Tool Restoration 101

[Anonymous No.746727]

So I recently had to clean out my grandparent's house preparing for a move and I found a shitload of old tools from my grandfather. Pic related is just one of the many tools I've found. What is the preferred method to restore steel tools to looking good but keeping that antique vibe?

[Harry's Run Guy from /o/ No.746742]

Safestrustremover.com

That guy sells a product that will remove rust but not touch any original finishes or coatings

[Anonymous No.746747]

The preferred method is to disassemble all the tools, clean off any grease/dirt gunk, then soda blast all rust and paint off to bare gray steel.
Prime, then paint the tool handles. Reassemble all tools using oil/grease in hinges where necessary.
Finally give the remaining bare steel a spray with a light oil to protect the surfaces from rust.

[Anonymous No.746750]

>>746742

Looks like a good product. It seems like he says that it makes a rust resistant coating on the tool. Do you think it takes well to re-painting? I cant see anything on the site that says so.

[Anonymous No.746753]

>>746727
Just soak it in diesel

[Anonymous No.746754]

>>746747

Yeah that's what I imagined. The only issue with most of the tools is that a lot of them are riveted together so I can't break them down too far without cutting out the original rivets. I guess I'll try that rust remover >>746742
and see what it makes of it. Then blast what I can and repaint.

[Anonymous No.746755]

If you are going to put them to work I'd do what I do and free up the mechanisms by tossing anything with moving parts in a small bucket of diesel oil or give 'em a drench in cheap spray penetrant.

That Stillson wrench in the pic would be perfectly usable with a few minutes of wire brushing to knock the rust off, not neglecting the teeth in the wrench jaws.

You can make 'em pretty, or you can just keep the vibe and use them for their intended purpose for another several decades.

One very cool trick I found recently is to use motorcycle chain wax instead of ordinary spray oil.

[Anonymous No.746759]

>>746755

Well I do have a motorcycle so using chain wax is something that is easy for me. But I'm not trying to make them pretty, just continue its use from one garage to the next, that wrench in the pic is pretty rusty so just trying to spread the jaws is a job in itself.

[Anonymous No.746769]

>>746759
If you rotate the adjuster with a pair of visegrips while spray penetrating it that will eventually free it up.

[Anonymous No.746778]

>>746759
You did say you want them looking good though.
How good? Good but not pretty?

I say keep the old rusty look and slightly worn paint, only fix the parts that move with oil, wire brushing, elbow grease, etc as needed.

[Harry's Run Guy from /o/ No.746806]

>>746750

It doesn't form a rust resistant coating, what it does is it neutralizes and removes the existing rust. You need to oil the tool or use a degreaser and re paint it if you don't want it to re rust.

[Anonymous No.746813]

>>746778

a nice patina would be ideal. I'd like to use them but not have them look like total shit, just enough to show the age.

>>746806

ok great, as long as some paint will stick I'm fine with it.

[Anonymous No.747813]

I would just work some oil into everything until it works smoothly and wipe off the excess.

[Anonymous No.747817]

Electrolitic rust removal < google this.
Then clean withscrubbing cloth, oil, wipe off excess oil, polish. Or plate it if you feel like trying something fancy.

[Anonymous No.747832]

>>746727
I recently learned that a normal household de-calcifier is a perfect rust remover, it has to have some phosphoric acid (10 -15%) it does melt the steel but very very slightly, and it consumes the rust much much faster

[Anonymous No.747868]

>>747832
actually, try citric acid

[Anonymous No.748257]

Evaporust. You can get it at autozone or harbor freight. Wont touch the paint but will remove most of the rust. Use a scotch brite pad to get the loose stuff that the evaporust didn't get. Ive restored a whole pile of woodworking tools with this stuff. Much safer than any of the other chemicals.

[Anonymous No.748264]

>>747817
electrolysis works flawlessly.

[Anonymous No.748284]

>>746753
This.

Or WD40.

[Anonymous No.748288]

the cheapest method I found was just soaking the tool/part in white vinegar for a day or two. after that just wrote it dry and oil it
> pic related before

[Anonymous No.748290]

>>748288
>After on the right axe head

[Anonymous No.748291]

>>748290
Also that slight surface rust came right off after I wiped and oiled the head. I was eager to get it out and it the residue from the vinegar bath dried on it

[Anonymous No.748293]

>>748284
I second the WD40. I pick up old tools at yard sales/estate sales/auctions all the time and I will usually give them a good soaking of WD40 followed by a wipe down with a rag to remove any excess WD40.