how to prevent and treat rust on hand-tools and similar

rust inhibitors

• camellia oil or mineral oil — Used to protect knives used for food. Camellia oil is sometimes diluted with liquid paraffin and/or mineral oil, both food safe. I haven't read anything about camellia oil dilution being a problem, however, food grade 100% mineral oil might be easier and cheaper to obtain.
• paste wax — Often used for table saw tables, partly because it also allows wood to glide over the table more easily. People swear by SC Johnson Paste Wax specifically, though it seems all but unavailable as of May 2024.
• 3-in-1 oil — Paul Sellers pretty much only uses this for his hand-planes. [2] [3]
  • Boeshield T-9 is a popular alternative, it was originally designed to protect aircraft components
  • CLP oil is another popular alternative, it was originally designed for cleaning and protecting gun internals
    • "CLP oil" can be a name for a whole group of gun-focused products
    • There are some very valid criticisms of CLP oil.
  • Ballistol is a popular alternative
• Bicycle chain lube, especially mountain-bike chain lube, is particularly tenacious under wet and muddy conditions. However, it is sometimes described as 'gummy' and can attract more dirt over time. Because of this, chain lube is expected to be periodically cleaned off and re-applied.
  • It comes in two varieties, depending on the season one is riding in — wet chain lube and dry chain lube. Wet lube is "stickier" and can hold on to dust and grime more readily.
• WD-40 — WD stands for "water displacement". It isn't good for long-term rust prevention because it drips off so quickly, however it can work well for preventing rust in the short-term, right after a blade has been exposed to water.
  • WD-40 Specialist Gel Lube — a variant that stays in place for up to a year
  • WD-40 Specialist Corrosion Inhibitor

removing rust

All rust must be removed before painting or adding some kind of rust-prevention.

Various ways to convert rust back into steel:

• Evapo-Rust is one chemical that is much less toxic than the others, from a fume perspective and in terms of being not horrible to get on your skin
• rust removal using electrolysis
• a home solution: vinegar then baking soda [archive.is]
• rust converters
  • Note: Many rust removers has strong acids or other harsh chemicals, so if you don't have a workshop or garage to work in, you'll want to choose carefully.

Ways to mechanically remove rust:

• steel wool
• wire brush

degreasers

Often these rust-inhibitor coatings can be cleaned off using degreasers. This is useful when you want to remove and then re-apply the rust inhibitor coating.

Most degreasers are hydrocarbons of some kind. Ones I like to use:

• oven cleaner — a lot of people suggest Easy Off
• isopropyl alcohol
• degreasers used in workshops
  • car parts stores sell a variety of degreasers in different sizes
  • diesel fuel or kerosene