Cleaning up very old tools

Living_proof

I recently took over a lock-up on the site where I have an allotment and it was full of very old tools. Some of them are not worth keeping, like rakes with lots of missing teeth, etc. but I have kept most and will try and renovate them. I will give away the ones which are duplicates or too big for me, etc.

I have read up on how to clean up rusty old tools and the suggestion is that after taking a wire brush to the metal, then soak in vinegar overnight. I think it said white vinegar. Either way I will need quite a lot because there are a lot of tools and I'd need a couple of gallons to submerge each one. Has anyone ever done this and do you think I could re-use the vinegar until they are all cleaned up? It will be quite a job as I will also have to sand down and then linseed oil all the handles.

unrecordings

Sometimes these old bits of wisdom become a bit too unwieldy for the modern age. I found this quite useful:

https://www.growveg.co.uk/guides/how-to-care-for-and-sharpen-gardening-tools/

I've got a few (far too many) very old tools, most of them 50 years old or more. I just keep an old wooden spatula to hand to scrape off mud/dirt/clay and finish off with a stiff brush. If they need a proper clean then I use a polycarbonate wheel and then give them a once over with olive oil (because that's what I have more than anything else). You could use WD40 but then that is likely to taint the soil

Living_proof

unrecordings wrote: »

If they need a proper clean then I use a polycarbonate wheel and then give them a once over with olive oil (because that's what I have more than anything else). You could use WD40 but then that is likely to taint the soil

Could you just enlighten me as to what is a polycarbonate wheel please? Does it go on an electric drill?

unrecordings

Sorry...
Polycarbide wheel - I can see that was next to impossible to google
Like one of these - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-Tools-465434-Polycarbide-Abrasive/dp/B06Y5B6DYL

Attach to a drill and be very very careful. It's better than using a wire brush by hand, but not as aggressive on the metal as a wire brush on a drill (or heaven forbid - an angle grinder)

pmartin86

unrecordings wrote: »

(or heaven forbid - an angle grinder)

I used an angle grinder on a heavily worn and damaged shovel once, it was spectacular, much better than November 5th!

DaftyDuck

Bucket of reject sand from whatever job you never finished...

Tip some used oil in it.... any old muck will do.......

Leave said tool in for a day or a week, and give it a wriggle and a shove every time you pass!

tori.k

Don't dismiss toothless rakes one of the best tools I have is an old cockle rake that only has one fork left makes light work of pulling the weeds between the patio slabs

MrsStepford

For rust stains, not actual rust, salt is really good. Doesn't matter whether it is coarse as in sea salt or fine as in table salt. They both work really well. For anything brass, squirt with cheap tomato ketchup, make sure it's covered fairly evenly. leave for a few mins, rinse off and dry. White vinegar can be used to wash off wood as it won't raise the grain like water. Saddle soap for leather, even neatsfoot oil (wear gloves to avoid bendy fingernails). You can also clean wood by rubbing it with lemon juice then with gloves add bicarbonate of soda carefully. It will fizz as you just made carbolic acid. I would suggest moneral oil rather than olive oil as that goes rancid eventually.

Apodemus

MrsStepford wrote: »

... You can also clean wood by rubbing it with lemon juice then with gloves add bicarbonate of soda carefully. It will fizz as you just made carbolic acid...

:rotfl: I am guessing you are not a chemist!

doberly

I soaked my tools in a mixture of 50% vinegar and 50% water. Then I scrubbed them using a fine steel wool.

prowla

Coca Cola (it really does work!).