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This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEP curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the straw badge in tool care.

Sometimes hand tools get rusty and need some tender loving care. Remove rust from a hand tool, clean it, and then, oil it.  Only use natural methods like vinegar, steel wool, sand paper, etc.  

Some possible hand tools for this BB are:
 - wrenches
 - hammers
 - drill bits
 - pliers
 - pruners
 - knives
 - sickles
 - shears
 - any other hand with lots of metal bits

Minimum requirements:
  - use a non-toxic cleaning method like sandpaper, vinegar, etc

To get certified for this BB, post the following as pictures or video (<2 min):
  - rusty tool
  - rust being removed
  - clean and oiled tool
  - description of oil and cleaning method used
COMMENTS:
 
gardener
Posts: 814
Location: Durham, NC
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Approved submission
I have this hammer... er, hammerhead.  My crystal ball tells me it will get a handle soon.



I removed the rust:



so it was shiny all over.  I mean, it had a dull sheen.



Then I oiled it with linseed oil, which smells like fish.



The End.
Staff note (Ashley Cottonwood) :

I certify this BB complete! Nice work!

 
gardener
Posts: 2188
Location: Western Kentucky
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Approved submission
Got a nice chisel at the auction. Just needs cleaning.
20201027_212137.jpg
Rusty!
Rusty!
20201027_213424.jpg
Turpentine and 1200 grit sandpaper
Turpentine and 1200 grit sandpaper
20201027_222802.jpg
Ballistol is good stuff!
Ballistol is good stuff!
Staff note (Mike Barkley) :

I certify this BB is complete.

 
pollinator
Posts: 991
Location: Chicago
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Submission flagged incomplete
Update:  I did not take a picture of the actual sanding process.  Guess I will try again some other time with another tool.  No shortage of rusty tools in the garage.

Very rusty hammer, I removed rust with sandpaper and steel wool,  then oiled with linseed oil.
20201108_135140.jpg
Tools
Tools
20201108_141955.jpg
Oil
Oil
20201108_142151.jpg
Finished
Finished
Staff note (gir bot) :

Rob Lineberger flagged this submission as not complete.
BBV price: 1
Note: Hello MK, can you provide an image of rust removal? Thanks!

 
gardener
Posts: 398
Location: Northern Ontario, Canada
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Approved submission
These are a pair of linesman pliers I got as a part of my electrical apprentice collection. This summer I left them on the window sill for a few days and they got moist somehow...probably a very humid day followed by a cool one that led to condensation. They weren't covered with rust but they were much harder to open then they should have been. So I put them in a cup of vinegar for about 24 hours, pulled them out and brushed them with an old tooth brush, wiped them, and oiled them with some olive oil. If it doesn't last we have other oils in the garage I can try.
IMG_20201221_082553_169.jpg
Looking kind of sad
Looking kind of sad
IMG_20201221_082616_743.jpg
Rusty jaws too
Rusty jaws too
IMG_20201221_083221_326.jpg
Bath time
Bath time
cleanedup.jpg
Ohh yeah, lookin' good
Ohh yeah, lookin' good
131659841_318803939274740_6816411545778501045_n.jpg
Rust removed, oil added, and they are ready to pull and snip wire once again!
Rust removed, oil added, and they are ready to pull and snip wire once again!
Staff note (gir bot) :

Jordan Holland approved this submission.

 
pollinator
Posts: 367
Location: The Wilds
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Approved submission
Needed a hammer recently to bang around with, so I found this one in my housemate's garage. Figured he probably wouldn't mind if I used it since it looks like it hasn't been used in years.

Saw Cam's post using vinegar, and since I'm all about doing the least amount of struggle I gave it a shot. Soaked this guy in a bowl of white vinegar overnight. It was pretty cool to watch it start bubbling and the oxidized bits fall off and start dissolving. So easy. Used a light hand with a toothbrush to brush the rust off. There was one tough spot that didn't want to give up its rust, so I took it outside and scraped at it a little with a metal bracket I had sitting around. Rinsed it in the vinegar again, dried it off, then sprayed it down with PB Blaster.

Here's the video of the scrubbing process:
Don't mind the hungry kitten crying for dinner in the background.

Looks like this hammer head could use a new handle, so that might be next on my Tool Care list..

Before.jpg
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Vinegar-Soak.jpg
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PB-Blaster.jpg
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Oiled.jpg
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Staff note (gir bot) :

Mike Barkley approved this submission.

 
pollinator
Posts: 217
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I was working on a project which required an auger bit, and saw that the ones I have are a bit rusty (partially from the humid climate, partially because I didn't give them a good once-over when I picked them up secondhand). I decided to be good to my tools and take the rust off. I used a very basic wire brush-and-vise method. I oiled them with grapeseed oil (a drying oil--no horrible sticky residues) and hit them with a heat gun until the oil smoked, ensuring it incorporated in rather than just sitting on top.
mb-bb-tool-straw-removerust.JPG
Removing rust from some auger bits
Removing rust from some auger bits
Staff note (gir bot) :

Mike Barkley approved this submission.

 
gardener
Posts: 1331
Location: Washington State
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Approved submission
Here is my submission for the Tool Care - Straw - Remove Rust, Clean, and Oil a Hand Tool BB.

