Painting wrenches

[bman123]

My buddy has a set a cman wrenches that he wants to paint.They started to rust so we cleaned em up today but I am unaware of any paint that will hold up.
Is there anything he can do besides to get them plated?He wants them to have a rough finish,something with a lil grip.
If you know of any way to do this please let me know

 

[wrenchr]

He needs to use them and they will not rust!!! lol

 

[wrenchr]

If they are cman then take them back.

 

[stricht8]

Gun metal black?

 

[jay50]

Paint wrenches, WTF?

 

[bman123]

the wrenches have sentimental value to him so taking back is not an option.Also
Paint wrenches,WTF that is pointless if you have no positive input then mind your own business and don't add your 2 cents.

I don't know if paint will hold up or if there is some other way to refinish them.
They got rust on them because his little brother left a few wrenches outside the other day when it rained.He does use them so that is now cleared up

 

[eschoendorff]

Won't paint destroy the sentimental value?

How about having them replated in nickel, chrome or even silver if they are that important?

 

[Fedwrench]

I think any coating may chip or wear off. However, what about those rust to paint conversion coatings like POR15?

You could always use vinegar or WD40 to remove the rust and then use them with the dull finish.

 

[rsanter]

how about dip them in the stuff used to recoat plier handles and trim the material from the end that got dipped just leaving the grip in the middle.

or

send them in to be cadnum plated

bob

 

[Stanger]

I am not a believer in POR15 but its on the right track. Maybe a light coating of truck bed liner but leave the actual contact areas chrome? I don't know.

EDIT: BTW, whatever I used, I would sandblast prior to application.

 

[wrenchr]

scotch bright and oil!!!

 

[sorcutt]

Sorry that I cant help, but what can I use to paint the lettering on wrenches?

 

[Major Ramifications]

I second the Scotchbrite and oil. Maybe steel wool and oil if you don't have any Scotchbrite handy.
On the lettering, you could use a paint stick, where you rub in the paint and buff off the excess.
You could use One Shot sign painter's paint or automotive lacquer or enamel. Then with the appropriate thinner or reducer applied to a block of wood wrapped with a layer of felt and then several layers of unbleached muslin, wipe off the excess.

 

[sorcutt]

Thanks Major Ramifications, I never thought about One Shot. I will have to give that a try.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Wire wheel them on the bench grinder then coat them with oil and all will be good.

 

[hamburglar]

I wonder if you couldn't powder coat them a nice bright teal or something.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I wonder if you couldn't powder coat them a nice bright teal or something.

On hand wrenches? Surely you jest!

 

[wilbilt]

On hand wrenches? Surely you jest!

There's always this look...

 

[64merc]

Maybe take a look at getting a can of rubberized undercoating. I bought some several years back and it used to come in a spray can (like paint).

 

[wrenchr]

special or not they are wrenchs!! Keep oil on them and out of the rain!!

 

[Merkava_4]

Are these the C-man Pros or the raised pannel s.o.b.'s ?

 

[wrenchr]

Merkava, these are special wrenchs!! I think they were his dads or.

 

[jimvannoy]

I have some old wrenches from the 1920'S AND 30'S that were originally painted. I cleaned them up and repainted them.

You could wire brush them and then clear coat em.

 

[Merkava_4]

Merkava, these are special wrenchs!! I think they were his dads or.

Oh Oh ...

 

[eschoendorff]

There's always this look...

Oh no you DID NOT!

 

[dxdexter]

You will often see painted wrenches at places where they want to identify which tools belong to the company. Our maintenance guy painted his whole set of tools (wrenches, screwdrivers, hammers, everything!!!!) about 15 years ago and you can still see that green paint today. I think it looks terrible, but it does the job. He knows which ones belong to him.

 

[krusty the clown]

Gun metal black?

i cleaned up an old cornwell wrench and used gun blue on it.......the rust looked better

 

[krusty the clown]

flamed wrenches are........

:supergay:

 

[RAYJAY]

snap on did painted wrenches at one time also..... we have a set of each one high bright orange (sae) and one set of high viz yellow (metric )

Jeff

 

[old salvage]

Armstrong has or until recently had wrenches in yellow or orange for construction site use. I wonder what type of paint they used.
Anyway painting wrenches isnt that uncommon. I see them every once in a while. Especially wrenches with the center of the handle depressed, adjustables too.

 

[idubvdub]

If I was to do it I would try power coating them. But you know they
will never look as good as those great neck's with the flames!

