Stinky tools

[Rewind97]

A while back I bought a small plastic tool box and some basic tools, screw drivers, pliers, wrenches, a socket set in a plastic box threw them in the box and put it under the seat of my truck. It got to where when I opened the box to get a tool, they had a HORRIBLE smell!!!! I finally pulled them all out, washed everything including the tool box and put them back in. Still stinky. I thought maybe it was the tool box so I got another one, still stinky.

Any ideas on what to wash the tools in to try to get rid of this smell?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

You can't wash that smell out. A few of the early plastic compositions slowly offgas and will eventually decompose because of the offgassing. (There are guys on here who will tell you they were just bad plastic batches, and they are wrong. There are guys on here who will tell you it's only Craftsman, and they are wrong, too.) You have to seal them. Polyurethane will work.

EDIT: I'm talking about handles. Screwdriver, nut driver, socket spinner, etc. Those are the very likely culprits.

 

[Chipm]

Correct. My drawer full of old Craftsman screwdrivers always smells like vomit.

 

[3baygarage]

Replace the screwdrivers.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

It's common problem, Marple's Unbreakable yellow and red chisel handles are bad for that. Either leave them out in the open to off gas or replace them with wood handles were the two recommendations, I read.

 

[RTM]

Unwaxed blonde shellac to seal the barf in.

Thank you DNS for catching the autocorrect.

 

[dnschmidt]

Nothing in life is untaxed. However, blonde shellac is available UNWAXED.

 

[ALinCarolina]

The plastic releases butyric acid which has the classic vomit smell

 

[Made in USA]

Like Lugnutz stated above, clear poly does a great job sealing in the stench of the old plastic handles. I keep a quart of this around for dunking those, and for certain vintage wood tool handles.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Minwax-Fast-Drying-Polyurethane-Gloss-Oil-Based-32-fl-oz-Polyurethane/999913661?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-pnt-_-google-_-lia-_-219-_-interiorstains-_-999913661-_-0&store_code=2604&placeholder=null&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImOaB-Jyf6AIVtSCtBh1TSw-yEAYYASABEgK4PPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[royesses]

Acetate screwdriver handles cause that. usually smells like vomit.

 

[Dave455]

Just to be a bit more specific, it’s not ‘acetate’ that causes the problems, but rather ‘cellulose acetate butyrate’.

You can get (and I have some very old ones) cellulose acetate handles that give no problems.

Cellulose acetate butyrate is a far more shatter resistant material, hence being used in the chisel handles, but it really can whiff!

Best bet is to keep them in a ventilated box, and don’t seal them up at any cost.

 

[Rewind97]

Thank you for all the tips. Hopefully something will work.

 

[Plombob]

I found Vaco drivers could stink up a drawer. I got rid of them years ago and the drawer still stinks.

 

[bonneyman]

I don't know if anyone else has noticed it, but I think the deterioration odor is "communicable". Tools drawers that were fine for years with say VACO nutdrivers start smelling after a few newer-style acetate drivers get added. After that, removing the offending drivers doesn't help, as the rest of 'em continue stinking. Anybody else run into this? Or is the odor just persistent or in the drawer liner?

Anyway I've found that soaking the handles in Ballistol gun oil gets rid of the odor, at least temporarily.

 

[Sgtboz]

As a child (I'm now 63), I bought my dad a Craftsman branded Excelite toolset in a small 2 piece plastic box. It smelled like vomit for DECADES. The kit is now odor free so just be patient.