Sockets getting Rusty - cleanup idea?

[azchrisf]

I was organizing my sockets onto trays today, and noticed some of my 1/2 inch drive sockets I inherited from my father are starting to show rust in them, even though we are here in Arizona, we still have SOME moisture ;-P

My sockets are all USA Craftsman, so I want to preserve them as best I can.

I wanted to see your fellas take on my plan -
Using a chuckable wire brush, clean the rust out of the insides, and then throw them all into a tub of CLP or whatever oil, let drip dry, and then put back into the socket organizers.

I dont think they've been oiled since they left the factory 10-15 years ago.

Thanks guys.

 

[T45]

that ***** op, sorry for your loss. Also, those the later stage cman usa had notorious finish issues.

i think your plan is OK, I'd maybe first use some wd40 as a solvent w. a brass brush or a finer grade of standard wire bursh (to minimize trashing any protection remaining) inside the sockets. you don't want bare steel if you can avoid it but in part it depends on the amoun of corrosion.

good luck

 

[DWise]

I put a 1/4" drive extension in a drill and spin the sockets , rubbing with 0000 steel wool. After they are clean I wax with auto paste wax. The insides are harder to clean but I have best results using a steel brushes resembling test tube brushes.

 

[Fedwrench]

I would skip the abrasives if we're only talking about light surface rust and soak them in a tub of evaporust after a good rinsing in brake clean to remove any oil/grease residue.

Another option would be to use them so a coating of grease/oil would form a protective coating.

 

[dadsEH]

As always.....vinegar is your friend.

 

[Kent_B]

.....glad you guys can't see mine....

 

[azchrisf]

T45/DWise - Thanks for the suggestions guys, I might do one or two later today.

T45 - I don't know if 10 year old (2007 vintage) is later production, I would have considered 2010 the later production before they moved it to China, or was that 2013?

 

[JohnDeere1]

I have many a socket like this and have tried brushes, drimmil, vinegar, CLR, and picks and if some are bad like a few of mine almost nothing seems to make them look new it's very tiresom to do them by hand even after oil soaks or chemicals I'm about to toss a 1/2 SK bullet shaped set ,none of my snap on or Wright have done this and they go back to early early 80s only my SKs and craftsman.

 

[M_George]

I just clean light rust off with WD40 and 0000 steel wool.

 

[JazzBlueRT]

I was organizing my sockets onto trays today, and noticed some of my 1/2 inch drive sockets I inherited from my father are starting to show rust in them, even though we are here in Arizona, we still have SOME moisture ;-P

My sockets are all USA Craftsman, so I want to preserve them as best I can.

I wanted to see your fellas take on my plan -
Using a chuckable wire brush, clean the rust out of the insides, and then throw them all into a tub of CLP or whatever oil, let drip dry, and then put back into the socket organizers.

I dont think they've been oiled since they left the factory 10-15 years ago.

Thanks guys.

3 in 1 oil seems to stop the rust. It also turns the rust spots black and prevents it from "growing."

Unless the rust is scaling, sanding or scuffing it will make the rust come back with a vengeance. You need to passivate the rust and seal it so that oxygen cannot get to the bare metal, hence my remark about the rust spots turning black. Not sure if this creates a definitive black rust or how long it protects.

 

[DHCrocks]

I second the evaporust, leave in overnight and the rust will be gone. Then just rinse them off and wipe them down with a oily rag.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

As far as the oil goes I use CRC 3-36 in my metalworking shop for fixtures and the like. I find it is very long lasting.

 

[Slinger646]

I have many a socket like this and have tried brushes, drimmil, vinegar, CLR, and picks and if some are bad like a few of mine almost nothing seems to make them look new it's very tiresom to do them by hand even after oil soaks or chemicals I'm about to toss a 1/2 SK bullet shaped set ,none of my snap on or Wright have done this and they go back to early early 80s only my SKs and craftsman.

Well if you're gonna toss them......I'm sure I could squeeze some more life out of them.

 

[Mr_B]

If not too bad I use a used green dish scouring pad, cut small bit off and spray with 3in1 and rub down lightly as needed. wipe um clean and repeat on any bad areas then wipe down with oily rag before putting back in rails/box .
Works well for light rust spots and dirt/rust inside socket.
using old scouring pad means it softer and doesn't mark up chrome if oiled well and used sensibly . I saved couple old tipco socket sets from my dads old tools like this, came up amazingly good as not heavy rust or flaking chrome and lasting well as haven't needed further attention for almost 4 years now.
actual amount of rust and chrome state is going dictate best method use.

