cleaning & rust inhibitors

[matthew]

Good day;

So for all the discussion about lubricants for your ratchets, I was wondering about other practices to care for your tools with regards to cleaning and protecting.

I recently acquired two used wrenches which I took some metal polish to, the paste kind. The label said it was okay for silver, stainless, chrome, etc., and it did take the tarnish off fairly nicely. I then used some Lloyds AD2000 for protectant - never used it before, so I figure I'd try it out. It seems to dry to a nice film (waxy not oily).

I also found a set of old Indestro wrenches, the AutoKit style ones, in my fathers toolbox. Kind of neat, but some surface rust. I tried rubbing them with a little oil just to get the worst of the rust off and keep it from getting worse, and it did help. But I'm not sure if they're cadmium plated, so polishes and Evaporust generally say they aren't to be used on that. Any suggestions for what to do with them?

 

[old salvage]

If you suspect some wrenches may be cadmium plated then just leave them oiled as you did. Check on them and re-oil every once in a while depending on where you store them.

 

[Danglerb]

Oil, a rag, and dry storage are my first steps, sometimes only steps. Generally the only thing I am willing to do beyond that is a scrubbing with a nylon brush and solvent. Marvel Mystery oil and Kroil both seem to do a good double duty as cleaner and preservative.

Once a tool is cleaned and oiled, I'm ready for it either go in my box or let somebody else play with it.