I used an angle grinder with a wire brush to remove the heavy rust then a vinegar bath to remove the rest of the rust from the head of a hammer/hatchet combo.  I also put a wood chisel into the vinegar bath as there was some rust inside the handle attachment pin-hole.

While researching this project, I noticed that several people advocated using candle wax and melting it into the metal.  I decided to use a few of my organic beeswax crystals leftover from making Wax Cloths.
I put the metal on the stove to heat/melt the wax into the metal.

To document the completion of the BB, I have provided the following:
  - rusty tool
  - rust being removed
  - clean and oiled tool
  - description of oil and cleaning method used
1.jpg
rusty hatchet/hammer combo unit
rusty hatchet/hammer combo unit
2.jpg
angle grinder with wire wheel removing heavy rust
angle grinder with wire wheel removing heavy rust
3.jpg
still some rust
still some rust
4.jpg
handle removed (it is damaged and not comfortable to hold/use tool) showing more rust inside handle hole
handle removed (it is damaged and not comfortable to hold/use tool) showing more rust inside handle hole
6.jpg
chisel and hatchet/hammer ready for vinegar bath
chisel and hatchet/hammer ready for vinegar bath
7.jpg
pouring - glass jars help make vinegar deeper by displacment
pouring - glass jars help make vinegar deeper by displacment
8.jpg
bubbles on metal
bubbles on metal
9.jpg
just scrubbed tool heads - leaving for a few more hours
just scrubbed tool heads - leaving for a few more hours
10.jpg
finished - you can see some hardened wax on the top (side facing you)
finished - you can see some hardened wax on the top (side facing you)
Staff note (gir bot) :

Mike Barkley approved this submission.

 
gardener
Posts: 1863
Location: Japan, zone 9a/b, annual rainfall 2550mm, avg temp 1.5-32 C
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Approved submission
Posting requirements for reference.

To get certified for this BB, post the following as pictures or video (<2 min):
 - rusty tool
 - rust being removed
 - clean and oiled tool
 - description of oil and cleaning method used

Unfortunately I don't have a good storage space for my tools. As a result all of my chisels need care.

I soaked my chisels in vinegar for about 2-3 hours then used a wire brush and steel wool to clean them up. Another dip into the vinegar before a quick rinse in water and a thorough wipe down with a paper towel.

I oiled them with camellia oil. It is the preferred oil for blade maintenance here in Japan.
IMG_20210914_082717097.jpg
Rusty chisel
Rusty chisel
IMG_20210914_083203507.jpg
Soaking in rice vinegar with its friends for a few hours
Soaking in rice vinegar with its friends for a few hours
IMG_20210914_124801585.jpg
Clean with wire brush
Clean with wire brush
IMG_20210914_142504175.jpg
Clean with steel wool
Clean with steel wool
IMG_20210914_143235877.jpg
Protect with camellia oil
Protect with camellia oil
IMG_20210914_143508612.jpg
Maintenance complete
Maintenance complete
Staff note (gir bot) :

Someone approved this submission.
Note: I certify this badge bit complete.

 
gardener
Posts: 443
Location: Pembrokeshire, UK
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Approved submission
I left a rake outside for a while as I was intending to use it to forage hazelnuts. In the end I never took it with me (there are plenty within reach near me) and it got a bit rusty.

I cleaned the rust using a wire wheel on an electric drill. This is quick and works really well. It's important to wear PPE though as the wire can fly off and the dust is horrible for your lungs.

I then used a penetrating oil, WD40, to coat the metallic components and prevent flash rust. It also acts as a degreaser. I wiped this off and then applied tung oil, a polymerizing/hardening oil that will protect the rake for much longer than WD40 alone. I also oiled the handle.
rake-1.jpg
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rake-2.jpg
[Thumbnail for rake-2.jpg]
50-percent.jpg
[Thumbnail for 50-percent.jpg]
rust-removed.jpg
[Thumbnail for rust-removed.jpg]
detail.jpg
[Thumbnail for detail.jpg]
oil.jpg
[Thumbnail for oil.jpg]
oil-2.jpg
[Thumbnail for oil-2.jpg]
oil-handle.jpg
[Thumbnail for oil-handle.jpg]
shiny.jpg
[Thumbnail for shiny.jpg]
wire-wheel.jpg
[Thumbnail for wire-wheel.jpg]
Staff note (gir bot) :

Mike Haasl approved this submission.

 
gardener
Posts: 1495
Location: Hudson Valley, New York
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Approved submission
My go to hammer definitely need some TLC.
I made a solution of citric acid, wrapped the head in cloth and let it soak for a few hours.
Then I scrubbed it with wire wool.
I finished by oiling with some tallow I made last week.
IMG_2215.jpeg
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IMG_2251.jpeg
[Thumbnail for IMG_2251.jpeg]
Staff note (gir bot) :

Mike Barkley approved this submission.

