Preventing rust on tools

[Peregrine1983]

Curious to hear if anyone here has ingenious ways for preventing rust on steel tools. I'm on my third pair of lock pliers this season.

I'd really rather not coat my tools in anything, and my boat isn't air conditioned, so humidity levels are high.

What about an air tight tool container with damp rid pads or something? Anyone doing anything like that?

Any info appreciated.

[edge0302]

Not good for the moving parts, but for tools like wrenches, hammers and other hard/solid tools, I have been using “Renaissance Wax” which I’ve used on my swords for years. Worked incredibly well on them, and I’ve since put it on my own tools but I’m not sure I’ve been on the water long enough to see if it fails with salty-air exposure yet.

Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Renaissance-X.../dp/B003AJWN62

[hellosailor]

Go to a gun shop.
Buy some 50mm cartridge cans, which are good hermetic seals, and a box of RUST REPELLENT VAPOR DEPOSITION TABLETS, which look pretty much like yellow wax postage stamps. Made by 3M among others, sometimes you can dig them up online. Very few places routinely stock and sell them--except gun shops.

The vapor deposition will form a very thin coating as it sublimates, you should never notice it. If you really want longer-term storage, you throw in bags or tins of silica gel dessicant (which are reusable) and packets of oxygen absorbent (online) which are strictly one-shot, they "combust" very gently to actually burn up and bind all the oxygen in a container. If you buy a bagful and only need a dozen, you store the rest in a mason jar to prevent them going bad on the shelf.

Or you just put them in a tool roll, lightly sprayed with your favorite stuff every once in a while.

The vapor tabs last quite a long time, all by themselves.

[steve77]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Go to a gun shop.
Buy some 50mm cartridge cans, which are good hermetic seals, and a box of RUST REPELLENT VAPOR DEPOSITION TABLETS, which look pretty much like yellow wax postage stamps. Made by 3M among others, sometimes you can dig them up online. Very few places routinely stock and sell them--except gun shops.

The vapor deposition will form a very thin coating as it sublimates, you should never notice it. If you really want longer-term storage, you throw in bags or tins of silica gel dessicant (which are reusable) and packets of oxygen absorbent (online) which are strictly one-shot, they "combust" very gently to actually burn up and bind all the oxygen in a container. If you buy a bagful and only need a dozen, you store the rest in a mason jar to prevent them going bad on the shelf.

Or you just put them in a tool roll, lightly sprayed with your favorite stuff every once in a while.

The vapor tabs last quite a long time, all by themselves.

Very similar to Hellosailor, we use these, bought from a company called Zerust. I buy their "vapor capsules". https://www.zerust.com/products/vci-...ule-diffusers/

I put tools in large plastic bags with one or two of these, and then the bag goes into zippered nylon tool bags that you can get from Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

Cheers!

Steve

[Peregrine1983]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Go to a gun shop.
Buy some 50mm cartridge cans, which are good hermetic seals, and a box of RUST REPELLENT VAPOR DEPOSITION TABLETS, which look pretty much like yellow wax postage stamps. Made by 3M among others, sometimes you can dig them up online. Very few places routinely stock and sell them--except gun shops.

The vapor deposition will form a very thin coating as it sublimates, you should never notice it. If you really want longer-term storage, you throw in bags or tins of silica gel dessicant (which are reusable) and packets of oxygen absorbent (online) which are strictly one-shot, they "combust" very gently to actually burn up and bind all the oxygen in a container. If you buy a bagful and only need a dozen, you store the rest in a mason jar to prevent them going bad on the shelf.

Or you just put them in a tool roll, lightly sprayed with your favorite stuff every once in a while.

The vapor tabs last quite a long time, all by themselves.

Ammo cans are a great idea. I can't seem to find this 3m product, but as you mentioned gel dessicant is readily available. I think I might go with the 40mm cans as they are 6.5" wide by 17" long by 10" high - which is great for longer tools. Thanks very much Hellosailor.

