Preventing rust on hand tools near saltwater

dave*99 · Jun 2, 2017

So here is the question - I have a typical roller cabinet full of typical mechanics hand tools located in a garage near the shore on the east coast.

Of course they rust. I'd like to hear your experiences with protecting tools in this environment. There are a broad range of products to pick from, and I've used a few.

WD-40, CRC 5-56, LPS and some others. I read about CorrosionX, MaxX and a few others. There are wet products, dry products, products that go on wet and dry to a film etc.

So what works best for hand tools that don't get used often? Which spray can or squirt bottle can full of magic works for you?

PelicanPines · Jun 2, 2017

Fluid film.
Oily rags.
Dehumidifier packets.

Remove rust quickly if found.

I'm very close to the ocean... I have a few tools... almost no rust issues.

isb cornbinder · Jun 2, 2017

I can see the Georgia Straight salt water from here. I keep an ATF dampened shop cloth in each toolbox and wipe my tools clean as I put them away. I've been doing this since the 1960s.
I bought a 30 litre Ultrasonic parts cleaner just for cleaning my tools. The tools come out of the cleaning quite warm. I dry the tools with shop air and give the tools a wipe with the ATF cloth.

Jess · Jun 2, 2017

I have a shop on an island 200ft from the ocean. Over the years, I have had little rust as the building is tight and dry. Table saw, etc are rust free with an occasional wipe of a ligt wax, buffed dry. In my roller cabinet, I placed a few Zerust stick on packs and they have worked well until I ran out of them. Now, I just clean and WD40 wipe the stuff that's been out of the cabinet. I would check the humidity in your building as that will be contributing to the issue.

rlitman · Jun 2, 2017

I have a basement machine shop with major humidity issues and a garage full of tools on Long Island. I'm maybe a mile from the water, though I wouldn't say we get true salt air (you need to be within a block of the water to get that).

Fluid film is good, though a bit thick. I use paste wax on the tablesaw and iron tables like that. G96 Gun Treatment is my choice of anti-corrosion oil. It seems to outlast everything else I've tried, especially for tools stored in drawers.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DD5TL/?tag=atomicindus08-20

PelicanPines · Jun 2, 2017

rlitman said:
I have a basement machine shop with major humidity issues and a garage full of tools on Long Island. I'm maybe a mile from the water, though I wouldn't say we get true salt air (you need to be within a block of the water to get that).

Fluid film is good, though a bit thick. I use paste wax on the tablesaw and iron tables like that. G96 Gun Treatment is my choice of anti-corrosion oil. It seems to outlast everything else I've tried, especially for tools stored in drawers.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DD5TL/?tag=atomicindus08-20

10,000 th post dude... congrats...

rlitman · Jun 2, 2017

PelicanPines said:
10,000 th post dude... congrats...

Damn! I signed up to this site in 2010, and wore out one keyboard in that time.

OneOfEm · Jun 2, 2017

For older tools, after I clean them up I wipe them down with boiled linseed oil. It does a great job of protecting everything but the wear points.

6PTsocket · Jun 2, 2017

PelicanPines said:
Fluid film.
Oily rags.
Dehumidifier packets.

Remove rust quickly if found.

I'm very close to the ocean... I have a few tools... almost no rust issues.

I have used Boeshield and before that the Starret stuff. After seeing constant mention of Fluid Film, I bought a can. I have read of people spraying the underside of their car where a little oily, grease is probably OK but if you spray it on hand tools for anything but storage it is too greasy to use with out wiping it down. Boeshield drys to a wax and you can wipe it down to a smooth film that does not get on everything. I use it on all my machined table tops, drill press, jointer, etc. My question is, what do you do with that greasy lanolin mess when you want to use the tool? Is there still protection if you do a lot of wiping? I am pretty close to the beach, too.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

PelicanPines · Jun 2, 2017

6PTsocket said:
I have used Boeshield and before that the Starret stuff. After seeing constant mention of Fluid Film, I bought a can. I have read of people spraying the underside of their car where a little oily, grease is probably OK but if you spray it on hand tools for anything but storage it is too greasy to use with out wiping it down. Boeshield drys to a wax and you can wipe it down to a smooth film that does not get on everything. I use it on all my machined table tops, drill press, jointer, etc. My question is, what do you do with that greasy lanolin mess when you want to use the tool? Is there still protection if you do a lot of wiping? I am pretty close to the beach, too.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

I use fluid film on anything I tow with my yard tractor, box blade, 4 wheel trailer, etc... I spray the spinning parts and undercarriage.

I also spray the posts on my two drill presses... One press is setup for metal (slow speed) with an x-y table... that sucker is coated with fluid film... I also have the table covered with an oiled rag.

I got that drill press/ x-y table from a friend after their divorce... it was covered in a layer of rust... spent a week taking it apart and cleaning it. I used machine oil on it till I found out about Fluid Film.

All that said... I FREAKING HATE THE SMELL of fluid film. I spray it... i'm gone for a day.

Most recently I purchased a new cub cadet XT2 fab deck tractor... I liberally sprayed some of the joints and parts under... Stayed away from the rear end...

