Repairing old rusted tools!

[Nealcrenshaw]

I'm presently in the process of De-rusting some tools i brought, and i wanted to add a good finish to them, I'm wondering if anyone knows of tool black or black oxide or other type of finish that has stood the test of time.

Chrome plating or copper plating isn't really necessary as i don't want to bring it showroom quality, just apply something that will last unlike spray paint.

I'm looking for something relatively easy to apply a simple process, not something with 12 steps involved. Anyone know of any decent products? I would use chrome,nickel,zinc or copper plating if the process was simple, and relatively affordable. Thanks gentlemen for any suggestions.

 

[rsanter]

two options

take it to a shop or person that works on guns and have it professionally 'blued'

or

go to a gun shop and buy a $15 bluing kit and do it yourself

the professional job will be much better but I have used the home kit and it is good enough for most applications

bob

 

[48548]

I was working on a plomb ratchet and I was curious of the same thing. I used a brass wire wheel on a drill and cleaned it all up and some other bits to clean the inside, but I was thinking of just putting on a clear laquer coat on it, but maybe someone else can come up with someone better... I was thinking of powder coating, but not what I wanted to do on my ratchet... Thanks for the posting because i was thinking of asking the same thing.

 

[klswvu]

You can get black oxide kits.

Not an endorsement of them, just fyi Eastwood Black Oxide Kit

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

I have wondered about both powdercoating, and sending it out as a batch, to a chromer. I've bought a few tool lots, where some stuff is engraved or rusted, etc. and others isn't (what I buy for isn't).

I just haven't tried to sell the engraved, would love to use it for a test.

 

[W-Cummins]

If you want a nice black oxide finish, you need to skip the home kits as they will not get you a good finish. To put a quality oxide finish on the tools you need to do it hot, the cold stuff just dose not produce an even colored part. If you move up to the more complex hot finish process, you can get nice and even finishes with some practice.

William...

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

Hey Wcummins i'm glad you had time to post on this thread, considering the excellent job you're doing overthere. I wondered what are Kva? Kilovolt-amps?

Love the build! Do you have any info or sites you would recommend for doing the hot process? Where to get supplies or materials from?

 

[senlow]

The cold bluing kits are not much good. It is my understanding that the cold bluing kits are just an electroless copper flash that oxidizes on contact with air. It does turn the part black, but the color is uneven and the coating wears off easily. The commercial black oxide done at plating shops works great, but most platers have a minimum lot charge ($60 - $100 minimum in my area). A good home shop solution is PILKINGTON CLASSIC AMERICAN RUST BLUE. This is an old time slow rust blue. It is kind of a slow process. But it looks good, wears well, is simple, and requires minimal investment in supplies. I have used this process on numerous tools and a couple of firearms. Pilkingtons is available from Brownell's (a gunsmith supplier).

Electroless Nickel plating is also a good alternative to chrome. It is less costly than Chrome, and is hard, bright and shiny. I have several tools that I had E-nickeled at least 10 years ago that show minimal wear. E-nickel does cost more than black oxide. The platers near me charge minimums between $80 and $140 for e-nickel.

I have powder coated some tools years ago when I worked at a powdercoating shop. It's better than most liquid paint. However, I do not reccomend it for most tool applications. It is not a tough as plating or black oxide, and it has a substantial build thickness which can hinder the action of moving parts. On the other hand, it works great on tool boxes. The boxes that I coated about 25 years ago are still in great condition.

 

[W-Cummins]

Hey Wcummins i'm glad you had time to post on this thread, considering the excellent job you're doing overthere. I wondered what are Kva? Kilovolt-amps?

Thanks,

Yes
KVA=(Amps)(Volts) / 1000

Love the build! Do you have any info or sites you would recommend for doing the hot process? Where to get supplies or materials from?

There are lots of sites that have info on the hot process but suppliers of small amounts of the chemicals you need are harder to find as it's normally an industrial process and they sell in amounts to cater to the large consumer. The above suggestion for Brownells is a good place to start for the smaller stuff ( they sell or the last time I looked they did tanks and stuff to get started.
Now I would be remiss if I also didn't warn you that the hot process can be very dangerous if you don't follow safe procedures. The heated caustic solution is run at about 285 deg F. and as it's an aqueous solution, water boils at 212 F. In a production environment you run the tanks for long times and the solution changes concentration as the water boils off. So you need to add make up water back into the tanks. If this is not done with GREAT CARE you can have pockets of water that can then form super heated steam and BLOW HOT caustic solution all over. In a smaller batch type operation you should be able to run the system with out adding water to the hot solution, however YMMV.

William...

 

[kythri]

Any decent gunsmith should be able to hot-blue something.

You might also look into parkerizing, if it's applicable. Parkerizing gives off a real nice grey/charcoal that sometimes is nicer than the blueing...

 

[Uncle Buck]

I was working on a plomb ratchet and I was curious of the same thing. I used a brass wire wheel on a drill and cleaned it all up and some other bits to clean the inside, but I was thinking of just putting on a clear laquer coat on it, but maybe someone else can come up with someone better... I was thinking of powder coating, but not what I wanted to do on my ratchet... Thanks for the posting because i was thinking of asking the same thing.

Not a bad thought for doing it on the cheap, plus you could always use a satin finish if you do not want them to shine. I have seen used tool venders do that to prevent tools that have been de rusted from rusting back up.

 

[MAD]

A lot of pliers come with a light coating of clear lacquer on them to keep them from rusting in the package.

For rusted tools, I just remove the rust and wipe on some oil.

 

[Uncle Buck]

A lot of pliers come with a light coating of clear lacquer on them to keep them from rusting in the package.

For rusted tools, I just remove the rust and wipe on some oil.

Yup, me to no use wasting time for my workers.

 

[jhn9840]

If they are for personal use run them across a wire wheel then wipe down with wd-40 or 3 in 1 oil. Done with many of my yardsale finds works great and is cheap.

jhn9840
John

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

I'm thinking about after i remove the rust,prime it and paint it with some rust-oleum.How does rust-oleum hold up?

 

[eschoendorff]

I'm thinking about after i remove the rust,prime it and paint it with some rust-oleum.How does rust-oleum hold up?

My guess is that they'll look okay for a while, but the most often-used tools will need to be repainted rather quickly.

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

On wrenches and such, I de-rust with electric wire wheel, then smear them heavily with Butcher's wax from the grocery store. After that dries a bit, I give'em a quick wipe down with a rag. This rust proofs them plenty well enough for normal use and of course does not chip away like any sort of paint would. Surface is also much friendlier than an oiled tool.

 

[eschoendorff]

On wrenches and such, I de-rust with electric wire wheel, then smear them heavily with Butcher's wax from the grocery store. After that dries a bit, I give'em a quick wipe down with a rag. This rust proofs them plenty well enough for normal use and of course does not chip away like any sort of paint would. Surface is also much friendlier than an oiled tool.

Butcher's wax? This is the first I've heard of such a thing. What is it used for?

 

[billymade]

Is this the stuff?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WFYTE6/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

That's it...I spend a lot of time in the Non-Food section at grocery; look at anything with scary warnings as possibly useful against rust and crud on metal stuff...