Protecting tools for storage

[Matthew N. Masail]

The thread about the L-N plane got me thinking. I bought 5 hand forged Japanese chisels and have had the stored for the last few months. I wiped them lightly with camellia oil and wrapped them in bubble paper and then some shrink wrap to hold it tight. is that good?
What’s the best way to preserve tools? I ordered the conservers wax for LV too.

[Niels Cosman]

Rust prevention is a relatively straightforward exercise, however it requires constant vigilance- like they say "rust never sleeps. While it's impossible to stop rust with some attention you can grind the process to very nearly to a stop. It also helps to "know your enemy". And in this spirit there two major components to understand- moisture control and environmental barriers/films.

Moisture control is about controlling the environment that your tools inhabit. the idea is that you want to keep the moisture content of the air low and temperature fluctuation to a minimum. The first part is self explanatory, the lower moisture content the less water there will be to rust metal surfaces. Controlling temperature fluxuations is somewhat more subtle and insidious. Metal has a relatively high thermal capacity and will retain its temperature at the environment shifts more rapidly, becoming a magnet for condensate (think morning dew). If you've ever opened up an old car engine after it's been sitting unused for several years you'll be pleasantly surprised that inspite being "sealed" and once bathed in engine oil, you'll have rusted cylinders, valves, etc... that's the result of many many cycles of condensation. Gunsafe-heaters and dehumidifiers can be inexpensive ways to prevent costly damage over time. I don't like the idea placing planes in socks or bags because the bags themselves can absorb moisture and moisture seeking schmutz that can retain or trap moisture from the environment and put it in direct contact with metal surfaces. I should say i keep my chisels and gouges in tool wraps (both cloth and leather), but i clean and oil the tools before I put them away.The better solution is one that encloses the tool from dirt/dust and temperature change, but allows airflow (like a wall/floor chest or drawer).

The second part, environmental barriers, in the case of handtools, are somewhat more problematic. Unlike a metal suspension bridge, where crippling rust is prevented by entombing metal parts in layers and layers of latex paint, such extreme moisture/oxygen surface barriers wold render your tools unusable. I imagine this is why Lie-Nielsen / Lee Valley does not choose to use heavy oily coatings (like you find on machines). They want the tools to be used "out of the box" not after a solvent bath (like my tablesaw). The best environmental barriers are those that are thin films of oil and/or wax applied with some disciple. I find Camilla oil to work the best in this respect (and have started using it on all my hand tools and machine tool surfaces (the machines sometimes sit unused for extended periods these days).

Anyway that's my two cents on the orange-devil.

cheers,

Niels

[Bob Jones]

I would loose the bubble wrap. In my experience, wrapping things in plastic makes them rust faster.

[Jim Foster]

If you can, keep the humidity under 53% and I don't think anything you keep dry will rust... ever. The 53% may be off a little, but it's what I've been doing in my shop for two years and working fine. It might have been Harry or George that said in a post several years ago that anything over xx% (I thought 53) humidity will bloom rust, so I have a little electronic temperature and humidity meter from HD that I keep in the shop and whenever it gets to 53% humidity, I turn on the dehumidifier.

[Matthew N. Masail]

Thanks everyone, I just checked the chisels, all is good so I re oiled them and wrapped them in an old jersey. can you please recommend a good dehumidifier? price is an issue at the moment, but I have about 1800$ worth of hand tools coming and I may not be ready to set up shop for a while.

[fred mcclure]

i always wipe down my tools after use with sewing machine oil or camelia oil. also i take a day to oil all my tools prior to my closing up the shop in the winter where it is just too cold to work. i have done this for the past 15 years and my tools are still rust free. i then wrap them in oily rags that i have allowed to dry and put them in metal filing cabinets that i managed to pick up for next to nothing. I do plan on building a tool chest but time seems to avoid me.i had a little pitting on a ln plane, but that was due to my neglect. i cleaned it up the best i could and it is a fine worker, with just some cosmetic damage.i am user and not a collector. that being said, my tools are old (garage sale/ swap meets) and most of them show signs of wear. oil is your friend

[Andy Hsieh]

I keep my workshop at 40% humidity and do not use any oils - planes stay in plane sacks if they will not be used for a while and they sit on anti- rust paper i bought through lie nielsen when out in the open

I dont recommend wrapping in anything that will not let moisture out - should it get in


Remember that even dust if left on tools can cause spot rusting so you want your tools dusted every once in a while too

People in the shop regularly dont have to worry like this as the tools are not stagnant for long periods of time but for the rest of us bi weekly/monthly 30 minute warriors - we must be vigilant against moisture


Andy

[Zahid Naqvi]

Mathew, one option is to store tools, which remain unused for extended periods, inside your house. The internal climate control generally keeps temperature and humidity within a relatively narrow range.