M3Pilot · Jun 4, 2017

Try camphor blocks in toolbox drawers.

mbshop · Jun 4, 2017

A lot of great ideas. Lived in Hawaii with little issues as I basically left my tools oily. Now I live in a no rust zone and things still rust. I just use lps2 or some sort of oil. Atf is a good choice. I also use 3 in 1 oil and it has so far been doing its job.

roc_on_the_rocks · Jun 4, 2017

Buy a Chrysler. You'll wrench it so often that your tools won't have a chance to rust.

scooby074 · Jun 4, 2017

LPS2 Great smell. Not a heavy oil. a light spray then wipe residue off.

Also there are anti-corrosion papers that you could line your drawers with also little pucks that emit anti corrosion chemicals.

I just use LPS on the occasional stuff that might rust. Most of my tools get a regular bath in oil during use anyway.

Dr Stan · Jun 4, 2017

OneOfEm said:
For older tools, after I clean them up I wipe them down with boiled linseed oil. It does a great job of protecting everything but the wear points.

Keep in mind a rag containing boiled linseed oil can easily self ignite.

My favorite is LPS #3.

yhprum · Jun 5, 2017

Get some camphor blocks for your toolbox. As they evaporate it leaves a light oily film that stops rusting.

lostmymanual · Jun 5, 2017

I work on the ocean (I live in Ks and work offshore on a ship; it's a little odd). Rust is just part of doing business. Generally my tools end up rusted because of sweat through my leather pocket tool pouches rather than the salt water surrounding us. I found the ones that held up better where the tools that were exposed to motor oil from our old Diesel Generators. *We know they're runnin' okay because they're leakin' just fine.

I used to use WD40/Kroil mine at home but even in the Midwest, they were rusting. Then I realized we were having problems with our tap and dies rusting even though they had all been thoroghly saturated in Kroil and/or "Tap Magic" (depending on small size and use). Now I just wipe my tools down with the rags I use during oil changes. This; of course, doesn't apply to folks that are afraid to get a little oil on their hands because its "bad for you".

I quit using linseed oil at home because of the fire hazard and the PITA it was to deal with while trying to dry it and dealing with dust in the Midwest. Now I'm a polyurathane and forget it kind of guy for the most part. I've seen plenty of things spontaneously combust in my career and don't need that headache. I'm also very conscious of the fact that mixed chemicals can surprise you. I keep a keep a steel bucket and lid in my shop that I use to collect scrap/drop metal, slag and sometimes sketchy rags I've used for cleanup until I know they're benign. Usually this is where my paint brush cleanup rags go to die for awhile until it's metal work time.

Motor oil does the trick for me. In the house, I also keep some light tools in a quick grab bag that I dropped campher blocks into. I bought quite a few of these along with a humidity heating rod for my gunsafe. It doesn't take much heat to keep them dry. Just a couple degrees above ambient kills the humidity in non-ventilated spaces. There's tons of good options out there.

allenb12 · Jun 5, 2017

I use to live 1 block to the ocean in Daytona Beach. Tools I had owned for 30 years had no rust when I moved there. Within a year rust was forming on some of them. They were kept in a typical roller cabinet with the lid shut inside my garage. Nothing I tried was a long term solution. It wasn't just tools. Anything metal was rusted in a short time. Air conditioner would only last 5 to 6 years.

rattle_snake · Jun 5, 2017

No advice from the desert but my weather equipment calculated a dew point of 13F below zero yesterday.

I use muriatic acid when I want to rust something, works great.

dave*99 · Jun 7, 2017

allenb12 said:
I use to live 1 block to the ocean in Daytona Beach. Tools I had owned for 30 years had no rust when I moved there. Within a year rust was forming on some of them. They were kept in a typical roller cabinet with the lid shut inside my garage. Nothing I tried was a long term solution. It wasn't just tools. Anything metal was rusted in a short time. Air conditioner would only last 5 to 6 years.

When I moved in the AC unit was trashed. Destroyed by salt. The contractor said expect 10 years of life on the new unit.

I'm encouraged by some of the suggestions I received. Not expecting perfect results.

bdamico · Jun 7, 2017

from coast of Fl -- answer is move

metalmagpie · Jun 8, 2017

I keep my hand tools submerged in way oil.

LOL

I vote for CRC 3-36 and whoever is using WD-40 for rust protecting is sadly misguided. WD-40 is good for what it was made for - displacing water.

metalmagpie

mrborohachi · Jun 8, 2017

Fluid Film, I've been using this exact style of grout sealer applicator bottle. When the brush gets dirty just give it a blow off with your air gun. Mine came with a clear cap for that covers the brush section when not in use. What I love about it is when I need a liberal amount I just unscrew the brush section.

lostmymanual · Jun 10, 2017

I should add that if you aren't using a liner in metal toolbox drawers, it won't take long for them to make it through powdercoat and start the galvanic corrosion process. Then of course, rust is contagious once it begins.

matt_i · Jun 10, 2017

I don't live close to the ocean but a wooden toolbox does a far better job of preventing corrosion, all other factors being equal, than a metal one.

Fueler · Jun 12, 2017

I have had excellent results on my equipment, tools and guns with this stuff.
http://www.gibbsbrandlubricant.com/

I generally get the best price buying from some implement dealer on Ebay.

Preventing rust on hand tools near saltwater

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