What is the best oil to use when cleaning up metal planes? Something to protect the metal part but not go stickey.
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What is the best oil to use when cleaning up metal planes? Something to protect the metal part but not go stickey.
Camellia oil (also known as tea tea oil) gives some protection and doesn't go sticky. Nor does it affect finishes. However it needs to be reapplied from time to time, or rust will get through.
Cheers, Vann.
The original Thompson's Water Seal used to be paraffin dissolved in a solvent. It would leave a micro film of wax on my metal tools that was not sticky, and would prevent rust until it was worn off the next time I used it.
Thompson's has changed their formulation, but I make my own now. I buy some tolulene or xylene, put it in a plastic sprayer, and add some canning paraffin wax. The wax dissolves, and I spray everything I don' t want to rust: table saw, planes, chisels, etc.
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Vann's suggestion of Camelia oil is very traditional with Japanese woodworkers. If you don't live in an area that has a sea air component (or a saltwater swimming pool in the backyard); it works very well.
Unfortunately I have the aforementioned problems. I use Jojoba oil. It's just a little thicker than Camelia oil.
markharrison
I have the impression that Jojoba oil is a very good and versatile product (the best shaving gel I ever tried had a Jojoba oil component) but is it expensive?
Regards
Paul
I use paraffin, it never sticks because it does not oxidize, it's basically wax in liquid form.
I don't think so. An 8oz bottle lasted me just shy of four years and it cost $19 from Lie-Nielsen. I've just opened a new one.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bushmiller
light mineral oil (same effectiveness as camelia or jojoba oil, but the same price for a pint as camelia oil is per ounce).
There's a simple reason that woodworking retailers wouldn't sell something like light mineral oil (kitchen supply places sell food safe versions for meat slicers, etc) - it doesn't cost much and you can easily buy it elsewhere.
mid-weight mineral oil is easily found here (unscented) for babies as "baby oil", about a sixth or eighth of the price as camelia oil and at least as effective for rust prevention.
Wax mixed with the oil is a better idea for longer protection of non-wear areas on a tool, especially if it will sit idle for more than a short period of time.
What type of wax though? paraffin?Quote:
Originally Posted by D.W.
any brand of furniture wax. Johnson, Minwax, briwax here all work fine (not sure what the brands may be there). No reason to make it difficult.Quote:
Originally Posted by riverbuilder
Wax will pretty much keep anything from rusting here for months as long as it's not literally drops of water falling on the tool.
I'm sure every magazine article would at this point say "no automotive waxes".
Beeswax and mineral oil mix is a good non-drying choice for the same thing - 50/50 mixed in a double boiler (ends up being similar to lip balm). More oil if softer is needed, less if not. Benefit vs. the drying furniture waxes is that it doesn't stink and is completely non-toxic (plus you can use it on chapped hands and lips).
When living on the edge of the rainforest in Cairns the only thing that would work for rust prevention is "renaissance wax" a little goes a very long way, not sticky or messy.
I guess it depends on where you live and how much ambient humidity there is.
I live by salt water (100m to waters edge) and EVERYTHING here rusts, indoors & out. The best thing I have found is FerroPak G-15. This is an Australian product from Australian Inhibitor - Melbourne based company - but I believe its re-branded from one of Daubert Cromwell's products - most likely their Nox-Rust 7100
Carbatec sell G-15.
G15 Liquid Corrossion Inhibitor | Rust Prevention Spray
https://daubertcromwell.com/wp-conte...ls_English.pdf