Cleaning up car boot sale tools?

[LFS19]

So I've regularly started going to the car boot sale nearby, and there's usually a very large selection of hand tools.
Yesterday for example, I bought three Sheffield made squares for a pound.

The issues, as you'll all have no doubt experienced from car boot, or second hand tools in general perhaps, is that they're often subject to a fair amount of rust.
I presume the process for eliminating this rust is similar to that used for restarting a planes steel, but I'd be wary to use sand paper on any abrasive on something like a set square or any precise instrument, for fear of throwing it off square.

I've heard people use vinegar or lemon juice which has been said to work pretty well - has anyone any suggestions on what they usually use?

Thanks allot

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Have a quiet perusal of the 'Tool Cleaning and Restoration Links' sticky thread at the top of the board - just below the 'Topics' header. Lots of really Good Stuff in there.

 

[LancsRick]

Deox-C

 

[Carl P]

I'd also recommend reading the stickie - it's helped me enormously, for something cheap & cheerful, overnight in dilute vinegar is good, then light abrasives,

Cheerio,

Carl

 

[ED65]

It's good luck having a car boot near you that's a good source of tools! Wish I had one of those Actually it's probably good that I don't have one of those :lol:

Anyway yes, with most seconhand tools you will have some rust to deal with. It can be very light to very heavy. In case you don't know even something completely covered in rust can still be worth buying.

I presume the process for eliminating this rust is similar to that used for restarting a planes steel

Different tools allow for/demand that different processes are used and how clean you have to get something for it to work properly does vary quite a bit. Often though, with rust that doesn't easily come off it's firmly attached and can be left alone and oiled or waxed over, which turns it into 'black patina'.

People actually tend to remove more rust from old plane irons that they need to. The only place you need to concern yourself with the flat of the blade right near the edge, anywhere else it's of no consequence.

but I'd be wary to use sand paper on any abrasive on something like a set square or any precise instrument, for fear of throwing it off square.

You're right to be cautious but using fine abrasive paper is one of the ways that people remove rust from the blade of a square. The key is fine, since the amount of metal you can remove is really tiny unless you go bananas rubbing away at one spot, so no real risk of throwing it out of square. I would prefer to use steel wool myself though, lubricated with either WD-40 or white spirit.

If the rust is light enough steel wool does a pretty good job of shifting the loose stuff, if it's heavier than steel wool can deal with you might want to go with a gel or paste commercial rust remover since with a carpenter's square you can't safely soak the whole tool in liquid as you can with many other tools or parts.

Incidentally don't assume the squares are, well, square. Check them. It's surprising how many squares are not dead-on.

I've heard people use vinegar or lemon juice which has been said to work pretty well - has anyone any suggestions on what they usually use?

With vinegar or lemon juice, either one would need to be left in contact with the metal for a good while to have any worthwhile effect. An hour or two is probably the minimum, and some people soak overnight and longer depending on the condition of the piece.

 

[ED65]

Re. the sticky, one caution I would give about using vinegar (or any other acid, including lemon juice): rinse well afterwards. This is the minimum advisable to help prevent further rusting.

Some people go to the trouble of soaking briefly in a weak alkali, such as a solution of baking soda, to help neutralise any remaining acid but giving the tool a quick scrub with a bar of soap will do the trick. Soaps are usually strongly alkaline, and may additionally be very slightly greasy which won't do any harm either.

 

[sploo]

This is how I do it with planes: salt-and-vinegar-with-your-plane-sir-4-1-2-restoration-t94917.html

 

[LFS19]

Have a quiet perusal of the 'Tool Cleaning and Restoration Links' sticky thread at the top of the board - just below the 'Topics' header. Lots of really Good Stuff in there.

Didn't even notice those, thanks for the heads up!

 

[LFS19]

Deox-C

Ill check that out, thanks.

 

[LFS19]

I'd also recommend reading the stickie - it's helped me enormously, for something cheap & cheerful, overnight in dilute vinegar is good, then light abrasives,

Cheerio,

Carl

Indeed, i'll have a look.

Thank you

 

[LFS19]

It's good luck having a car boot near you that's a good source of tools! Wish I had one of those Actually it's probably good that I don't have one of those :lol:

Anyway yes, with most seconhand tools you will have some rust to deal with. It can be very light to very heavy. In case you don't know even something completely covered in rust can still be worth buying.

I presume the process for eliminating this rust is similar to that used for restarting a planes steel

Different tools allow for/demand that different processes are used and how clean you have to get something for it to work properly does vary quite a bit. Often though, with rust that doesn't easily come off it's firmly attached and can be left alone and oiled or waxed over, which turns it into 'black patina'.

