I avoid corrosion on my hand tools caused by finger oil or moisture in the air by wiping them down with oil after I use or sharpen them. But sometimes I can’t be bothered to put oil on a new rag or clean the wood chips off my old one. So recently I cut up a few rags to fit in the rectangular tins that Altoids mints come in. I wet the rags with jojoba oil, my favorite rust preventer. Now I have oily rags clean and ready to go in a few key spots in the shop. I’m aware of the danger of oily rags spontaneously combusting, but I haven’t noticed these tins getting even slightly warm in the six months I’ve used them.

—Dean Vande Griend, Story City, Iowa

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