[James Owen]

For good-quality gun safe type de-humidifiers, try Cabella's or Brownell's. They may be a bit more expensive than some other places, but will be high-quality, and both companies have good customer service.

[Jim Neeley]

For tools I really rarely expect to use (read as nearly never) I use a heavy coat of Boeshield anddon't wipe it off, as recommended by the manufacturer. Boeshield is essentially was in a solvent carrier that was developed by Boeing to prevent rust on aircraft equipment. When you do want to use it, another spray of Boeshield and the solvent dissolves the congealed wax and you're off to the races.

I've been using that on the cast iron table for a nice scrollsaw the LOML decided I couldn't do without. I put it on about 5 years ago and have stripped it off twice to use. The table looks as good as new.

Jim

[Bill White]

Before I had a climate controlled shop, I often used LPS 2.
Bill

[Matthew N. Masail]

All my stuff is inside my house for now, and will eventually be in a humidity controlled room, as I want to build classical and period guitars. can anyone recommend a good dehumidifier or rust prevention
agent that isn't too expensive?

[Niels Cosman]

I think this is pretty well covered. camillia or jojoba oil are just fine . I also use boeshield on my machines (including one's for glass grinding which are bathed in water), but more and more, i prefer spritz a little camilila because of the smell of the aerosol. Also, I have to say think it does a better job with lighter applications than boeshield. if you have a dedicated oil rag, brush, applicator pad a little oil goes a long way.

[Steve Friedman]

All my stuff is inside my house for now, and will eventually be in a humidity controlled room, as I want to build classical and period guitars. can anyone recommend a good dehumidifier or rust prevention
agent that isn't too expensive?
Matthew,

If your tools are in an enclosed cabinet, I am not sure you can beat something like a a "Goldenrod" dehumidifier. It is relatively inexpensive. A 12" rod emits 12 watts, so I assume it is the same amount of heat as a 12 watt lightbulb. From what I understand, the problem occurs when the temperature drops at night and moisture forms on the tools. The slight amount of heat keeps the temperature relatively uniform.

As for coatings, I typically use Conservator's wax, but if you really want super protection, there is a product called Slip-It that is excellent. Much messier than wax, but seems to be about as good as it gets.

Hope this helps.

Steve

[Matthew N. Masail]

I already ordered the conservators wax, I think I just get a Goldenrod too, it's doesn't get that cold around here so I think I'm ok.

[Robert Joseph]

T-9 sprayed on in a heavy coat and allowed to dry before packing. I'd skip the shrink/bubble wrap as well.

[Shawn Pixley]

Fighting the humidity is a losing battle on the beach. It never gets very cold here but you can count on high humidity and salt air. So fighting rust is a bit of an obsession with me. I find three things work the best.

1.) Everything is coated with boeshield, wax and/or camilla oil before being put away. INOX also works well.
2.) Everything goes in an enclosed space (drawer or cabinet) or is covered By a cover or protective cloth.
3.) If I am not using it, it gets put away. (this helps me on two fronts, a cleaner, better organized shop and less rust)

I still find some rust periodically but usually minor and related to finger prints. Even Marine Grade stainless steel rusts without a little maintenance.

[Derek Cohen]

Avoid any covering/container that does not "breath". These will trap moisture alongside the steel. Plastic wrappings are the worst.

It occurs to me that WD40 was designed to keep out moisture. I do not use it, however, but wonder if anyone has a comment about this? I do not have much of a problem with rust as I live in a dry climate.

Camilla oil has been effective, in my experience.

Mostly, I keep my tools around shavings and wood. These absorb moisture as well.

LV sell protective wrappings. Something else to look into.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Matthew N. Masail]

Derek I've never actually tested it closely but I use WD40 to loosen tight parts and it seems to last forever, maybe that's also because of the rust protection.

[Steve Friedman]

I already ordered the conservators wax, I think I just get a Goldenrod too, it's doesn't get that cold around here so I think I'm ok.
Good luck. I know it doesn't get that cold (my wife is Israeli), but the temperature in many parts of the country does drop dramatically at night. Unless, you're in an area with very low humidity, I believe it is the change in temperature that causes the problem.

Steve

[Matthew N. Masail]

Thanks Steve, it does get colder here at night.

[Curt Putnam]

I formed my opinions about rust control while off shore fishing in Southern California - which involves trips from overnight to 18 days - during which time your equipment is continuously exposed to salt spray. Those opinions were further tested when all my equipment sat unprotected except as noted below for 5 years in an unheated garage. All the tools that were protected with Corrosion-X made it through and those that were either unprotected or otherwise "protected" had mostly major rust. No connection, just satisfied user, etc.