Rust protection for my poor little no4!

[rocksteadyeddy]

Can anyone help? i've recently finished refurbing a stanley no4 and don't know what to coat the freshly polished bare metal with to stop it rusting, having spent far to many hours sanding it it is currently sat in the middle of my kitchen table and not in my shed much to my wifes distain [-X

Something that will dry and not make a mess next time I use it would be great.

Sorry I know this is pretty basic stuff but what can I say! :roll:

 

[Vann]

I used to use 3 in 1 oil or Singer sewing machine oil. I now use camelia oil.

Something that will dry and not make a mess next time I use it would be great.

Sorry, all of the above stay liquid (and yes, I often forget to wipe the surfaces clean before using the planes ).

I think some here use silicon-free wax polishes.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Boz62]

I use Liberon Lubricating wax. Looks expensive but lasts for ages and great on all hand tools and also cast iron machine beds. It dries, and does leave a nice slippy surface. For small areas I smear it on with a finger, for larger areas a small brush.

Boz

 

[paulm]

Rub in a coat or two of Renaissance Wax (try ebay for it), or Workshop Heaven sell a Toolprotect or Toolguard rust inhibiting wax, both very good.

Cheers, Paul

 

[mr grimsdale]

Main thing is to not let it get damp. In an unheated workshop things kept in cupboards will avoid condensation.
WC40 is protective and cheap n easy to apply

 

[Kalimna]

Doesn't WD40 (where was it I read that WD stands for 'water dispersal'?) stay liquid too? And out of interest, any advantage (other than price) over camilia oil?
Cheers,
Adam

 

[aesmith]

I use Liberon Lubricating wax. Looks expensive but lasts for ages and great on all hand tools and also cast iron machine beds. It dries, and does leave a nice slippy surface. For small areas I smear it on with a finger, for larger areas a small brush.

That's great stuff. As well as protecting the metal, it also makes the plane run smoother on the work.

I've also seen recommendations for "Renaisance Wax" which is apparently formulated specifically to protect metal.

 

[bugbear]

Doesn't WD40 (where was it I read that WD stands for 'water dispersal'?) stay liquid too? And out of interest, any advantage (other than price) over camilia oil?
Cheers,
Adam

Over on the OLDTOOLs list, where some people have a LOT of tools to keep rust free, sometimes in humid areas (Florida...) WD40 is not liked as a rust preventer.

It's too thin, and not oily enough.

There is little consensus on what is actually the best, but a wide range of "pure" oils and waxes all appear to work as well as each other.

I asked the Leeds armoury how they prevent rust, but their answer is not applicable to us - they use carefully controlled conditions (temperature, humidity, etc).

BugBear

 

[Racers]

Hi,

I use briwax on all my planes it seems to work well on cast iron and steel but not on Brass. Get it on as quigk as you can after cleaning.

Pete

 

[mr grimsdale]

Doesn't WD40 (where was it I read that WD stands for 'water dispersal'?) stay liquid too? And out of interest, any advantage (other than price) over camilia oil?
Cheers,
Adam

It's cheap, aerosol easy to apply, is an oil. Any old oil will do, there is no particular point in camellia** oil.
Oil not really necessary anyway unless you have a damp storage problem.
Drying oils are more permanent. Personally I favour linseed oil* half and half with turps. I always have a jar full available and occasionally wipe or brush it over wood or metal tool surfaces. Not very often it has to be said.

*doesn't actually "dry" but oxidises into a thin film which will rub off with tool use, or stay as a polish on handles etc.

**camellia oil is probably (IMHO he added cautiously) just a toolie fad along with plane socks etc :lol:

 

[Noel]

Doesn't WD40 (where was it I read that WD stands for 'water dispersal'?) stay liquid too? And out of interest, any advantage (other than price) over camilia oil?
Cheers,
Adam

Almost - Water Displacement.

 

[woodbloke]

I use Camilla Oil for stuff in my 'shop but any of the proprietary waxes as mentioned will do the job...you takes your pick :wink:
The one thing I wouldn't use as Jacob has suggested is linseed oil. This will eventually dry to form a thickish, dirty layer over the steel (which will be protected btw). I put some on the steel bars of my sash cramps over 30 years ago and they look the same now as they did when the oil first dried, but a bit muckier though.
At the end of the jour, almost anything will do the job (I even used Vaseline once) to keep the moisture away from the steel. Matthew at WH sells some good stuff I believe.
I know that Martin the Woodkateer uses mothballs in small tins (with holes in the top) near steel surfaces...tools kept in a closed environment though like a cupboard - Rob

 

[Kalimna]

Doh! That's what you get for posting at that time in the morning with only half a brain awake. Ta for correcting me

Time for a croissant and a cuppa strong tea.

Cheers,
Adam

 

[virtu]

Camellia oil is organic, non skin irritating, non polluting, harmless for life and has pleasant smell which cannot be said about mineral oil products. Works well as lubricant and rust protector.

 

[Harbo]

I use Camellia oil - a little goes a long way if you use a wick type dispenser.

It's been used for hundreds of years by the Japanese to protect their swords.
Works well, does not stain or smell and nice to touch.

Rod

 

[Benchwayze]

Hi Rock...

If you are not a plane collector and you can get by with two or three planes, then keep them in an old sock. Make a box for each and put some rust-repellent paper in with them.

Don't use a paraffin heater in your shop, thereby reducing condensation.

HTH

John

 

[eoinsgaff]

Wax seems to be the best method as it dries on with a solid, slippery protective coating. I use briwax like some more here but for a really technical answer you could try Boeshield. Great product that applies a fine wax coat by aerosol. It was developed by Boeing for protection of aircraft parts. I've had considerable success with it.

 

[AndyT]

If you happen to have some of the spray lubricant sold for bicycle chains, use that - I've found it reliable and didn't need to go and buy something else specially.

 

[bugbear]

If you happen to have some of the spray lubricant sold for bicycle chains, use that - I've found it reliable and didn't need to go and buy something else specially.

Which one? There are several around, based on (or at least claiming!) very different formulations.

I can't see the PTFE ones being great at rust prevention.

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

Which one? There are several around, based on (or at least claiming!) very different formulations.

I can't see the PTFE ones being great at rust prevention.

BugBear

It was Pedro's Ice Wax - I used it on the bed bar of my lathe which used to get some rust on - but it's not really a scientific test as my workshop stays nice and dry.