Cleaning Hand Tools

[isb cornbinder]

you now have an excuse to get an ultrasonic cleaner

I bought a 30 liter ultrasonic cleaner and I have never regretted it. EVALORUST works 10X faster in an ultrasonic bath. I like to wash all secondhand tools I bring home.

 

[Locker537]

To those doing this type of cleaning in the kitchen sink or the dishwasher, you must be on sewer service. I would not want to do that to my septic.

Sure, it's not going to hurt when done rarely but it's not a good idea either...

 

[four.cycle]

^ I do it outside, on a cookie sheet, on top of about 8 layers of old newspaper, which all gets thrown into the trash. No muss, no fuss.
No reason to contaminate the sewer system with petroleum products.

 

[PMD1966]

I would use ordinary materials and methods to clean them, Soap and Water.

I worked at a car dealership when I was in my teens. A young mechanic bought some new screwdrivers. Wanted to clean the handles when they got dirty. Got a can filled with lacquer thinner and soaked them over the weekend. Monday morning, no handles.

 

[bb29510]

i dont even wipe mine down

 

[CGarage]

Watch out for old screwdriver handles containing cellulose acetate butyrate. As that old plastic deteriorates, it starts to smell like vomit.

Never seen this plastic “deteriorate”.


Age, yes.

Have Facom cellulose acetate handle screwdrivers from the 1970s here and all look as if they are newly made.

 

[four.cycle]

^ Depends upon the brand. @Private Lugnutz did a "stinkdriver" spreadsheet that's posted here somewhere. The plastic compounds changed over the years. Some were okay. Others - not so much.

 

[Shiftless]

Watch out for old screwdriver handles containing cellulose acetate butyrate. As that old plastic deteriorates, it starts to smell like vomit.

Never seen this plastic “deteriorate”.


Age, yes.

Have Facom cellulose acetate handle screwdrivers from the 1970s here and all look as if they are newly made.

Instead of deteriorate, I should have said chemically breakdown and off gas. Butyric acid is the vomit smelling compound released from the plastic.

I‘ll never forget the time some pranksters poured a bottle of butyric acid down the length of the carpeted hallway of the dorm I lived in back in my college days.

 

[four.cycle]

Before and after:
708 Proto and J.P. Danielson-made Dunlap 8-inch adjustable wrenches purchased for a buck apiece at an estate sale. Both were covered with multiple coats of 50-year-old-baked-on spray paint.
On the advice of @Private Lugnutz, these soaked in straight Simple Green for a few days, which loosened up the paint enough that about 20 minutes with a brass brush and some WD40 got them as "cleaned up" as they're going to get shy of putting them on a wire wheel.
The Simple Green definitely got the paint loosened up. It did not change the "patina" one little bit - the "box rot" effect is on full display.

I didn't realize the Danielson unit was re-branded "Dunlap" until after I'd gotten it cleaned up.


Proto 708 and J.P. Danielson made Dunlap 8 in adjustable wrench 062624

Proto 708 and J.P. Danielson made Dunlap 8 in adjustable wrench 070824

 

[four.cycle]

These had all been victims of wanton neglect and abuse - left out in the rain and cold - and required a more aggressive approach. The WD40 and brass brush didn't give me the results I was after, and considering that none of these pieces are really "vintage" or "collector" material (other than the Diamond groove-joints which were already decorated by a previous owner.)
So they all got the wire wheel treatment. I cleaned up the vinyl handles on the Channellocks and Diamonds with some lacquer thinner, which worked well on the channellocks but didn't remove all the glue from the Diamonds. A nice coat of Mother's Carnauba wax added the finishing touch (visible on the Channellocks.)

 

[CGarage]

I like trisodium phosphate in hot water for jobs like that. Make sure you use the real stuff.

Hard to find these days! HD and Lowe’s stopped carrying it.


Local Ace Hardware did have it!

 

[four.cycle]

^ I use a lot of Trisodium Phosphate, but not on bare steel or aluminum - does weird things to the metal (turns it black and ***** ALL the oil out)

 

[four.cycle]

Eclipse 12-inch tin snips:



Eclipse 12-inch tin snips after 40 minutes of WD40, brass brush, and #3 steel wool:

 

[drmarkr]

Dont hesitate to run them thru the dishwasher. People seem to think you can’t put stuff like this in the DW because it will, not sure, damage it? Think about the greasy stuff and bits of food you put in there now. Maybe a quick rinse first in the sink. It will not hurt your dishwasher. The temperature and detergent are effective at removing dirt and grease from metal and plastic.

Say you're single... without saying you're single....

 

[olsenmotorsports]

We have found that Spray Nine works really well. Just mist over whatever tool you are trying to clean and then wipe it down with a high pile microfiber. Gets 99% of the toughest stains out of anything. Keeps them feeling fresh and really clean.

