To Clean or Not To Clean?

[jlh92]

I know cleaning and rust removal has been covered hundreds of times before but I think this warrants a new thread.

I've recently been wanting to reorganize my box and workbench area so I've pulled a bunch of my old tools out in the hopes of selling them and getting a few good, new socket and wrench sets.

I plan on putting everything up for sale on the classifieds here as I hate to deal with ebay unless I have to. I have a good variety of brands and sadly a bad variety of condition. Some of these tools are pretty rough.

For those of you that would be interested in vintage PowrKraft, Proto, Blackhawk, etc. would you rather have them cleaned up a bit or receive them as-is and clean them up yourself?

Also if I were to clean them would Evapo-rust for the chrome and lightly rusted pieces be best, and wire wheel for the non-chrome things?

 

[Uncle_Charlie]

I know cleaning and rust removal has been covered hundreds of times before but I think this warrants a new thread.

I've recently been wanting to reorganize my box and workbench area so I've pulled a bunch of my old tools out in the hopes of selling them and getting a few good, new socket and wrench sets.

I plan on putting everything up for sale on the classifieds here as I hate to deal with ebay unless I have to. I have a good variety of brands and sadly a bad variety of condition. Some of these tools are pretty rough.

For those of you that would be interested in vintage PowrKraft, Proto, Blackhawk, etc. would you rather have them cleaned up a bit or receive them as-is and clean them up yourself?

Also if I were to clean them would Evapo-rust for the chrome and lightly rusted pieces be best, and wire wheel for the non-chrome things?

Leave them dirty. If you clean them, you eliminate part of your potential customer base. You could offer to clean them if someone wanted to pay a few extra dollars for your time.

 

[twertsy]

Leave them dirty. If you clean them, you eliminate part of your potential customer base. You could offer to clean them if someone wanted to pay a few extra dollars for your time.

Wait, am I to understand someone on here is looking for dirty tools!!?? Please specify user names......have I got a deal for them [emoji41]

 

[jlh92]

Leave them dirty. If you clean them, you eliminate part of your potential customer base. You could offer to clean them if someone wanted to pay a few extra dollars for your time.

IMO it would work the other way around. Dirty/rusty tools should turn more buyers away than clean/somewhat less rusty tools.

I guess I'm basically asking if my crusty old tools would be worth cleaning up a bit or if I'd be better off just selling it all as-is for quite a bit less?

 

[Kirbot]

People get their ******* in a bunch around here over wire brushing tools.

I would just wipe the grime off, and sell them as is.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Clean dirt obviously. Don't clean as in "restore" or anything of the like.

 

[DennisH2014]

Personally I'd prefer them to be at least partially clean, as it saves me time and gives me a better idea of the actual condition of the tools. That said, for most chrome tools, give them a good rinse with water to start, to get off as much dirt and grime as possible; then you can just soak them in a vinegar/water solution for a few days, rinse 'em off, and lightly coat with marvel mystery oil to keep 'em safe and shiny!

 

[bagged89s10]

Just clean the grease and dirt off them and sell them.
No need to restore them.

 

[chadster1]

People get their ******* in a bunch around here over wire brushing tools.
.

People get their ******* in a bunch over a lot more than that.

 

[mikebaker1129]

I usually clean them up myself, it is half the fun in getting an old locked up ratchet into working condition again.