Hello all, got a few questions reguarding rust and (mainly) hand planes as I appear to be one of those people that just has to look at bear metal and it’ll have finger prints all over it when I come to use it next.
I currently use a silicone based spray to oil my clamps and hand plane at the end of every days work, this has given me no problems, and keeps the rust at bay.
I have heard that this can cause problems when finishing the timber, i’ve not had any trouble, I normaly finish with (Rustins) Danish oil.
I’ve recently started applying bee’s wax to the sole of my plane to reduce friction between it and the timber (it makes a huge difference), but isn’t it possible that this also could effect the finish?
Can bee’s wax alone stop the rust? Is bee’s wax the right wax for the job? Does anybody else oil the thread and lever on their clamps (specifically Record G clamps)?
I prefer my tools to look clean and shiny, but any tips on making this easier would be appreciated.
Ben.
Replies
I would recommend a polish used by autobody shops. I use a product call Race Glaze on all my woodworking machinery. Its an excellent car wax and says "autobody safe" on the label. I believe this means no silicone which is as disastrous for autobody painting as it is for us woodworkers. Checkout a automotive paint store in your area.
Dave
To this question you will get varied answers. For over 25 years I have used bar wax or butcher's wax. Friendly to wood, causes no finishing problems and relatively inexpensive (that's the good part). Minwax makes a similar product that can be purchased at nearly any HD or Lowe's. We use it on planes, cast saw tops, planer and jointer decks, etc.. That's my two.
jb
I treat all of my cast iron with talcum powder. This absorbs the moisture and makes the cast iron very slippery. It has to be redone more often than wax but is easy, doesn't buildup, and has no effect on finishing.
TDF
ive used camilla oil lightly/sparingly on my hand tools with great results. Most shops that stock fine japanese tools will stock this oil. Waxing planes just takes too long considering the fair result of corrosion prevention.
Its my understanding that this vegetable based oil was used by samuri on their blades to thwart corrosion.
Id also consider storing your planes in a container that contains a packet or loos bag of silica gel. Those are the little packets that always come with optical or fine tooling to absorb water in the package. The nice thing about the reusable packets is you can place them in the oven to remove the water they store.
Thanks all for your replies, it's always very interesting leaning what other people's tips and tricks are, would never thought of talcom powder.
Guess ill just have to try a few and see what works for me.
Ben.
as far as the talc, make sure its 100% talc no cornstarch.
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