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Thread: Keeping Tools Rust Free - Wax or Oil?

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Austin Texas
    Posts
    1,957
    Erich I use Johnsons and buff it out with a soft rag reserved for that purpose. I don't believe it feels sticky or leave fingerprints after buffing. I have a small lot of the lightweight chi chi boutique oil from some exotic plant or nut that does work well but never seem to remember to use it. I just grab for the Johnsons that is readily visible. I don't apply/buff the wax after every use, but rather treat it like the table saw - do it when it feels like it needs it or no longer slick. My main source of rust is my sweat dripping onto the tools. Tools that are not used often seem to take a long time to show any signs of rusting. I have moved to using mostly wooden planes, so my older Stanleys tend to sit on a shelf for long periods of time and do not show signs of rusting.
    David

  2. #32
    Rust hasn't been an issue for my vintage planes, living in Albuquerque. But now that I have invested in a few Lie Nielsens I threw a bottle of jojoba on the order just in case.

  3. #33
    Lanolin is what you need, an oil that comes from sheep's wool, keeps rust away for sure!

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Itapevi, SP - Brazil
    Posts
    672
    I use motor oil for most cases. Singer machine oil for more delicate applications.

    Motor oil is on the bench in an oil pot (tin can with rags soaked in oil) and machine oil in a spray bottle.

    Works for me living in an unusually hot and humid climate (my home is ten kilometers from Tropic of Capricorn).

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Silicon Valley, CA
    Posts
    989
    My practice:
    wipe oil on all handtools at end of session to avoid corrosion
    johnson paste wax on cast iron surfaces on machines
    swipe beeswax on plane soles for friction.

    Do you run a fan to help reduce evaporate sweat?
    Sweat is pretty bad when left on handtools as is any moisture from the wood left on saws.
    I'd probably wipe down mid-session if I was noticing a lot of sweat on the tool.

    I'm interested in trying out the wax Rob Cosman swipes on his tools.
    (who can resist a name like "Rob Cosman's Plane Magic Wax"?)

    Other handtool lubricationists:
    - Roy Underhill's tallow box (a clever box for tallow to lubricate saw plates)
    - Paul Sellers rag-in-can-oiler
    - Chris Schwarz's (Deneb's?) super woobie

    Matt
    Last edited by Matthew Hills; 06-03-2020 at 8:48 AM.

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Peoria, IL
    Posts
    46
    I live in corn country Illinois and bought a small window AC years ago to deal with heat and humidity. Its still chugging along and runs continuously from May to ???. It takes 5 minutes of cleaning a small filter when needed. Treat yourself and solve your problem at the same time.

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Austin, TX
    Posts
    495
    I actually had a Mitsubishi mini-split system (1 ton) installed about 12 years ago. However I don't leave it on all the time. Just when I'm working in the garage.

    Th garage (my workshop) has insulated walls and ceiling, as well as an insulated garage door (which is the weakest link). The garage door of course isn't air tight (you can see light leaking through at the door and weatherstripping. But despite this it still seems to pick up the outdoor humidity levels pretty quickly (temperature seems to be moderated a good bit). Maybe the humidity gain isn't as rapid as I think, but tools left out and un-oiled will definitely start to slowly rust up. Maybe I should look into setting it up to run a few hours per day. Maybe that'll do the trick.
    Last edited by Erich Weidner; 06-09-2020 at 10:53 PM. Reason: typos

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