For the metal stuff - same spray nine if it is really dirty. Then a mist of ACF-50 and a wipe with a high pile. Seals the surface and protects.

 

[yhprum]

On removing old paint, I have had good luck soaking things in a bucket of water with sodium hydroxide crystals (drain cleaner) mixed in for a few days. It falls right off. It also works great for cleaning cast iron frying pans and BBQ grill grates.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I removed the multiple layers of baked-on paint from those two adjustable wrenches above by soaking them in straight "Simple Green" for a couple days.

 

[four.cycle]

I've held off on using "Evaporust" as long as I can in an effort to preserve original finish and patina, but every now and then one has to make compromises.
I rescued this from an open shed located about four miles from the Pacific Ocean:

12 inch steel hacksaw frame. No makers mark. Lots of owner marks.

On the flip side, we can see that "A.H." definitely prized this one, evidenced by the repair job on the outer end of the frame.

Into the pot it went

the next day it looked a little better

even better after a few minutes on a fine wire wheel

I gussied it up a bit - hopefully to protect it from the elements. As I had found little traces of green paint, that seemed the appropriate choice for a color. A coat of clear acrylic Krylon will hopefully protect the frame.

It will be returned to its proper home Friday.

Is it bad luck to de-rust the horseshoe? Or does that only come into play if I hang it upside-down?

 

[RTM]

rescued this from an open shed located about four miles from the Pacific Ocean:

One of those dry inland locations, eh?

We get our wet salty fog here, and everything in an outdoor shed would look that way quickly. I try to avoid Evaporust also, but sometimes the only option short of abrasives.

 

[garilla]

So so much better looking without the rust !

 

[four.cycle]

Evaporust + Wire wheel + a bit of paint on the yokes after trimming off the forging flash. The "before" photo is down below - these were all in pretty good shape when I got them.


five pullers (Taiwan ROC / China PRC / Japan)

Missing one of the little connector pieces on the small one. Where's a guy find one of those?

 

[atch]

"Missing one of the little connector pieces on the small one. Where's a guy find one of those?"

At the risk of sounding like an a$$hole (which I'm trying to avoid) I'm afraid those things might be made of unobtainium. You might be able to find one only in your basement machine shop. You do have one of those, don't you?

 

[four.cycle]

No. I am not a machinist. Funny thing is- I'm pretty sure it was there before I dropped all that into the Evaporust, so it's possible it's out under my deck somewhere. I'll have to look for it later.
I was thinking perhaps modifying a regular steel Stanley mending strap, but I'll explore other options first.

 

[RTM]

No. I am not a machinist. Funny thing is- I'm pretty sure it was there before I dropped all that into the Evaporust, so it's possible it's out under my deck somewhere. I'll have to look for it later.
I was thinking perhaps modifying a regular steel Stanley mending strap, but I'll explore other options first.

I think plain old steel bar may be required, may be too big for any mending plates by Ace carries.

 

[four.cycle]

^ yeah... but buying mild steel bar at ACE is nutty expensive - at least at this local store. I'll figure out something. problem trying to find it if it's under the deck is that I'm dumping washtubs full of water and stuff so it's a mudpit down there.

 

[RTM]

^ yeah... but buying mild steel bar at ACE is nutty expensive - at least at this local store. I'll figure out something. problem trying to find it if it's under the deck is that I'm dumping washtubs full of water and stuff so it's a mudpit down there.

Big magnet on a string.

 

[four.cycle]

Several days in the "Evaporust" bath, wire wheel, several days soaking the pivot joint with "Kroil" before it broke free, and a dab of paint:

made in Spain 10-inch pipe wrench

("before" image below)

 

[Ohio Andy]

Several days in the "Evaporust" bath, wire wheel, several days soaking the pivot joint with "Kroil" before it broke free, and a dab of paint:

made in Spain 10-inch pipe wrench

("before" image below)

I absolutely love seeing both the before and after

 

[DLux]

I enjoy restoring cast-iron pots, pans, etc and it got me thinking... could't you just put rusted hand tools in a vinegar bath (1 part vinegar and 1 part water) for an hour or so to knock off the rust? Also, to get any other gunk off besides rust, I'll put the pan in a Lye bath for a day or two and then scrub with soap and water. Couldn't you do the same here?

Really enjoying this thread!

 

[four.cycle]

Scroll down to the bottom of post #4 in THIS THREAD and you will find links to several threads discussing various methods for cleaning tools.

We all have our reasons for doing so, and we all have different objectives, so angle of attack varies wildly between one guy and another.
I try to take the "do no harm" approach, and start with the least aggressive method (WD40 and small brass brush) and go up from there.
Others - like Don (@d42jeep) head straight for the "Evaporust" bath. Everybody has their own method. Several of mine are above in this thread.

