I have kids....Nuff said?

Paradise Ridge · Aug 3, 2006

My question is, how to clean rusty tools.

I set up a toolbox for the wife and kids to use, but it seems easier to go get a "good" tool from dad’s toolbox than use the ones I gave them. Bear in mind that my wife will use my good 300 dollar kitchen knives to unscrew a rusty regular head screw in the basement.

So, several of my good tools have been left out in the elements and developed a healthy coat of rust before I got to them. It's really depressing to open a drawer in my toolbox and see a perfectly good pair of Klein wire strippers with a coat of rust on them.

What do you guys do to clean up a rusty tool? I've tried running them thru my blast cabinet then oiling, but they look like I ran them thru the blast cabinet and then oiled them.

Any ideas? I'm not the only wife that has a wife with keys to the shop!

Scott

the intimidator · Aug 3, 2006

I would use some wd-40 and some 000 steel wool it will remove all the rust and shouldnt hurt the surface to much if it is painted.

boiler7904 · Aug 3, 2006

Paradise Ridge said:
Any ideas? I'm not the only wife that has a wife with keys to the shop!

Your wife may have keys to the shop, but does she keys to your toolbox(es)? Tools that aren't available can't be destroyed.

My other thought is to buy them a set of tools (that they pick out)that they will want to use instead of looking for your stuff right away.

You need to start looking at preventative measures, not corrective measures.

dink · Aug 3, 2006

boiler7904 said:
Your wife may have keys to the shop, but does she keys to your toolbox(es)? Tools that aren't available can't be destroyed.

My other thought is to buy them a set of tools (that they pick out)that they will want to use instead of looking for your stuff right away.

You need to start looking at preventative measures, not corrective measures.

I agree with this statement....first things first...lock the tool boxes and hide the keys

Elky · Aug 3, 2006

there are a few products out there now for getting rid of rust.
i have used stuff called Evaporust..http://www.evaporust.com/

works great.
i think eastwood might have something similar.

justinmc · Aug 3, 2006

dink said:
I agree with this statement....first things first...lock the tool boxes and hide the keys

Ditto that... lock your boxes. Set their "set" out... but at least buy them some decent stuff. I mean craftsman stuff isn't that expensive on closeout or on sale.

HighOctane · Aug 3, 2006

Ya buy your wife and kids a little set of tools for them and lock up your good tools.

For your rusty tools try WD-40 and the finest sandpaper you have and it should take off the layer of rust and shouldn't damage the paint.

Good-Luck!

eschoendorff · Aug 3, 2006

Guys...

If you read his original post, he did indeed setup a toolbox for his wife and kids.

That being said, I have also had luck with very fine sand paper or a wire bruch on a dremel tool. Instead of WD-40, I prefer to use CorrosionX. Keep in mind that any abrasive that you use on a tool will cause a cosmetic effect. The only real way around this is to simply buy new tools.

Wile1Coyote · Aug 3, 2006

Naval Jelly 20 Min, rinse off then lightly oil with like a sewing machine oil or wd-40.

Naval Jelly is avaialble at any decent hardware.

justinmc · Aug 3, 2006

Wile1Coyote said:
Naval Jelly 20 Min, rinse off then lightly oil with like a sewing machine oil or wd-40.

Naval Jelly is avaialble at any decent hardware.

HOWEVER........ make sure you wear full eye and skin protection including full sleeves and watch your neck. That stuff is NASTY...

Wile1Coyote · Aug 4, 2006

Good point, it does contain sulfuric acid so you don't want to touch it. But it works! Thanks for pointing that out Justin

imported_banzaitoyota · Aug 5, 2006

http://www.safestrustremover.com/overview.asp

They have online ordering

And it has worked for me!

Grim Reaper · Aug 5, 2006

couple gallon of water, Washing powder, couple feet of wire, chunk of stainless and a battery charger. Removes all the rust even in the hinge. Then a nice coat of MACHINE OIL.

WD 40 is ****. It evaporates. If you need a penetrating oil get PB Blaster. WD 40 has almost no better lubrication property then spit. It is for drying out distributor caps and not good for much else other then helping remove adhesives.

http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/rust/electrolytic_derusting.htm

Big pad lock to resolve the rest of the problem.

ironroad 9c1 · Aug 9, 2006

Just tell em there tools are yours ,and not to use em ..lol they will be all over em .

428 · Aug 15, 2006

Run some car parts through the dishwasher, use you kids favorite toy as a hammer. Use their stuff instead of yours.
Use your wifes purse as a tool bag, (just not around the guys though)

stimpy · Aug 15, 2006

got some tools for the wife, best trade I made to date ...

SloppyDogDrool · Aug 17, 2006

Yes, lock the tool box. I'm working on building a garage and setting things up nicely of which will consist of a wife and kids tool box. It's a grief factor for me. I don't buy cheap **** because I don't want grief from my tools. I want them to work and be where they should be when I need them.

As for your rust, I would use Lighting Strip. http://www.lightningstrip.com/rust.htm
Be careful, this is some wicked stuff! It will definitely eat into concrete, paint, and will eventually dissolve small metal parts if you let them soak. Rubber gloves, goggles and good ventilation.

Then maybe you have more than a couple items? You can do like I did and take them to a local metal plater that runs zinc and have them zink plated. I've taken items with plastic and rubber on them and have had no problems. They say you might or might not melt the plastic. To barrel roll some parts or tools in zinc will probably be a flat fee of around $50.

Good luck!

997.3okie · Aug 20, 2006

Look into the recommendation from Grim Reaper. Electrolytic Rust removal does work and depending on your hobbies you will find more things to use it on. If nothing else the process makes for an interesting read.

z28toz06 · Aug 22, 2006

I buff them off with a wire wheel. You can then degrease them, heat them up in an oven or with a heat gun and then use some birchwood casey gun blue repair. That will give wire cutters that original color back. After it cures coat em with oil. I will say that once somebody screws a tool up like that I get disgusted every time I go to use it. Just clean them up and let them keep the ones they F'd up and go buy your self a new one. Oh Yeah Like everyone else said, Lock your tools up!!

wilbilt · Aug 25, 2006

Lime-A-Way and C-L-R available at the grocery store are excellent rust removers.

You need to monitor closely, however. I was cleaning some sockets and forgot about them for maybe four minutes...and not only was the rust gone, the chrome was on it's way, too....

I have kids....Nuff said?

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