Painting Hand Tools?

[pauls_workshop]

Question for the forum: How many of you guys have ever painted your steel parts of your hand tools for corrosion protection? Either new or used. I have lots of older tools from auctions, garage sales, etc. over the years. Sometimes I'll get the corrosion off and if they look good with some finish left, just oil them. Other times, if corroded through some of that finish, I'll prime them and then paint them. Also yard tools like shovels, axes, rakes, etc. I find just spray painting them once de-rusted is a pretty good way to keep them functional without much futher maintanence later.

I had a good set of Sears brand (not Craftsman) 80's era made in Japan open/box end wrenches that are decent tools but all corroding badly. Same era Craftsman US ones never have corroded yet. So I just spray painted all of these once de-rusted. Functional tools again. These aren't much collectible or anything - I'm about function. What have you all done and experiences in doing so? Pros/cons etc. - Paul

 

[n8n]

I think someone else mentioned in another thread that some mechanics will spray paint their tools a distinctive color - red, yellow, etc. - so that it's clear whose tools are whose. Makes sense and less destructive than engraving your initials, when you want to sell something a little lacquer thinner will get it nice again.

 

[HubbaBubba]

I have tried it. Used an epoxy paint. No go.

 

[pauls_workshop]

I have tried it. Used an epoxy paint. No go.

What was no go about it? What didn't you like? - Paul

 

[RCStocker]

I have been buying and selling everything form soup to fine art sense 1962.
At one time I would buy furniture and restore it. I made money but it was labor intense.
I got to the point I would only buy things that did not need work. I had a lot more free time and made more money on a higher end market.
It is the same with tools. Why in blazing saddles would you but craped out tools at any price. By the time you spend cleaning them you could have made money with the time and purchased them new. Add the pain cost to the tool price and you can buy good used tools without messing around.

I buy Vicegrip, Channelock and other good tools for $2 all the time and they are in very good condition. Some of the rare ones I will spend $5 on but the tool will cost over $20 new.

When you buy **** you still have ****. He in Southern California things don't really rust. if you have rusty tools the have come from another part of the country. There a truck loads of used tools out here. I have over 400 different types of pliers. I have so many tools I keep them in boxes. When I get a load of tools cheap I just put them in a dollar or two dollar box at the swap meet and blow them out. Now my box is at $3 and I sell once a month when I have time. I sell almost everything I put in the box.

Unless the chrome is cutting your hand just use the ****** tool. It will never know its not pretty and elected king of the ball. LOL

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

I think paint is close to worthless on tools that are actually used because chipping around the working points is certain. I use floor wax, which coats then pretty well and holds up in use. I aesthetics are a problem, solvents and evaporust will take them down to clean steel before you lay on the wax.

 

[jakemac]

The only time I've spray bombed handtools was to paint them pink to keep theives from walking off with them. I also used to "put my mark" on my work tools for the same reason (green stripes with a paint pen).

Recently, I've been "refurbishing" some tools I've picked up at FM and YS. I had a bunch of body dollies I picked up over time. They were useless due to abuse and rust, so they got a full make-over. I've also redone a dozen clamps that I've picked up here and there.

 

[pauls_workshop]

I think paint is close to worthless on tools that are actually used because chipping around the working points is certain. I use floor wax, which coats then pretty well and holds up in use. I aesthetics are a problem, solvents and evaporust will take them down to clean steel before you lay on the wax.

Certainly on the wear areas of a given tool, the paint would wear off or could chip/flake. But most tools have lots of areas that aren't really wear areas. For those that are, could use wax or oil or other treatments on top of those areas to protect there.

I have a few modern made in China fiberglass handle hammers. Also an older US made Stanley anti-vibe hammer (I kind of like that one). I find these hammers like to rust really fast and really bad. The Stanley was terrible this way. So for these, I de-rusted and painted. Good to use again for a long time. I get my spray paint cheap at garage sales too, so it is nearly free.

I'm not a pro or mechanic, but DIY homeowner type. For Pros, prob not worth the time or effort vs. buying a new tool, but for me, if I can take a tool that is not expensive and fix it up and use it for 20 years or more, hey, that is a neat thing to do. Like recycling really. Some of those wrenches above really did hurt your hand they were so corroded, but the function was fine. Paint made them usable again for a 2nd life. Also, it is about maintainance time. I really don't want to coat all my stuff with oil or coatings all the time. I want to do it once for a tool and ignore it again for at least 10 years. Wax or paint or similar is better for that than some other options. WD40 for me lasts about a year and then starts to allow rust. Not good enough. I'm in the Rust Belt Midwest! Stuff rusts here fast every time you turn away from it! Wish we could all just live in California! - Paul

 

[pauls_workshop]

The only time I've spray bombed handtools was to paint them pink to keep theives from walking off with them. I also used to "put my mark" on my work tools for the same reason (green stripes with a paint pen).