 

[Ohio Andy]

I enjoy restoring cast-iron pots, pans, etc and it got me thinking... could't you just put rusted hand tools in a vinegar bath (1 part vinegar and 1 part water) for an hour or so to knock off the rust? Also, to get any other gunk off besides rust, I'll put the pan in a Lye bath for a day or two and then scrub with soap and water. Couldn't you do the same here?

Really enjoying this thread!

I would be afraid that it might affect the finish... But it seems that most things affect since finishes.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I'd go at them with a can of WD40 and a bag of #2 steel wool for starters. You'd be amazed.

 

[bonneyman]

^ I'd go at them with a can of WD40 and a bag of #2 steel wool for starters. You'd be amazed.

Just be sure to wear neoprene rubber gloves and minimize breathing any vapors by running a fan. Don't know about new formulation WD40 but the classic stuff had a skin penetrant and made me sick as a dog.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I wear "nitrile" gloves, and do it outside on an old cookie sheet with about 8 layers of newspaper under the work to catch all the slime - wad up the newspaper and it goes right into the trash with the gloves when I'm done. Easy peasy.
Any second-hand store or Goodwill will have plenty of old bakeware perfect for purposes such as this.

 

[four.cycle]

My most recent acquisitions were all from a thrift store up in beautiful downtown Sequim.
These are the "before" photos:

new arrivals 01/03/25

Crescent Tool Co. (Jamestown, NY) "MoToR KiT" 5-inch slip joint pliers 12/17/24

Forged Steel USA 6-inch slip-joint pliers 12/17/24

Ideal Industries (Sycamore, IL) BX cable-cutting pliers (patent 2246350) 12/17/24

 

[four.cycle]

And here are the "after" photos:

Crescent Tool Co. (Jamestown NY) "MoToR KiT" 5-inch slip-joint pliers
These were pretty clean. I spent about 10 minutes on them with a brass brush and WD-40.

"Forged Steel USA" is the only mark on this pair of 6-inch Slip-Joints. I thought perhaps they might be Harrolds.
About 15 minutes with a brass brush and WD40.

Ideal Industries 45-079 BX cable cutting pliers (patent 2246350)
Maybe all of 5 minutes with a "Scotchbrite" pad and "Bar Keepers Friend"

Wald Mfg. Co. (Maysville KY) 5-inch bicycle wrench
Another 5-minute quickie - "Scotchbrite" and "Bar Keepers Friend"

Lectrolite Corp. (Defiance OH) 218 8-inch Slip-Joint Pliers
This was the roughest piece of the lot. I spent maybe 10 minutes on it with a brass brush and WD40 and then another couple minutes with the "Scotchbrite" and "Bar Keepers Friend" and gave up. This is as good as I'm going to get them shy of putting them on a wire wheel, which I'd prefer not to do with these.

"Sav O Nut" cast aluminum alloy Propane Tank & Grill wrench (patent 5303619)
About 10 minutes with the "Scotchbrite" and "Bar Keepers Friend".
Cleaned it up and gave me exactly the finish I was looking for without removing the red paint from the "ON/OFF" impressions.

As for Don's little DOE, it's shinier than I was aiming for, but I think a bit of handling will tone that glare down a bit. ("Scotchbrite" and "Bar Keepers Friend" again.)

 

[four.cycle]

"Chrom Vanadium" made in West Germany 1/2" drive SAE Socket Set in wood box



This set had been the victim of neglect and improper storage. I dropped all the pieces into some "Evaporust" and finished them with some steel wool. The box got dressed up a bit with some stain and some inserts for the pockets.

 

[four.cycle]

West Haven Mfg. Co. No. 12 'Easy Grip' Universal hacksaw (patent 641826 1060312) before and after.
Resorted to wire wheel after Evaporust. WD40 and brass brush just wasn't working.

 

[Bubba Fett]

West Haven Mfg. Co. No. 12 'Easy Grip' Universal hacksaw (patent 641826 1060312) before and after.
Resorted to wire wheel after Evaporust. WD40 and brass brush just wasn't working.

Very nice!

 

[four.cycle]

Hammer and Axe 07/25/25
Rescued the axe from the woodshed July 24, 2025. I found the hammer out in one of the flowerbeds.


Hammer and Axe 09/16/25

The most difficult and time-consuming part was sanding the crappy sprayed-on finish off of the new handles. After sanding them both down (the axe with 150, the hammer with 180), I applied a couple liberal coats of boiled linseed oil. The heads were soaked in Evaporust for about a week, wire wheeled, and painted with a rattle can. I had to dress up the face of the hammer with a file and a strip of plumbers tape. The hammer handle got a nice coat of carnauba wax this morning.


Double-face soft hammer 09/11/25

Double-face soft hammer 09/16/25

This nice little soft-blow hammer had seen a good deal of abuse. I stripped the handle with #1 steel wool, followed with 150 and 180 paper.
I dressed up the faces a bit on the belt sander. Rubbed it all down with a couple generous coats of boiled linseed oil and let it dry.
Dressed it up with some carnauba wax this morning.