People actually tend to remove more rust from old plane irons that they need to. The only place you need to concern yourself with the flat of the blade right near the edge, anywhere else it's of no consequence.

but I'd be wary to use sand paper on any abrasive on something like a set square or any precise instrument, for fear of throwing it off square.

You're right to be cautious but using fine abrasive paper is one of the ways that people remove rust from the blade of a square. The key is fine, since the amount of metal you can remove is really tiny unless you go bananas rubbing away at one spot, so no real risk of throwing it out of square. I would prefer to use steel wool myself though, lubricated with either WD-40 or white spirit.

If the rust is light enough steel wool does a pretty good job of shifting the loose stuff, if it's heavier than steel wool can deal with you might want to go with a gel or paste commercial rust remover since with a carpenter's square you can't safely soak the whole tool in liquid as you can with many other tools or parts.

Incidentally don't assume the squares are, well, square. Check them. It's surprising how many squares are not dead-on.

I've heard people use vinegar or lemon juice which has been said to work pretty well - has anyone any suggestions on what they usually use?

With vinegar or lemon juice, either one would need to be left in contact with the metal for a good while to have any worthwhile effect. An hour or two is probably the minimum, and some people soak overnight and longer depending on the condition of the piece.

Yeah - it almost seemed like every second stall had a box of tools to sift through, and there were several tool specific stalls.

Thanks allot for the post, that makes allot of sense, you've given some great advice.

 

[LFS19]

Re. the sticky, one caution I would give about using vinegar (or any other acid, including lemon juice): rinse well afterwards. This is the minimum advisable to help prevent further rusting.

Some people go to the trouble of soaking briefly in a weak alkali, such as a solution of baking soda, to help neutralise any remaining acid but giving the tool a quick scrub with a bar of soap will do the trick. Soaps are usually strongly alkaline, and may additionally be very slightly greasy which won't do any harm either.

Ahh right, understood. Thanks allot

 

[Rorschach]

Vinegar, sandpaper and steel wool all work great. For most things myself I tend to throw them in the sandblaster, especially if lots of it is going to finish up being painted.

 

[Bod]

Buying tools at carboots is addictive!!
You have been warned, by one who knows.

Bod

 

[ED65]

Yeah - it almost seemed like every second stall had a box of tools to sift through, and there were several tool specific stalls.

You're in clover then. I dream about hitting a big car boot like that on holiday in the UK. Not sure if there'll be enough room in the car for the amount I'd want to buy though =P~

 

[ED65]

Buying tools at carboots is addictive!!

But we can give up any time we want! At least that's what we tell ourselves early on....

 

[Bm101]

Funny enough I just finished cleaning up some old files. They weren't particularly rusty but a lot more than the top ebay photo shows up. Salt and clear vinegar for a bit. Scientific timescale was : when I get time to take them out. 'Bout a week in this case, didn't need that long. Probably a 3 second scrub with a wire brush to help out a couple of times then back in. Then probably 15 minutes with a wire brush proper and those little fine ones you can get for a few pennies from halfords. I wash them, then weirdly, but it makes sense to me (its neat, covers everywhere quick and lass hassle), I sieve baking soda on while still damp. Wash it off dry then stick in the oven much to my Mrs disgust. Give em a tiny blast of balisitol. Bosh. New tools.

The ones I couldn't get the handles off will have to wait till I can snitch the Mrs' flower vase and sneak it down the shed... 'No idea Love, haven't seen it for ages...'
I'm after doing the mollases or electrolysis routes next. I find it satisfying and when I'm too busy with real life to get in my little shed I can fit it in in the odd half hour here and there.
Files are Spencer, Stubbs, Frith, Bedford R.B Tools and Tyzack Turner and Sons. No particular order. Any gems?
Just in case in case I don't have to go to work tomorrow after all. You're always hearing about people stumbling on old vintage files and selling them for Billions. :roll:

Cheers
Chris

 

[Bod]

Buying tools at carboots is addictive!!

But we can give up any time we want! At least that's what we tell ourselves early on....

Oh....yes.

Bod

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Files are Spencer, Stubbs, Frith, Bedford R.B Tools and Tyzack Turner and Sons. No particular order. Any gems?

Peter Stubs were always considered among the best for instrument and precision files, every bit as good as the best Swiss makers. They started file-making in Warrington in the late 1700s when that town was the nation's biggest makers of watchmaking parts - the gears, pinions and the like. Kept at it for two centuries - only stopped file-making in the mid 1990s.

No slouches among the other names either. I've not come across Spencer before, but the others are well-known and well respected Sheffield names. Depending on how worn they are (always the unknown with secondhand files), they should serve well.

 

[LFS19]

Vinegar, sandpaper and steel wool all work great. For most things myself I tend to throw them in the sandblaster, especially if lots of it is going to finish up being painted.

Indeed, thanks for the reply, seems that's the way to go.