How do you protect your hand saws?

[Scott Flamm]

I recently received some great back saws from Mark Harrell over at Bad Axe Toolworks. I got them just before I went on a 10 day business trip so after unpacking and drooling over them I put them on a shelf in my house where they would be safe while I was gone. When I got back I noticed that some rust was starting to appear on the blades albeit very minor. So I quickly took care of it and put some camellia oil on them. So the question I have is what method do other people use/recommend for preventing rust on their saws and maintenance in general?

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Here are some photos of me and my boys and our saws.

[Mike Holbrook]

We are talking new steel here so we don't want to get rough. Never Dull, wadding polishing compound to remove small issues & polish. Renaissance, Micro-Crystalline Wax, for final polish and protection "By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen". Then you might want to consider making a saw till to keep your saws in, to keep moisture attracting dust and small prying hands off. Never Dull & Renaissance Wax are both available at Highland Woodworking, and I am sure other stores selling quality tools.

[Chris Vandiver]

Johnson's Paste wax

[Christian Castillo]

Boeshield, keeps the saws slick too.

[David Weaver]

Beeswax or paste wax and use. Best way to keep tools from rusting is to use them, I guess.

On a new saw like that, you'll have a little more work to do keeping them rust free (i.e., you'll have to pay closer attention) than you would an older saw with patina.

[Jacob Nothstine]

+1 Johnson's Paste wax - I put this on all my tools in my garage works great.

[george wilson]

Children tend to have pretty moist hands. Some adults do,too. I'd keep such hands off the blades.

When ever I have a visitor who has moist feeling hands in my shop,I am going around and oiling every bare steel surface that they touch.

My own hands are quite neutral and dry,possibly from years of wood working and getting linseed oil on them,but some people will rust everything they touch. I had an apprentice who rusted all my steel rules and vises.

[John Coloccia]

Same with guitar finishes too. Some people seem to sweat lacquer thinner. Other people, like me, can handle a guitar forever with no ill effects.

I'd do mineral oil over Camellia oil to be honest. The Camellia oil seems to gum everything up after a while, including the stupid pump it comes in, and I see absolutely no advantage over mineral oil.

[Mike Allen1010]

+1 for paste wax, especially with the new tool.

As a daily routine, a couple swipes with a block of paraffin canning wax, "thinned" with a little WD-40 and wipe with a rag will keep saws rust free and running smooth. I have three or four blocks of paraffin wax scattered in different places all over the shop to make sure they're always close at hand.

Mike

[David Weaver]

I'd do mineral oil over Camellia oil to be honest. The Camellia oil seems to gum everything up after a while, including the stupid pump it comes in, and I see absolutely no advantage over mineral oil.


Ditto that, and I get the sense that some stuff sold as camellia oil has a mineral oil base, anyway. That's just my guess, though.

A farrier's supply place will have mineral oil for about $12 per gallon, and it's useful for other things, like mixing with beeswax.

[Scott Flamm]

Thanks for all of the replies. I used the camelia oil because that is what was handy at the time, but I will put some wax on them when I get home. They will get there first real use this weekend (I am in the process of building a new workbench).

[Jim Matthews]

Get one of these (http://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Knife-Care-Storage-P408C59.aspx), for whichever oil you choose. The red cap makes it easy to find.
A quick swipe before you put things away, and you'll be good to go.

Is that the 16 inch Jack? That's my go-to for a surprising amount of my cutting.
It's especially good for a starter kerf when making long rips - these things track like they're on rails.

I made a little cantilevered holder for my saws and commonly used bench tools. It is suspended off the back of the bench, with a slot for my two backsaws.
They're within reach, out of the pathway so I can't bump into them, and can't fall. These things are tough, but I don't want to spend more time sharpening itty-bitty teeth.

jim
wpt, ma

[Zahid Naqvi]

Am I the only one who does nothing to protect his tools? I've never applied anything to my saws (granted everything I have is restored older saws) or hand planes (which are mostly restored Stanley's or wooden planes, the only shiny plane I have is a Clifton shoulder plane purchased from The Schwarz when he was thinning his herd). I really never have nay rust problems, everything is out in the open in a garage and gets moved around a lot. The only time I had any rust on my tools was when I was forced to store them in a nonairconditioned storage for a year.

