Thread: Preventing rust on newly dressed chisels

That is exactly the technique I use.

I also use the Ubeaut Traditional Wax on my hand saws, drill press table and it's vertical shaft, in fact pretty much anything with bare metal.

I know this is Melbourne, but we are only a few k's from the sea and some days one can smell the sea, or maybe seaweed when the wind blows our way and my new pushy was left outside for about three months and surface rust started on the handlebars, so we do have some accelerated conditions.

The hand saws are terrific to use with the wax on, they just glide through stuff.

Mick.

+1 for UTW, except I don't polish it off - thicker the better. And like Mick I use it on everything that can rust or tarnish (brass) - cast iron beds, plane bodies and blades, chisels, saws.

Me too.

Trad wax, don't buff.

I'm going to give the wax a go!

Another trick I picked up for tools that are not polished is to make up a some bitumen and turps, About 50/50. It does dry in a few days and I use it on non critical areas. I tested it a few years back on an old estwing hammer I found that was pretty rough. A very quick clean scrub with fine steel wool before I applied it and No rust at all as yet. I have a problem with condensation where I am.

It's a guess, but I think it would suit a mistreated bit if steel better. The rust leaves the surface a bit keyed for the bitumen to stick... Food for thought.

An old engineer put me on to it. He also suggested boiled linseed oil or/and penetrol for light surface rusted parts. His philosophy was to turn the rust into the protective layer.

I make my own concotion of white spirits, bees wax and mineral engine oil (the type isn't important). I melt these together in a double boiler making sure that it's still fuid at room temperature. I rub this onto my metal tools and when the white spirits evaporates, it leaves a film of bees wax and oil. When the bees wax is scratched, the engine oil flows in keeping it sealed. I use this on my taps, dies and collets and I have not had a speck or rust since doing this. You can substitute the bees wax with paraffin wax but it is not as good as it is more brittle.

Oh, and I also use a small desk fan to circulate the air in the workshop. Condensation is usually the cause of most rust and a little air circulation reduces condensation significantly.

Paul.

I wish a small fan would do it in my workshop! It's an old piggery with a lot of natural ventilation. In summer it's great but for 1 month in winter I get machinery sweat!

I have one area I'm going to try the fan trick out!

I usually put the fans directly on the machinery before it sweats in the mornings to keep them dry until they warm up.

Thanks for your suggestions everyone. In the end I put on thick coats of Ubeaut Traditional Wax without buffing or polishing, and covered them in their drawers with old cotton facewashers. I have found the facewashers tend to stop condensation too.

Pity, because I used to enjoy looking at the mirror shine on the bevel faces of these chisels all sitting neatly in a row

Originally Posted by Dengue

Pity, because I used to enjoy looking at the mirror shine on the bevel faces of these chisels all sitting neatly in a row

You now have something to look forward to when you next need to use them.