Wrench lube

[rosewood]

Never seen any rust on my wrenches in my shop tool box. But just noticed the long handle set hanging on the end of the tool box had some rust. Had to break out the steel wool and clean up. What do you guys use to protect your hand tools from rust? Something that stays there, thinking wd40 won't be lasting. Remoil? Some kind of penetrating oil/lube??

Rosewood

 

[Big7]

Never seen any rust on my wrenches in my shop tool box. But just noticed the long handle set hanging on the end of the tool box had some rust. Had to break out the steel wool and clean up. What do you guys use to protect your hand tools from rust? Something that stays there, thinking wd40 won't be lasting. Remoil? Some kind of penetrating oil/lube??

Rosewood

There is some spray and bulk liquid we use in the Tool & Die and Injection Mold Tooling industry called SLIDE. That's the brand name and they have different formulations for different applications. i.e.- long term vs long term storage, etc..

There are several of them so you will have to read the descriptions to find out which one(s) suit your needs best.

This particular brand name is very expensive and for good reason. If it's out of budget, browse the web and put tool & die and injection mold and plastic mold in the search criteria to look for different brands. The stuff you find in those two industries will be the best next to Aerospace.

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

I uses CRC Marine Corrosion Inhibitor sprayed in the drawers, fluid film works as well, Corrosion X is excellent as well but tends to be more expensive than those two.

 

[sleepr71]

Wow,some of you must have big budgets ! How about just wipe them down with a clean rag,wet with a little clean oil? Unless they are left outdoors..I can’t imagine them rusting within months/years.(?) I’ve had some laying around in my shop for years..and they look just like I left them..

 

[rosewood]

Wow,some of you must have big budgets ! How about just wipe them down with a clean rag,wet with a little clean oil? Unless they are left outdoors..I can’t imagine them rusting within months/years.(?) I’ve had some laying around in my shop for years..and they look just like I left them..

I was just wondering what others do. I have really never treated mine, but never had rust issues. I fully insulated my shop, so humidity for the most part is never an issue, but I guess the wrenches hanging exposed pick up humidity from when the door is open on a humid day.

I went a head and wiped them down with some stuff called Zep 45 penetrating lube, sprayed on a paper towel and wiped. Still curious what others do.

I guess plain old motor oil would work also.

Maybe what I should do is get something like a gun and reel cloth and treat with some oil and just keep it handy to wipe down before putting up.

Thanks for the tips/suggestions,

Rosewood

 

[Lilly001]

I usually keep a cloth rag (I like the blue medical type) in an old coffee can on the workbench. I wipe as I’m putting tools away from a job.
The rag has whatever I’ve been using on it. Usually trans fluid or oil of some type and occasionally some grease. When it gets too bad I throw it away and start again.

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

Wow,some of you must have big budgets ! How about just wipe them down with a clean rag,wet with a little clean oil? Unless they are left outdoors..I can’t imagine them rusting within months/years.(?) I’ve had some laying around in my shop for years..and they look just like I left them..

Nitride barrels rust in my shop and so does tools wiped down with oil, I like my sk, wera and wiha stuff so 11 bucks is pretty cheap to keep them from rusting.

 

[rosewood]

Nitride barrels rust in my shop and so does tools wiped down with oil, I like my sk, wera and wiha stuff so 11 bucks is pretty cheap to keep them from rusting.

I am guessing you shop is not insulated? Metal building? My step dads shop was that way and everything in there is rusted. All of his tools in the tool box also. I claimed a set of offset craftsman wrenches and brought home is what got me cleaning up some tools and found my 1 "exposed" set needed to be wiped down. The only rust I typically find in my shop is on bare iron/steel surfaces such as drill press tables etc. Most chrome plated stuff is fine save that one wrench set hanging near the door.

I do plan to make a habit of wiping them down with a oily rag from now on rather than a dry one that I generally use.

Rosewood

 

[bullethead]

I keep a spray can of Silicone on the bench and occasionally give it a shot on an old piece of Tshirt to wipe the tools down with when putting them away. Cheap Super Tech or whatever the Dollar Store sells works fine. The rag eventually gets enough silicone in it that you might only need to refreshen it up 3x a year.

 

[transfixer]

My shop at home isn't climate controlled, so humidity can be an issue certain times of the year, since I rebuild transmissions, fluid is readily available, I also have a mineral spirits vat I clean parts in, usually a film of mineral spirits will prevent rust for a good while, but sometimes I'll dip tools in old transmission fluid and lay them on a couple rags and let them sit for a few days, then put them up,

At work they're constantly in mineral spirits or fluid, so its never a problem at work, even though with all the bay doors open it gets very humid sometimes in the shop

I store extra transmission gears and planetaries on my parts shelf at home, after dipping them in old fluid, and letting them drain, or sometimes will spray them down with lithium white lube

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

I am guessing you shop is not insulated? Metal building? My step dads shop was that way and everything in there is rusted. All of his tools in the tool box also. I claimed a set of offset craftsman wrenches and brought home is what got me cleaning up some tools and found my 1 "exposed" set needed to be wiped down. The only rust I typically find in my shop is on bare iron/steel surfaces such as drill press tables etc. Most chrome plated stuff is fine save that one wrench set hanging near the door.

I do plan to make a habit of wiping them down with a oily rag from now on rather than a dry one that I generally use.

Rosewood

Yes it's uninsulated but not metal, it's wood until bonus time in 24. Oil doesn't cut it with me, a nitrided 10mm ar barrel rusted in a couple of months

 

[rosewood]

Yes it's uninsulated but not metal, it's wood until bonus time in 24. Oil doesn't cut it with me, a nitrided 10mm ar barrel rusted in a couple of months

I didn't think nitrided would rust. Of course, lots of nitrided gun parts are actually stainless. Is that barrel nitrided steel?

Rosewood

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

I didn't think nitrided would rust. Of course, lots of nitrided gun parts are actually stainless. Is that barrel nitrided steel?

Rosewood

Nitrided chrome moly, and yes nitride will indeed rust