Tool coatings? Derusted tools now more prone to rusting!

[Itsjustdirt]

Long story short, I've got a few grand worth of tools that I've collected (and treated poorly) for the past 20 years, in addition to the 60 year old tools my grandpas' left me. Most of them rusted in some form.

I soaked them in Evaporust and then put them in the ultrasonic cleaner for an hour. This left the tools clean and rust free but unfortunately this removed all of the black oxide finish. Now these tools are SUPER prone to rusting and can hardly be used without flash rusting.

They have all been covered in Fluid Film but they still rust unless a heavy, annoying coat of the fluid film is left on the tool, making it miserable to use.


Is there a way to coat a 100 tools or so to prevent rust and allow me to continue using them as usual? Did I screw up terribly?

 

[countryroad82]

I have used cold blue like what you would refinish a gun with good results. Or I've painted them.

 

[matt_i]

You could go for a lighter protectant like LPS-2.

Or store under VCI (volatile corrosion inhibitor) paper in large ziplocks

Or store in a wooden toolbox with dessicant bags and keep them "baked out" regularly.

Removing the black oxide probably was not the best idea. You could theoretically have them re-black-oxided although I don't know the cost. Probably more than you want to pay.

 

[scarney1988]

Remove rust.

Remove oils/wax.

Paint (clear coat).

Dehumidify workspace??

Not sure what else you can do where it wont be best to just purchase new/used chrome finish tools.

 

[Corndoggeh]

I've learned that an effective coating for storage is a thick coating of paste wax that is NOT buffed off blocks out rust for at least a year or two, maybe even longer. Or paint, paint always works too.

 

[Al Borland]

Clean them good.
Oil them and heat them in an oven like you are seasoning a cast-iron pan.
I have a lot of industrial-finish Proto and Williams wrenches and sockets, as well as various impact sockets.

 

[pendragon1998]

Clean, then paste wax or oil. I neglegently left a few pairs of pliers out in the rain once and they rusted. I scotch-brited them and left them for a vinegar soak, which left them darkened, but no longer prone to rusting. I think the vinegar leaves a mildly protective black oxide coating on bright steel.

 

[Bacon!]

They have all been covered in Fluid Film but they still rust unless a heavy, annoying coat of the fluid film is left on the tool, making it miserable to use.

Is there a way to coat a 100 tools or so to prevent rust and allow me to continue using them as usual? Did I screw up terribly?

Clear coat paint will look more natural or colored enamel for longer life. Zinc loaded paint would retard rust well if you weren't using the tools but is much softer.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LNW4DC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Bellaireroad]

I've had good luck with boeshield in situations like this


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[P51Boilermaker]

boiled linseed oil might help on bare metal

 

[Itsjustdirt]

Thanks for the replies! I like the idea of heating in the oven to allow oil to penetrate. I'm not very fond of painting as I would be upset once the paint starts chipping or melts when touched with solvents.

Thanks again, keep the ideas coming! Trying the oven/oil idea next.

 

[kelpaso1]

I have "antiqued" steel by boiling them in used motor oil and then baked in an old oven at 300 degrees for an hour. Looks like the black oxide finish on impact sockets.

 

[yamaha0343]

Gun blue would work, and look pretty cool.

 

[kctyphoon]

I have "antiqued" steel by boiling them in used motor oil and then baked in an old oven at 300 degrees for an hour. Looks like the black oxide finish on impact sockets.

That sounds interesting​.. any pics? What r they like afterwards as far as being clean or greasy to the touch?

I was gonna say the blueing stuff for guns too, but I have no experience doing that..

 

[ScottsGT]

At home parkerizing kits are not that expensive. Just repark them.

 

[royesses]

Parkerize kit:
http://www.calvan.com/

 

[HanShotFirst]

Long story short, I've got a few grand worth of tools that I've collected (and treated poorly) for the past 20 years, in addition to the 60 year old tools my grandpas' left me. Most of them rusted in some form.

I soaked them in Evaporust and then put them in the ultrasonic cleaner for an hour. This left the tools clean and rust free but unfortunately this removed all of the black oxide finish. Now these tools are SUPER prone to rusting and can hardly be used without flash rusting.

They have all been covered in Fluid Film but they still rust unless a heavy, annoying coat of the fluid film is left on the tool, making it miserable to use.


Is there a way to coat a 100 tools or so to prevent rust and allow me to continue using them as usual? Did I screw up terribly?

Dupli-color 1200 degree with Ceramic. Very resistant to abrasion as far as a paint coating goes.

 

[Larryjones]

Dip them in a phosphate type rust remover, they will have a phosphate coat like parkerizing.

 

[jimreed2160]

I have cleaned up many tools, mostly cast iron handplanes. The tools covered with grease and oil have rust protection on them. The really rusty ones need a bath. Once I remove the rust with citric acid or Evaporust, I wash with Dawn and hot water to remove the chemical bath. Then I dry with paper towels and immediately put them into a warm oven to bake out the moisture. It takes a few minutes to dry them. Then I slather them with 3 in 1 oil and let them soak it up while resting on newspaper. If I am patient, the soak/rest is overnight. Then I wipe off the excess oil with paper towels and the tools are good to go. There is not much, if any, subsequent rust.

Each tool is different. Handplanes are good if treated like above. For vises, I skip the oil bath and treat them with BLO (boiled linseed oil and turpentine, 30/70 mix). Other tools get a modified treatment depending on how they are used. Most get the oil treatment, followed by Johnsons paste wax.

 

[ScottsGT]

Anyone else use Glidecoat? I picked up a can for my hand planes and my bare metal topped drum sander.

 

[SnapOnAddiction]

I boil mine in vinegar it smells the house up bad and my wife hates it but I do it once wipe it down then do it again it adds a black finish like an impact socket,if you don't wipe it off it will turn your hands black but after a cleaning it lasts and when it wears off do it again knife makers do this to blades, I use light grease to protect it more but wd40 will eat the coating off I found.

 

[ToolNuttt]

I'm trying to find an old article I read about derusting. If I remember correctly, they dunk the tools in some kind of oil after they wash off the derust solution.

 

[BigdaddycaddyV]

Eastwood sells a couple really good products for this reason. They have a black oxoide coating thats easy to use and works great.

 

[shawhite]

I say black oxide or superblu.

Here are a couple drill press parts I de-rusted and blued. Surprisingly easy.

 

[disston]

I understand that some tools get cleaned but over the years I have learned to mostly not derust them. A fine coating of rust stops further rust. It is patina on my older tools.

But I'll read the rest of the thread because of those tools I have cleaned.

 

[coop]

Take them to a shop that does conversion coatings and have them do them in black oxide.

This.
http://gunblack.com/ Great local company, top quality work.

 

[CGT80]

Dip them in a phosphate type rust remover, they will have a phosphate coat like parkerizing.

I think this is what I used for my tools. It left a gray black coating, after removing the rust, and I washed the tools with water to get the excess coating off and now they are gray and seem to hold up well to use. It isn't as humid here as other places, but at least the coating is durable and looks decent on tools, since it doesn't chip or wear off on your hands.

 

[Chromdome35]

Paste wax or Boeshield is what I use on tools I have run through the electrolysis tank to prevent rusting.