I'm looking to protect my high-quality chisels, gouges, hand planes, and other hand tools from rust damage. Should I go with a thin layer of oil, or will paste wax do a better job? I'm leaning towards oil because it's easy to apply, but I'm concerned that it might seep into the wood I'm working on. What do you all use for rust prevention, especially if you're storing your tools for a long time without using them?
3 Answers
For me, it’s a mix of both. I like to use wax, such as Veritas Tool Wax, on areas that touch wood (like plane bodies and chisels) and oil, like camellia oil, on metal-to-metal contacts. The wax dries and doesn’t transfer to the wood, while the oil is light and non-staining. Also, keeping silica gel in my tool chest helps with humidity control— a must for preventing rust!
Good point about the silica gel! I’ve been using it for years and it works wonders.
Using a light oil, like 3-in-1, works really well if you apply it in a thin layer— it shouldn't soak into your wood. Personally, I like camellia oil because it feels lighter. The downside with paste wax is that I can't handle its fumes as they irritate my skin. So for me, it's oil all the way!
I’m all about paste wax for most surfaces, but I’ll switch to 3-in-1 for screws and metal connections, especially on planes. For moving parts, I recommend Renaissance wax. It helps keep my tools rust-free and doesn’t transfer to the wood, so it's been working out great! Oh, and if you want long-term protection, Boeshield T9 is awesome for machinery, although it can be a bit messy. Still worth checking out.
Interesting! I hadn't heard of Boeshield T9 before. Is it hard to apply or is it pretty straightforward?
It's super easy to apply! Just spray it on and let it dry. You'll get a protective film that lasts.
Just a quick note: camellia oil and tea tree oil are different! Don't mix them up, they come from different plants.