$5 tool box, some cool old tools.

[Strouty]

I was at the scrap yard the other day and bought this small box with tools in it. There was mostly older Craftsman 1/2" drive, but then there was some hex drive stuff that just says made in USA on it. A couple sockets have RAY stamped in them, some say Action, a couple seem to be Indestro? and a Proto and SK. I have to clean them up, should I use a wire wheel or will that be too much?

 

[OGJordan]

Soak them in the rust remover from Harbor Freight over night. They will be completely clear of rust.

 

[KEH]

You can check the Alloy Artifacts page, but I think Action was made by P & C which also made Thorsen.

KEH

 

[Strouty]

Soak them in the rust remover from Harbor Freight over night. They will be completely clear of rust.

It works that well? I don't have a harbor freight nearby any other solution that would be common? I would hate to pay shipping on a chemical.

 

[Aluminum Buick V8]

It works that well? I don't have a harbor freight nearby any other solution that would be common? I would hate to pay shipping on a chemical.

Yes,

Use vinegar, common household vinegar is a great and probably on hand rust remover.

Ensure the part is completely submerged and leave it alone for about 2 to 3 days. It will be completely rust free when you pull it out.

 

[Strouty]

White or cider?

 

[Aluminum Buick V8]

White or cider?

I am not sure if it really matters, I think I have used both depending on what was in my cabinet for small things. but white is cheaper if that's a factor.

 

[Sancho]

White or cider?

I dont think it matters, Ive used both but lately been using white. Higher acid content should work a bit faster/effectively. Do NOT put black oxide coated tools in it.

 

[Trucky]

White or cider?

Either one works equally well.

 

[Strouty]

Either one works equally well.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NCIBSC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I liked this better, it has to be the 50 year old type, I love how amazon says shelf life is 2 years. I will try white vinegar.

 

[Scout Driver]

Cool old tools. I have a set of RAY sockets. Yours are the only other ones I have seen. They probably date back to the 1920's.

Scott

 

[Strouty]

Cool old tools. I have a set of RAY sockets. Yours are the only other ones I have seen. They probably date back to the 1920's.

Scott

Some of them are hex and some are square drive. It looks like they have adapters to use them either way, but I don't think I have one . I will take some more pics when they are clean. I found this site while looking, it appears that some of the sockets are really old, just like you said.

Linky:

http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/other-makers-p3.html

 

[Scout Driver]

My set is all square drive with a push-thru ratchet. I look forward to getting a closer look at yours. Your chrome RAY socket is something I have never seen before. Very cool.

Scott

 

[Trucky]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NCIBSC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I liked this better, it has to be the 50 year old type, I love how amazon says shelf life is 2 years. I will try white vinegar.

Lol well you better stock up soon then. You didn't know those vinegars only last for 52 years after they're made?

 

[RoyArms]

I have seen evapo-rust at auto zone as well, you might try there if you have one local.

 

[Gregg33]

Evaporust works great to clean up rusty tools. For most stuff soak it maybe 6 hours, scrub (using a brush or rag, no need for a wire brush or steel wool) then soak it again overnight. The next day scrub and rinse, then dry immediately (compressed air is good or paper towels in a bind), then coat with Fluid Film. Note that chrome tools with significant rust may require some polishing to look good, because the Evaporusted bare metal is darker then the chrome finish, just like new steel is also darker than chrome.

Nice tools btw, I love the old school non-cast sockets. Also, I have a Proto socket in the same style as pic 7. Ultra beefy, but the grooves hold alot of grime.

 

[Lump]

Nice tools, good find.

The Ray tools are pretty darn old. I have four Ray sockets, a Ray ratchet, and a Ray ratcheting wrench, among the stuff I bought last year.

 

[Dale B]

I have one Ray socket , it has an unusual style of drive end, fancy machining

 

[Fiero]

That curved open-ended wrench looks pretty wild. I haven't seen one of those before. I really appreciate seeing nice, old US tools made in LA - it definitely conjures local pride! It'll be fun to see these cleaned up.