Thought I lost a set of Snap-on impact sockets that i bought recently but they turned up in a portable box I hardly ever use. Sockets had a fair amount of surface rust on them particularly where they were touching each other on the rail. Much more than I've seen on sockets I've had for many years. Bought these within last year. Is Snap-on using a different coating than older sockets? I knocked the rust off with a wire wheel and wiped on a few drops of oil on each socket. Any insight as to what's going on here? A little disappointed lol...
Surface rust on Snap-on impact sockets
- Thread starter cgrutt
- Start date
bob15
Well-known member
Impact sockets will rust due to no chrome plating. A towel/rag and a little light oil would knock the rust right off them, as would ScotchBrite pad.
Wamsutta
Well-known member
Keep one of those maroon colored ScotchBrite pads around.
Not red, not purple, not brown, not gray, not green, MAROON.
Not red, not purple, not brown, not gray, not green, MAROON.
ssdave
Banned
Heat them up, and rub with beeswax. That'll be the end of the rusting problem.
Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
better yet, use them so they get some oil/grease/grime on them for protection 
you could spray them down with fluid film for protection
you could spray them down with fluid film for protection
From what I understand there are a few different finishes.
Black Oxide is cheapest and least corrosion resistant
Black Phosphate is slightly better for corrosion resistance and wears a bit better (doesn't come off on your hands)
Lastly is electroplating which has excellent corrosion resistance and has wear characteristics similar to chrome.
Im pretty sure Snap-On (and by extension Williams) simply uses black oxide as do Cornwell, MAC (by extension Proto), Wright, GP, and Sunex. Matco and SK use a corrosion resistant impregnated phosphate, or something to that effect.
Oxide and phosphate both rust and both will be best served either waxed or oiled but I do feel that the phosphate resists better.
In the end it really only effects the cosmetics though.
Black Oxide is cheapest and least corrosion resistant
Black Phosphate is slightly better for corrosion resistance and wears a bit better (doesn't come off on your hands)
Lastly is electroplating which has excellent corrosion resistance and has wear characteristics similar to chrome.
Im pretty sure Snap-On (and by extension Williams) simply uses black oxide as do Cornwell, MAC (by extension Proto), Wright, GP, and Sunex. Matco and SK use a corrosion resistant impregnated phosphate, or something to that effect.
Oxide and phosphate both rust and both will be best served either waxed or oiled but I do feel that the phosphate resists better.
In the end it really only effects the cosmetics though.
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WittHay
Well-known member
Snap-on impact sockets are the worst for rusting. At least ten years ago, got the Hansen socket holders and of course just had to buy some new Snappy to fill up the pegs. Never used some of the sockets and they rusted up like anything. Unheated shop at times but we have the mildest climate in Canada.
Presently use Proto and Mac impact sockets and they dont rust at all or very little. Anthing black from Snap-on is about the same. Prybars, punches, chisels they all rust.
Not mine, but a picture from a Garage Journal thread about rusty Snap-on tools in a service truck
Presently use Proto and Mac impact sockets and they dont rust at all or very little. Anthing black from Snap-on is about the same. Prybars, punches, chisels they all rust.
Not mine, but a picture from a Garage Journal thread about rusty Snap-on tools in a service truck
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Mikeske
Well-known member
I have some old impacts that are from Snap-on and a variety of other brands and they all would rust all the same I simply oiled them and the rust stopped. A few weeks ago my buddy and I were in the garage and we were working on his tractor and we had to remove a wheel. I grab the impacts and wiped off the oil and removed the lug nuts. My impacts are all over thirty years old and by being oiled none of them have any rust on them. My buddy grabbed another impact socket and then complained about the heavy oiling that the impact socket had. I looked at him and said you want this thing fix then stop complaining how oiled up my tools are.
I have never seen my impacts with rust on them but I keep a heavy coat of oil on them. It is really simple to just wipe them off when I need to use a impact and reapply oil when I am finished.
I have never seen my impacts with rust on them but I keep a heavy coat of oil on them. It is really simple to just wipe them off when I need to use a impact and reapply oil when I am finished.
Just wipe them with a anti rust fluid, light oil, wd40 ect .
the dry type finish holds an oil or a wax so can work well .
even chrome rusts, I had couple nice snapon wrench sets that pitted at points in contact with drawer liners .
the dry type finish holds an oil or a wax so can work well .
even chrome rusts, I had couple nice snapon wrench sets that pitted at points in contact with drawer liners .
nmantas
Well-known member
Just an FYI: evaporust takes the rust off......along with protective black oxide leaving your sockets as raw unprotected steel. I've seen many posts where this has happened.
RoundedNut
Well-known member
Black rust protects the underlying metal while red rust promotes further rusting. Get rid of red rust.
Black oxide and phosphate coatings absorb oil, which improves protection.
Try a different brand than Snappy with better coatings and keep them oiled.
Black oxide and phosphate coatings absorb oil, which improves protection.
Try a different brand than Snappy with better coatings and keep them oiled.
MuhThugga
Well-known member
My Craftsman US-made impacts all develop surface rust. The cheapo Harbor Freight impact sockets I got ten years ago don't. Go figure.
I just wipe them with oil and it cleans right up. Not a big deal.
I just wipe them with oil and it cleans right up. Not a big deal.
Paco Pena
Well-known member
I wipe mine down with a little ATF.
Paco
Paco
anndel
Well-known member
Wipe 'em with WD-40 and a rag.
Boeshield is the same idea. After the solvent evaporates it leaves a waxy coating.
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seber
Well-known member
It isn't the coating that causes SO to rust more quickly, it is the alloy. Just as M2 rusts more quickly than D2. In general, stronger alloys rust more easily. There are many exceptions, but black oxide is black oxide.
Huh, interesting. So I shouldn't toss them and buy Harbor Freight? So confused...
GirlnAgarage
Well-known member
Looking a this thread made me wanna parkerize something again.
But as already said, wipe down with some kind of oil.
I use ATF too for rust control too...a 50/50mix with gear oil for a little stickiness.
But as already said, wipe down with some kind of oil.
I use ATF too for rust control too...a 50/50mix with gear oil for a little stickiness.
MikeinNorthWales
Well-known member
If you use them often, even the oil from your hands offers a little protection. Really, wiping them with something oily, or Fluid Film, or whatever, is all it takes. What you found after not touching them for almost a year, stored in a portable box, is what I would expect to see.
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jsaw
Well-known member
That is what I do also. actually leave them a little damp with ATF when I put them away
Also use the maroon scotch brite pads to buff the rust off
Yeah no biggie. I bought them about a year ago they were only in the box about a month. I wasn't really concerned about the surface rust just wondering if the new stuff is somehow different than the older stuff. I have Snap-on impact sockets that I purchased in 1980s that never rusted like these did.