[John_Trusty]

No one has mentioned it yet, and being currently in fresh water I'm no expert -- eliminate salt deposits. Salt does not in itself cause rust, but is hydrophilic so absorbs water from the surrounding atmosphere. This reacts with the iron in your tool (or your 'stainless' parts), and causes surface rust. Get in the habit of fresh-water rinsing your tools after every use, then wipe dry or give a light oil coating.

[bobnlesley]

A very occassional spray of WD40 or similar and wrap in cling-film/glad wrap.

[hellosailor]

Thanks, Steve. Zerust was the name I couldn't remember...one of those things that (at least last year) Amazon sold but would ship "one of these days when someone can figure out where the stuff might be", if you know what I mean. I'm glad to hear the brand works.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by steve77

Very similar to Hellosailor, we use these, bought from a company called Zerust. I buy their "vapor capsules". https://www.zerust.com/products/vci-...ule-diffusers/

I put tools in large plastic bags with one or two of these, and then the bag goes into zippered nylon tool bags that you can get from Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

Cheers!

Steve

I tested Zerust bags and a similar brand against plain zip-locks and zip-locks with silica gel. Silica gel was the walk away winner, and plain zip-lock was VERY close to Zerust.

Dry Top works really well. You can regenerate them in the microwave.

---

But personally, a trace of your favorite preservative oil makes more sense. Wipe it off. It does NOT take much. I can imagine how the OP is ruining tools that quick, unless they are put away wet with saltwater and never, ever oiled. I'm pretty careless and they last long enough to loose them in most cases. I like rolls for wrenches, which generally are coated.

[Reefmagnet]

Store the tools in a drier place? I've got tools that I've had on my various boats over quite a few years that are still fine. I keep them stored in a dry location inside the cabin and give them a wipe down and the occasional squirt of lubricant spray after use. I also avoid buying tools that don't have a chrome or black finish for the boat's kit.

You can't avoid protective coatings. Items with basically bare steel exposed like saw blades and drill bits will rust in a humid environment. No choice but to give them a squirt of WD40 or the like every now and again (I actually prefer Lanox or silicon spray). And, with hinged tools and those with moving parts like adjustable wrenches that aren't made of stainless steel, it's imperative that the moving parts are periodically lubricated with a heavier oil like sewing machine oil or Lanox every once in a while, too.

Look after your tools and they will look after you!

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by bobnlesley

A very occassional spray of WD40 or similar and wrap in cling-film/glad wrap.

I have found that spraying lightly with Inox and allowing the film to dry to be particularly effective longer term.

[Mithril Bham]

I've learned a lot, as usual.
I would just say that if you don't have a place dry enough to store your tools without rusting you might look a ways to adjust your boat environment. If you use them outside then spray with WD40 and wipe down before storing.

[thinwater]

Or maybe the locking pliers are a lame brand? Were they Vise-Grip? Heck, I've treated them horribly, left them wet and salty, and they still last and last. Not pretty, but they work. Cheap tools can be a problem.

[Biomed]

We use Napier VP90. It is, I think, a British product. Not expensive and very effective. It comes as patches, and as a powder in a sachet. It is a vapour corrosion inhibitor. I keep a sachet in my gun safe on board, and in the one in a beach apartment near Durban, where things get very hot and humid. Not to mention "salty". A sachet protects the contents 100% for over a year. Tools I wipe down with the patch, and store in ammo bins, one sachet of Napier in each and no rust issues yet. When we are in polar bear country, we are required to carry at least one rifle per shore party. Rifles gets sea sprayed in the dink and on ice, salty hands and fingers, all rust inducers. One wipe with the patch before locking them away, sachet in the safe does the rest. We have used it since years. Please see: www.napieruk.com for more info. For water removal from metal, we have found WD40 great. For rust protection of tools and rifles for an extended period, for our application, not so much. Tends to get "gummy" when left on for a while. Hope this helps, fair winds!

[FionaJC]

I use H83 ammunition containers with a silica-gel pack inside. I take the Silica gel and stuff it in the oven after cooking as it cools, then back in the box.


The H83 has a rubber anti damp seal. I also spray all my tools with Electrolube CPL when I buy them before they go near the boat. Its used on electronics to marinise them.
I have a smaller M61 one with radio's fascias and the like.