Detailing tools (stopping them rusting)

[Codger49]

Suspect he's OTT in a few other departments as well.

 

[Alex]

Personally I wouldn't use WD40 for anything other than what it is designed for and lubrication is not one of those things. It has solvent properties and can dissolve existing oils which then evaporate leaving the item in worse state then when you started

With respect, isn’t “WD” actually “water displacement”? I’m far from being a fanboy but rust and corrosion prevention of metal parts is high up on the WD40 list of uses if you google it. Even if there’s better stuff out there, it still works well and is readily available.

 

[brucemillar]

Yesterday I bought some great second had tools that have been attacked by heavy surface rust. This is mainly a set of old grips from small up to industrial. They are all working and will stay so (as these are very beautifully aged and came from another tool lovers 'garage sale' (sadly his own MS has now curtailed his tooling activities).

The plan is try and clean these up a bit with wire brushing and some "solvent/rust remover" Any tips are, as always great appreciated here. Products, chemicals, solvents or cleaners. so please fire away. I may even go as far to paint some of these, just for my own amusement.

One thing that that I got out my trip out yesterday to buy this stuff and meet this lovely gentleman and his wife was his pleasure that after a lifetime of spannering he was able to laugh along with me, as I bought and removed some of his (advertised) tools. He was "just happy" that they were going (as he said it) to good home. Having recognised (but not really accepted) that his health was now beyond a recovery on the tools!

He was (very understandably) a reluctant vendor - and why not? Having met him and instantly liked him, I was a somewhat, reluctant buyer. The thought of raping his lifetime collection was beyond any sense of fairness.

Two old farts in a beautiful old shed, one weighing seven stone and looking like a bag of sh*t (me) and the other perched on a newly bought invalid carriage (him) we made a fine couple as we laughed and chatted for hours, I went on a 5 minute collect, pay and go visit, and eventually agreed on a happy sale. Indeed, I then was invited into the inner chamber and offered a private viewing and purchase of more tools that were not (at this time) sorted ready for sale.

I had to return last night to collect and pay for my additional purchases. These included to my absolute stunned surprise ("a little thing I looked out for you Bruce") a set of LUCAS original driving lamps from the 70/80's that he thought should go on my old 4-matic that we chatted about on my earlier visit. What price do you put on that level of thought and understanding. I was speechless. We agreed a price and as part of that agreement, I suggested that I collect Bob in my 4-Matic and we escape out in the sunshine of the Kent Countryside, for a day, ow what we and our medication can manage

All this from a small "free add". I came home a richer person and not for tools ;^)

 

[AltonAnt]

With respect, isn’t “WD” actually “water displacement”? I’m far from being a fanboy but rust and corrosion prevention of metal parts is high up on the WD40 list of uses if you google it. Even if there’s better stuff out there, it still works well and is readily available.

It is more of a solvent and the oil content is negligible so it dilutes any oil it contacts and evaporates away leaving the surface less protected. Google it

From WD40's own website.

A QUESTION OF LUBRICATION
Myth: WD-40® Multi-Use Product is not really a lubricant.

Fact: While the “W-D” in WD-40® stands for Water Displacement, WD-40® Multi-Use Product is a unique, special blend of lubricants. The product’s formulation also contains anti-corrosion agents and ingredients for penetration, water displacement and soil removal.

WHAT'S STODDARD SOLVENT?
Myth: WD-40® contains Stoddard Solvent.

Fact: Over the past few decades, the name Stoddard Solvent was synonymous with all mineral spirits. Today, the mineral spirits found in products like ours are more refined and processed (see hydrogenation, hydrotreating and distillation techniques) providing mixtures with varying boiling points, cleaning ability, and chemical composition.

The catchall phrase “Stoddard Solvent” is no longer adequate to tell the proper story. WD-40® does indeed have 50% mineral spirits, but they are refined and purified for specific characteristics needed to meet today’s performance, regulatory and safety requirements.

Those two statements are contradictory. A good lubricant and also contains 50% solvent?
My background is avionics so I'm no expert in this side of engineering which is why I take the advice of my fellow engineers who are and they all would advise not to use WD40 for lubrication as it will work for a short time before dissipating.
3-in-one would be better.

 

[Alex]

It is more of a solvent and the oil content is negligible so it dilutes any oil it contacts and evaporates away leaving the surface less protected. Google it

From WD40's own website.

Those two statements are contradictory. A good lubricant and also contains 50% solvent?
My background is avionics so I'm no expert in this side of engineering which is why I take the advice of my fellow engineers who are and they all would advise not to use WD40 for lubrication as it will work for a short time before dissipating.
3-in-one would be better.

Sir, you blinded me with science. You should take the WD40 company to court for misleading millions of customers. Off to Costco to stock up on the WD whilst it's still available.

 

[AltonAnt]

Sir, you blinded me with science. You should take the WD40 company to court for misleading millions of customers. Off to Costco to stock up on the WD whilst it's still available.

It isn't a lie. WD40 will act as a lubricant, just not for very long which they fail to mention

 

[NOMONEYBUTAMERC]

One of these days my workshop will be ALMOST as tidy as Bruce`s . Within a couple of weeks it will again look like Steptoes yard until I get fed up with trying to find things. I still have some of my old mans tools , bless him he has been gone almost thirty years now , including taps and dies , spanners, sockets , and an old Wolf drill ( still working) . Can`t bring myself to get rid of any of them but none of them have gone (very) rusty in my my garage or workshop.

 

[Wolfie1]

If your gonna paint i reckons hammerite smooth finish would give them that lovely new tool look and they would stay like that

 

[philt32]

Hey Bruce, there was tears in our house tonight (well, holiday cottage) the wife said what did you laugh at the other night....so I said ....”heat pads in your toolbox......Womack & Womack” after about 5 seconds of confused look we both couldn’t stop laughing, literally “teardrops in my eyes” best laugh in ages[emoji106][emoji106]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[baxlin]

I volunteer at the WorkAid charity in Bucks, renovating (ie cleaning/de-rusting) hand tools, like the Stillsons pictured above. Once cleaned, the tools are stored until packaged up to send out to various '3rd world' countries, and can then be in sweaty steel freight containers for quite a while, due to red tape.

Once cleaned, we spray them with a 50:50 mixture of linseed oil and white spirit. Experience over the years has shown this to be very effective.

 

[blademansw]

I use ACF50 spray.

It gets really good reviews as a corrosion inhibitor. I was sceptical so gave it a go on my 40 year old Kawasaki motorcycle which used to suffer in my damp garage over winter.

Spray onto a cloth and wipe onto any surface that needs protection. it really works. I've tried WD40 in the past but the protection doesn't last.

The ACF50 gives long lasting protection. Very impressive.

Chris

I heartily agree. ACF50 is fantastic stuff. Plus it a bloody good faded trim restorer lol.