 

[russlaferrera]

Navel Jelly to remove just the rust. Put a light oil to protect them. IMO I would think painting the wrenches would detract from the appearance of the wrenches and ruin the sentimental value. Old and used wrenches are "Old and used wrenches."

 

[T56 Impala]

the wrenches have sentimental value to him so taking back is not an option.Also
Paint wrenches,WTF that is pointless if you have no positive input then mind your own business and don't add your 2 cents.

Though Jay50's comments were not constructive, you sir need to chill with the attitude.

/rant

I would not bother painting them. Its a simple matter of cleaning them and oiling them. Lots of my Raised panels have been wet, scratched and had rust start on them. I dare you tell me which ones. I WASHED them with dish soap and a blue SB pad. Then with my wipe down rag I applied gun oil to them. I have found gun oil to be very useful in keeping my tools looking new. Granted they don't get used everyday.

I have some old Wilde, Allen, no name military and others USA wrenches that are rusted. I keep them well oiled and feel the rust ADDS to the sentimental value of tools my father and grandfather have passed on to me.

 

[idubvdub]

While the idea of cleaning them is floating around.
I've got a few pairs of pliers that have developed some surface rust.
As I've been reading rust is bad. What do you think? will wd40 and a soft Brillo
take care of this light rust?

 

[old salvage]

While the idea of cleaning them is floating around.
I've got a few pairs of pliers that have developed some surface rust.
As I've been reading rust is bad. What do you think? will wd40 and a soft Brillo
take care of this light rust?

Rust is metal combining with oxygen, I think. I have tools that rusted years ago, stopped and havnt gotten any worse, I also have tools that iI de-rusted and after a while the rust came back so i think the act of rusting is worse than the presence of rust if you know what I mean. If you dont neither do I so dont worry.
Anyway, light rust can be taken care of with any number of penetrating oils and a steel wool pad. The means needed to to keep it from coming back are dependent on the conditions in which the tools are stored. Heavier rust is tougher and everyone has there own way of dealing with it. If you search this board there may be a few threads discussing.
My personel favorite is to submerge tool in white vinegar (the stuff you put on salad) for half a day then scrub with steel wool or a hand wire brush while rinsing off. Dry off the tool and blast with WD.

 

[idubvdub]

Thanks man, yeah its not bad at all but read it spreads and that kinda stuck fear in my
heart. lol Didn't mean to hijack btw sorry

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Do these wrenches have any chrome on them? Or are they rusted nice and evenly all over like they never hand any chrome? Its possible these are War Finish Craftsman tools that do not have any chrome plating on them. I think they were originally black oxide finished, like industrial wrenches are done.

I think I would lightly bead blast the wrenches and black oxide finish them if you can find someone set up to do this. If not, a gunsmith could hot blue them, this would help alot also, I've not a fan of the cold blue treatments on the market though I've heard that some are pretty good.

I have a Proto combination wrench that was originally black oxide finish. It was badly rusted and pitted and I blasted it and painted it black. It is an extra wrench for my "grab it and go" tool box I keep ready to throw in the trunk for away from the house work, so I don't care that much about it.

They would have had a finish somewhat like these, before they rusted.

Charles

 

[Uncle Buck]

There's always this look...

You just had to resurrect those, you evil boy you!

 

[Uncle Buck]

Do these wrenches have any chrome on them? Or are they rusted nice and evenly all over like they never hand any chrome? Its possible these are War Finish Craftsman tools that do not have any chrome plating on them. I think they were originally black oxide finished, like industrial wrenches are done.

I think I would lightly bead blast the wrenches and black oxide finish them if you can find someone set up to do this. If not, a gunsmith could hot blue them, this would help alot also, I've not a fan of the cold blue treatments on the market though I've heard that some are pretty good.

I have a Proto combination wrench that was originally black oxide finish. It was badly rusted and pitted and I blasted it and painted it black. It is an extra wrench for my "grab it and go" tool box I keep ready to throw in the trunk for away from the house work, so I don't care that much about it.

They would have had a finish somewhat like these, before they rusted.

Charles

We cover cleaning up rusty tools here on a regular basis, and having been here several years I notice that I rarely see anyone suggest using the bench grinder with a wire wheel to clean rusty tools as I always suggest, which I find very surprising. I could not imagine cleaning many of my old tools that I have a thoroughly as I have using any other way! I could make the set shown above look virtually new within minutes using my method!

 

[wilbilt]

You just had to resurrect those, you evil boy you!

Heh. They will be around until my hard drive dies...

Some people like them so much, I just might send them out as Christmas cards.