) - until swmbo left a near full gallon behind when we moved house (along with my magnifying lamp, my cast iron skillets, £300 of dichroic and Bullseye glass, my perching stool ... )

 

[bridger]

you've got too many tools and you're spending too long on the internet and not making enough stuff!

Hey now... there's no call for that sort of talk here...

 

[D_W]

Wax or on show surfaces that have fresh metal but no contact (plane cheeks, etc), a thin coat of some clear shellac product that can be easily removed later if desired.

 

[swagman]

Silver Gleit is purely to make cast iron work surfaces slick and smooth to facilitate passing the workpiece across. Gleiten = slide or glide. They're not about corrosion proofing.

Best remedies for corrosion are Farmer Giles suggestion of dust sheets and Rorschach's comment that well used tools don't rust. If you're finding corrosion is a problem with hand tools then you've got too many tools and you're spending too long on the internet and not making enough stuff!

How Corrosion Happens

Corrosion can happen to any metal. Most frequently you will be dealing with corrosion on iron - that is, rust. In order for a metal to begin to corrode, it needs three elements: moisture, metal, and an electron acceptor. An electron acceptor is an element (usually oxygen) that steals electrons from the metal, which is what happening on a molecular level when a metal corrodes.

When water comes into contact with iron, a chemical reaction immediately begins to take place that quickly oxidizes the iron, turning the iron into iron-oxide (the chemical name for rust). While iron is the most reactive metal and therefore will corrode faster than most others, all metals are susceptible to this process.

https://www.grainger.com/content/supply ... ction-tips

Silbergleit is a proven lubricant for wood processing machines, used by industry and trade users as well as hobby practitioners. The lubricant makes a dry and stick free surface that makes wood glide and machine parts protected against rust.

http://www.baileysonline.com/Woodworkin ... ML-Tin.axd

 

[Farmer Giles]

Shell Ensis DW1255 and DW6055 are good for medium/long term protection of metal but the smallest quantities you can buy is typically 20 litres which makes it a bit dear for hobbyists. They leave waxy deposits, better for big machines you don't use very often than everyday tools.