[John Coloccia]

Am I the only one who does nothing to protect his tools? I've never applied anything to my saws (granted everything I have is restored older saws) or hand planes (which are mostly restored Stanley's or wooden planes, the only shiny plane I have is a Clifton shoulder plane purchased from The Schwarz when he was thinning his herd). I really never have nay rust problems, everything is out in the open in a garage and gets moved around a lot. The only time I had any rust on my tools was when I was forced to store them in a nonairconditioned storage for a year.

I generally do nothing. I just recommend mineral oil over camellia oil these days if someone is so inclined to oil something.

[george wilson]

Zahid,you had "Nay rust problems"? I didn't know you were Scottish!!:)

[christopher thomas]

Howdy,
After use, I wipe down all my LN back backsaws/bench planes with Camellia oil. I then wrap the saws with Uniwrap and the bench planes all go in the LN plane socks.
I find this combination to be very, very effective in the every-changing humidity of the Chicagoland area. Though, if I'm not careful, the chemistry of my own sweat — a single drop — will quickly leave a rust spot on the saw plate or plane iron. Yikes! I just wipe down my LN chisels and they go in the leather tool wrap.
Kind Regards,
Christopher

[Sean Richards]

I just wipe down my LN chisels and they go in the leather tool wrap

Depending on the tanning process used that is a good way to get rusty tools right there ...

[Zach Dillinger]

Wooden planes = no rust. One reason I love them! If you keep your irons honed and in use, no chance for any important rust there either. I just clean the chips / shavings / dust out of them when I'm done, and I'm happy. My hands are always dry (sometimes causing problems like cracking / bleeding in the winter) so I don't rust tools just by touching them. I guess I got lucky. Besides keeping my tools clean, the only rust-preventing steps I've taken is to store all of my tools in my large tool chests and to keep somewhat fresh silica packets in the chisel trays. Every time my wife buys shoes (frequently...) I snag the packets and change them out.

[David Weaver]

I think with metal planes, if you have a plane that you have to clean rust off of often, it's a sign of two things (not talking about premium new planes):
1) the patina should've been left on the plane
2) it's not getting used enough and it's time to sell or encase it in something

I have been putting a very thin coat of shellac on the sides of metal planes (except the bottom of course). If they're used, the bottom will never get anything appreciable on it, anyway. The shellac might look a little ugly, but it's easy to get off of the plane, and there will be no rust with it on.

[Jim Matthews]

Am I the only one who does nothing to protect his tools? I was forced to store them in a nonairconditioned storage for a year.

What's the relative humidity in Plano?
As I recall, it's arid - not exactly rust-o-genic...

I even look at cast iron in my damp basement, and the rust blooms.

[Trevor Walsh]

I usually protect my saws with a bat, but I think this is another reason we have the second amendment, if you so choose.

[David Weaver]

I usually protect my saws with a bat

Does it keep the insect level down in your shop, too?

[Trevor Walsh]

Yes, but unfortunately also tends to dent things. My friend once spent 6 hours laying on the floor of my shop because a mosquito landed on his forehead in the midst of conversation. He made a full recovery.

[christopher thomas]

Should mention that the chisels are usually wrapped with Uniwrap inside the tool wrap.
Best,

[Zahid Naqvi]

Zahid,you had "Nay rust problems"? I didn't know you were Scottish!!:)
that was a test to check if people read my posts, you get an A ;-)

Jim, that might be one of the reasons. But before moving to Dallas/Plano I lived in Arkansas, which can be very humid in winters, for about 10 yrs (5 of which involved woodworking) and really had minimal rust issue. I think the key in my case was good ventilation (garage) and having fewer tools so everything got used frequently.

[christopher thomas]

Last summer I left my LN #7 out overnight in the our air-conditioned living room. Yikes! Next morning the plane iron/breaker were covered with rust. Rust had also started to form on the sole. I sweat like mad — a sweat with a funky chemistry. One little drop on my LN 16" tenon saw left rust/blemish/whatever in a mater of 30 minutes.
Kind Regards,
Christopher

[Jim Matthews]

"Now, when I nod my head... you hit i (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cHjtpw-5c0&feature=related)t." -

Here's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAk45aCKglg) why shop classes were defunded in public schools - the original Moskeeter Deleeter.