Rust on Whiteside router bits

[Richard Andersen]

Santa brought Whiteside basic router bit set 401. 4 of the 7 bits have what looks like surface rust spots on the shank and head of the bits under the clear protective stuff the bits have been dipped in. Will the rust affect the bits. It looks like the actual carbide cutters do not have rust and the sides of the bits facing down in the foam cut-out that holds the bits in place inside the plastic case do not have rust. This is my first dealing with router bits so I don't know if I should be concerned and send them back or not.

[Dave Sweeney]

If the rust isn't too bad, a little WD-40 and a Scotch Brite pad should clean them right up.

[John A langley]

they are O.K.

[Jeff Nolan]

if it were serious pitting I would say call up Whiteside. This is a company, in my experience, that stands completely behind their products, which is one more reason to buy from them.

[Phil Thien]

They have an oil under the protective coating. The oil can look like rust. Once the coating is off, and the bit wiped with a rag, it may shine right up.

[Brian Gumpper]

Whiteside will take care of anything you throw at them but you should contact the dealer first. I had some storage issues with my inventory a couple years ago and physically moved locations to deal with it.

If you saw the dado bit I left out on my router table about a year ago you would cry. Florida is hard on tools and from what I'm told the bucket of chlorine I had in my garage where my shop is didn't help either.

The rust isn't an issue and should clean up so no worries.

[Robert Chapman]

Like Phil said take off the protective coating and see if it is really rust. If it is [and I doubt it] call Whiteside. They make a very good quality router bit.

[Michael Schwartz]

Santa brought Whiteside basic router bit set 401. 4 of the 7 bits have what looks like surface rust spots on the shank and head of the bits under the clear protective stuff the bits have been dipped in. Will the rust affect the bits. It looks like the actual carbide cutters do not have rust and the sides of the bits facing down in the foam cut-out that holds the bits in place inside the plastic case do not have rust. This is my first dealing with router bits so I don't know if I should be concerned and send them back or not.

Call your dealer or Whiteside. None of the Whiteside bits I have bought had any rust on them when they arrived. I don't think I have encountered rust on any new router bits I have purchased for that matter either regardless of brand.

Be careful about sanding or using any kind of abrasive on the shank of a bit since the collet/bit need to be within very tight tolerances to hold the bit safely.

[Brian Gumpper]

As a dealer, I encourage you to call the dealer first. It's not Whiteside's problem even though they would take care of it. It's usually caused by condensation getting under the coating or the air under the coating condensing and laying on the bit ultimately causing slight rusting.

I still say a little WD40 on a rag will get rid of it quite. It's just slight surface rust and not pitting.