Old little tool..

[CTyankee]

Dug this out of a box of old tools I've had kicking around forever. It looks to be a small perpendicular ratcheting screw driver... Whatever...I thought it was kind of neat. Any advice on how to go about cleaning it up?

 

[ddo]

Id leave it overnight in coke. Ive had good luck with that method removing rust from golf clubs. A few of my wedges are designed to have a rusty look and if i want to refinish and clean them up it works every time. After that id flush the mechanism with wd 40, followed by a little heavier weight lube that will stick around.

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

soak it overnight in evaporust, brush it down with a brass wire brush... 3 in 1 oil for the mechanics.

 

[Stuart in MN]

They're handy little tools but I wouldn't spend a lot of time on it - there are a couple for sale on eBay for $5 or $6. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vtg-Stanley-YANKEE-No-3400-Offset-Ratchet-Screwdriver-Nice-L-K-/160960060111

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

This has a little spring in it. Acid based derusters (like phosphoric in the Coke) can in my experience KILL small springs...the spring gets nicely derusted but comes out with the springiness of a cheap paperclip. Use evaporust...when I first heard the claims about it, one of my first tests was to soak a TINY spring for a week...no problem.

 

[CTyankee]

I honestly thought this tool was a lot older and more rare than it is. Even though it predates the ebay one posted, it appears to only date back to the 50's-60's. I appreciate that a few of you still took the time to offer advice and cleaning tips in regards to it. Thanks.