 

[bsg1]

my most frequently used tools for socket cleanup/restoration are toothpick, toothbrush, synthetic scouring pad, #0000 steel wool, 99c Store Awesome Orange Spray, oil and rag; not necessarily using them in every instance or in that order.

 

[Tonyuk]

I spray mine down with WD40 and wipe with a cloth if they get wet just before they get put away. Never had a problem with rust.

 

[driftpin]

I recently got a Stack-On plastic toolbox filled with a 1/2" impact black oxylate socket set, misc. combo and double-end wrenches, misc. 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" sockets from a variety of manufacturers, and other hand tools like chisels, screwdrivers, & etc. The box looked like it had water in it, as there was an orange line and the sides and floor of the box inside were all that orange color. Not good, right?

I had never tried the vinegar soak before, I left all the tools in the vinegar as it comes in the gallon jug from the grocery store, in a 5 gallon bucket, and for probably 60 hours. I'd seen where people removed their tools after only a few hours, but these seemed to be so-bad that the extra time helped. I didn't take any before pics, but when I finally decided to remove and rinse the tools, the rust had formed big orange 'balloons' of deposits on the surface of the vinegar. I fished out all the tools, transferring them into another 5 gal. bucket, and rinsed them w/water several times, laid them out to dry for a bit, and then liberally doused them thoroughly with WD40. Some of the worst wrenches had pitting after the bath, but everything was actually usable, though there were a few orphan sockets that had weird 6-point drives that I'm probably going to toss into the yard sale box, but I was pleasantly surprised with how the stuff cleaned-up. I did spend time on the grinder wire wheel, lightly dressing the parts, before I used the WD40.

So I suggest the vinegar, for a few hours, as my stuff was pretty-nasty and needed much-more time.

 

[Chromdome35]

I use Boshield T9 as a rust preventer on all my tools. I keep a rag set aside specifically for it.

Boeshield is pretty freaking awesome.

https://www.amazon.com/Boeshield-T-9-Waterproof-Lubrication-aerosol/dp/B001447PEK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500390293&sr=8-1&keywords=boeshield+t-9

 

[Warrenator]

Barkeeper's Friend (it is a powdered cleanser and polish, find it in the housewares department) will remove the rust stain. I'd throw all the sockets on a tray, go at the rusty spots with a toothbrush loaded with BKF, scrub scrub, rinse, then as stated above, Boeshield.

The vinegar soak or evaporust is nice but can leave a dark stain that needs to be scrubbed off, Barkeeper's friend just leaves a shiny metal surface. It is basically chrome polish. Not toxic or too abrasive.

 

[zcbauer89]

The SHINY side of tin foil works for light surface rust.

 

[ganymede]

.......
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[dffay]

If you have a car battery charger, try electrolysis rust removal. A plastic bucket, some metal baling wire to string them together, water to mix Arm and Hammer Washing Soda, a mild steel strip and it will remove ONLY the rust. No acid etch, no discoloration or new scratches etc. It's an easy process. Google the method and remember that polarity is very important.

 

[4xdog]

I second the evaporust, leave in overnight and the rust will be gone. Then just rinse them off and wipe them down with a oily rag.

+3. This works perfectly.

 

[ThatSickRip]

As always.....vinegar is your friend.

Yep. The sockets I keep in the bed of my truck got rusty. Vinegar bath and good to go

 

[jumbojak]

If you have a car battery charger, try electrolysis rust removal. A plastic bucket, some metal baling wire to string them together, water to mix Arm and Hammer Washing Soda, a mild steel strip and it will remove ONLY the rust. No acid etch, no discoloration or new scratches etc. It's an easy process. Google the method and remember that polarity is very important.

That would remove any trust but on a chrome socket it would also remove the plating and leave a very, very toxic mess in the bucket. Don't do this on anything other than an impact socket.

 

[dffay]

I've had great results with rusted chrome. Just don't leave it in very long. But don't use stainless as an anode. That's fuming trouble.

 

[bpjr]

Tumble them in a rock or ammo reloading tumbler with pet store corn or walnut media. Large rusted tools can be cleaned in a large vibratory cleaner...also used for reloading. I learned this from my cousin who's tools got wet and rusty from saltwater during hurricane Andrew. He bought three large commercial size vibratory type and ran them for 2 weeks cleaning every hand tool.