Recently, I've been "refurbishing" some tools I've picked up at FM and YS. I had a bunch of body dollies I picked up over time. They were useless due to abuse and rust, so they got a full make-over. I've also redone a dozen clamps that I've picked up here and there.

I have some painted clamps too that look just like those! Clamps are a good one because rarely would the painted parts get worn off or scraped much. - Paul

 

[Fretters]

It is the same with tools. Why in blazing saddles would you but craped out tools at any price. By the time you spend cleaning them you could have made money with the time and purchased them new. Add the pain cost to the tool price and you can buy good used tools without messing around.

As much as I hate to admit it, that's actually a fairly sound philosophy on occasion. I have a tendency for buying old, vintage and antique tools, which are a different matter, but even then I have started to realise that certain items still aren't worth the hassle of farting about with. Small hand tools which may be old but which aren't particularly of great quality and which are readily replaceable with modern equivalents are one example. Some items are worth the effort, some aren't. It's a case by case thing.

 

[GCncsuHD]

Not for corrosion protection, but years ago, well before I was born, my grandfather repainted his Ford NAA blue to match the newer Ford color. He used the leftover to paint a stripe across all of his tools to identify them as his. Several of our tools still have that blue paint on them.

 

[woodstockva]

My neighbor used to have 2 work trucks that his employees were too lazy and/or stupid to put the tools back where they found them, so he painted all the tools....one set green, one set red.....at the end of the day, there better not be one red in the green truck or vise-versa......he never had a problem after that.

 

[n8n]

As much as I hate to admit it, that's actually a fairly sound philosophy on occasion. I have a tendency for buying old, vintage and antique tools, which are a different matter, but even then I have started to realise that certain items still aren't worth the hassle of farting about with. Small hand tools which may be old but which aren't particularly of great quality and which are readily replaceable with modern equivalents are one example. Some items are worth the effort, some aren't. It's a case by case thing.

Agreed. An old Williams or Easco DP ratchet, I could see it. Sears wrenches that aren't even Craftsman? Not so much.

 

[ganymede]

I've done a few things over the years. The toughest paint will wear off on corners or sharp edges so just resign yourself to that. Brush on stuff holds up better than spray can.

 

[pauls_workshop]

Agreed. An old Williams or Easco DP ratchet, I could see it. Sears wrenches that aren't even Craftsman? Not so much.

Actually, those Sears made in Japan tools were all very high quality forgings, on par with Craftsman made in USA from the same era. The only difference is, they would rust more easily. Not anymore! They are worth keeping and using. I think i got the whole set for a couple dollars as an auction lot once. Would I go out of my way to find these? Well, no. But they are functional tools. - Paul

 

[Westly]

I worked with a pipe fitter in a factory who would spray can his tools gray when they got too bad looking. Mostly pipe wrenches, which are always painted from the start. Looked good, helped him find them. Stunk up the shop. Cool guy, knew what he was doing Used free paint from upstairs.

 

[nicksnothereman]

Question for the forum: How many of you guys have ever painted your steel parts of your hand tools for corrosion protection? Either new or used. I have lots of older tools from auctions, garage sales, etc. over the years. Sometimes I'll get the corrosion off and if they look good with some finish left, just oil them. Other times, if corroded through some of that finish, I'll prime them and then paint them. Also yard tools like shovels, axes, rakes, etc. I find just spray painting them once de-rusted is a pretty good way to keep them functional without much futher maintanence later.

I had a good set of Sears brand (not Craftsman) 80's era made in Japan open/box end wrenches that are decent tools but all corroding badly. Same era Craftsman US ones never have corroded yet. So I just spray painted all of these once de-rusted. Functional tools again. These aren't much collectible or anything - I'm about function. What have you all done and experiences in doing so? Pros/cons etc. - Paul

I'll do it with bolts sometimes (using nail polish) or anything I have that is bare steel. I just spray paint it. It'll come off the "working" surface but it'll hold up everywhere else.

For actual rust protection you might want to try something like rustoleum. Probably worth the additional cost.

Or you could powder coat if you have a home kit. Powder coat would be even better.