Thread: *Gasp* Painting tools...

Originally Posted by IanW

Don't know what most do, Andrew, but I ignore it!

Some of my oldies haven't a skeric of japanning left on them, & most bear at least a few scars. Thankfully, none of them has rusted or pitted significantly (I guess the oxidised surface from casting is a protection in itself). I wire-brush off any loose stuff & apply some paste-wax. Way bck, I would slather them with oil & wipe it off, but wax seeems to be as good or better at rust prevention, & doesn't leave any gummy residues. By keeping the tools in a closed cupboard, no further deterioration seems to happen. If you live close to the sea or in a particularly challenging environment, it's another story, of course, & something more permanent may be called for.

So as far as I'm concerned, the question of what to recoat them with (or not)is one for the next owner to ruminate on...

Cheers,

Ian & Andrew,
painting planes is one of the topics that seem to get blood pressure rising, like the bevel up "v" bevel down, strop "v" don't strop...and on it goes....
I've painted one plane, and never done another because I believe my time is just to valuable to waste on that kind of thing. I can't find time to do the things that I really want to do. Now, if you like painting planes, then for you that is amongst the things that are not a waste of time, but valuable time spent.
Good luck to those doing it, and I hope they enjoy it as much as I enjoy my part in the tool world.

I don't care what an antique plane looks like if I'm using it, I'm much more interested in performance than looks.
When I make a plane or a tool to use, I like to make nice looking ones and use them. If you are going to the effort to make a tool and you enjoy doing it, you might as well make them so you like the look of them.
If I want a really nice old tool in my collection, the last thing I want is a re-painted one. One of the criteria I believe should be the most important in tool collecting is originality. ( that's not to say that people shouldn't make a collection of repainted planes.. like I said before, good luck to them).
The chance of a perfectly finished antique plane having it all stripped of and repainted is pretty remote, so I just can't get offended by the re-painters. They don't put in jeopardy what I like.
For me, it's just a curious waste of time that some people enjoy...like opera or ballet...or break-dancing...perhaps worst of all...growing & roasting pumpkin...the list is endless.

And I'm not so naive as to think there aren't people out there who believe my obsessions are a bit of a concern. Most of us don't even need to leave our own 4 walls to find that opinion
Regards,
Peter