For the Love of Rust

[Jim Koepke]

Or maybe there is a psychiatric explanation for accumulating stuff.

400749

For me the main part was the piece for a pipe clamp. One of my purchases awhile ago was of a pipe clamp that was missing this piece.

The little punch item seems to work well for marking centers on hinge holes.

The saw looks like it may be good with a new handle. The plate looks to be ~0.020.

The spoke shave was on the bench being used. it was found a few months ago.

jtk

[Stew Denton]

Hi Jim,

We are sick.....sick.....sick!!!! That is the psychological explanation! It's that simple.

Clearly a psychiatric problem, and apparently a lot of us on this site have exactly the same psychosis. Birds of a feather flock together!

The thinking that creates this sever sickness, I think, is "I want the high quality woodworking tools, and am willing to trade sweat equity for dollars saved, but in some cases there is not modern high quality equivalent available." Obviously thinking from the lunatic fringe(?)

I bought some of my old rust when I was young and could not afford anything else. Hand saws could be bought almost for a song at garage sales when I was young, as was my Stanley #80 scraper, etc. I was sick...sick....sick then, and have never recovered from that sickness....never was healed. It is an incredibly sad story.....

I think that in some cases the old rust we can restore, and a LOT of us have done just that, can be 50 to 90% cheaper than the new tools of equivalent quality, but to bring out the hidden beauty under the rust we have to go the sweat equity route. It is a sickness!

Jim, I know I have that psychosis......and I fear that .....you.....may have it too......I hope not.......but......(?) (Please do not be offended!)

Me, I guess I am just plane cheap, that may be part of the psychological explanation. Also I may never get the tools I THINK are needed unless I buy the old rust for a lot less $. I guess I will never forget when I worked for $1.25 an hour.
Like I said....sick....sick....sick....and lots of us!

Where are my pills......help......I need my shrink.....AHHHHHHHHH

Stew

[steven c newman]

Methinks there is something in rust that makes it addicting...:rolleyes:

[Matt Mattingley]

I personally Love and hate rust. This drill press is my daily user. It has an arc of shame, The column is the way I got it two years ago. Surface rust holds oil’s 10 times better. Rusty old machines always get a cheaper price. If you’re a vintage guy, rust is part of the game.

[Phil Mueller]

I don’t hit too many estate sales these days, but when I do and see anything of interest at the right price, it usually comes home with me. Not that I need them, it’s just more that I hate to think a decent tool may end up in a trash bin.

A recent estate sale I just couldn’t drive by, yielded these three Greenlee chisels and a gouge, and a “cute” C-clamp. The requisite paint covering the handles cleaned up easily enough. All for $5, just couldn’t leave them there.

400844

[James Pallas]

In looking at this thread I started to think about how many tools I have actually owned from new and worn out. Not many in actual. A few chisels, some end wrenches, sockets, ratchets, hack saw frames, hammers. Power tools go quicker, either parts become not available, broken frames, electrically done. The rust market is a place of great value. I own and have owned and given away many tools. At least 50% of which had come from the rust market. How many here have worn out a tool? It may be your very neighbor that has a set of 750s or perfect plane that is just sitting there waiting for you.
Jim

[lowell holmes]

When I saw your post, I was thinking it would be about resurrecting a rust bucket Disston handsaw. I have a D7, D8, and a D12 among others.
I make and put new handles and saw nuts on them, giving them new life. You can read the etches on them.
Of course Disston never put curly maple handles on them. Can you imagine the puzzlement when a woodworker finds them 100 years from now?:)

[Jim Koepke]

I don’t hit too many estate sales these days, but when I do and see anything of interest at the right price, it usually comes home with me. Not that I need them, it’s just more that I hate to think a decent tool may end up in a trash bin.

A recent estate sale I just couldn’t drive by, yielded these three Greenlee chisels and a gouge, and a “cute” C-clamp. The requisite paint covering the handles cleaned up easily enough. All for $5, just couldn’t leave them there.

400844

Those chisels and clamp would likely have come home with me too. Greenlee made some fine chisels.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

I will sand rusty tools with 220 grit sandpaper and then coat them with Johnson floor wax.
It cleans them and prevents future rust. Galveston County Texas is a haven for rust.
I periodically wipe them with a fine layer of wax.