 
Posts: 114
Location: VIC, Australia
68
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Approved submission
Just as a question to anyone that would know, I would love to know what this hammers intended use is for? It belongs to dad and I'm trying to get a lot of the Tool Care BB's at his place since I'm still working in my collection of tools!
20211110_170206.jpg
Chosen tool for a bit of TLC
Chosen tool for a bit of TLC
20211110_170217.jpg
Removal apparatus of choice
Removal apparatus of choice
20211110_171238.jpg
Halfway there
Halfway there
20211110_163151.jpg
Oil of choice
Oil of choice
20211110_172427.jpg
Decided to keep only a little but of the paint on the handle because I like the way it looks. But all oiled up now
Decided to keep only a little but of the paint on the handle because I like the way it looks. But all oiled up now
Staff note (gir bot) :

Paul Fookes approved this submission.
Note: Congratulations Brandon. I certify this BB complete. It is a riveting hammer. Looks simolar to a peen hammerCheers.

 
Posts: 57
Location: Urban Central Scotland (Stirling)
22
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Approved submission
Our hand axe usually only comes out of the shed a couple of times a year to split a few logs for firewood. This BB was my motivation to get it ready to sharpen and then use it to start carving my first spoon.

It was rusty on both sides, but I only photographed one side to start. I used sandpaper by hand when we were away on holiday and then used the sandpaper around a sanding block once we were back home. That made it far easier to handle. I oiled it with vegetable oil.
PXL_20220404_170550889.MP-2-01-01.jpeg
Rusty axe
Rusty axe
IMG-20220418-WA0022-01.jpeg
Sanding the axe
Sanding the axe
PXL_20220418_185715464.MP-2-01.jpeg
Sanded and oiled side one
Sanded and oiled side one
PXL_20220418_185708108.MP-2-01.jpeg
Sanded and oiled side two
Sanded and oiled side two
Staff note (gir bot) :

Mike Barkley approved this submission.

 
steward
Posts: 14069
Location: Northern WI (zone 4)
4105
5
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Approved submission

To get certified for this BB, post the following as pictures or video (<2 min):
  - rusty tool
  - rust being removed
  - clean and oiled tool
  - description of oil and cleaning method used


I worked on an old hatched I found in the Red Cabin.  I used a wire wheel on a bench grinder to derust it and linseed oil to protect it.  If I could've removed the head from the handle it would have been easier but it was on there pretty good.
Poor-baby-.jpg
Poor baby!
Poor baby!
Wire-wheeling-it.jpg
Wire wheeling it
Wire wheeling it
Oiling.jpg
Oiling
Oiling
All-done.jpg
All done
All done
Staff note (gir bot) :

Carla Burke approved this submission.

 
Posts: 15
Location: West-Flanders, Belgium
5
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Edge case submission
Hello all

Found a hoe in mij local second hand/thrift shop.
Cleaned the handle and oiled and waxed the handle with scraper and sandpaper, linseed oil and self made paste wax, cleaned the hoe with wire brush a bit and sharpened it. This is my first submission for a badge. Let me know if I missed anything.
IMG_20220923_160225_320.jpg
original state
original state
IMG_20220923_160732_140.jpg
handle after sanding
handle after sanding
IMG_20220923_160907_391.jpg
hoe clean and ready for sharpening with file
hoe clean and ready for sharpening with file
IMG_20220923_161407_004.jpg
sharp!
sharp!
IMG_20220923_161618_243.jpg
self made paste wax
self made paste wax
IMG_20221017_114349_300.jpg
[Thumbnail for IMG_20221017_114349_300.jpg]
now wirewheeled! Sorry, I did indeed not clean it enough! Also boiled linseedoil to protect
Staff note (gir bot) :

Someone flagged this submission as an edge case.
BBV price: 0
Note: You're close but you still need to get rid of the rust on the hoe between the new sharp edge and the black paint.  Plus a pic with the metal oiled/waxed for rust protection.

 
Posts: 27
Location: Spain
20
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Approved submission
Cleaned this lovely old traditional belgian tool with vinegar and an inox sponge
Gave it a vinegar bath for a total of around 3 hours, without having the handle in the vinegar.
To get closer to the handle, I wrapped an in vinegar soaked cloth around the blade so it would also get the vinegar treatment.

I had no patience, so every now and again I went to do some scrubbing, but everytime I found out I was too early.
After those 3 hours, I was happy with the end result. Dried it with a paper towel, let it sit in the air for a while, and then oiled it with linseed oil.

Can't wait for this baby to be sharpened :-)
RustyTool1.jpg
[Thumbnail for RustyTool1.jpg]
RustyTool2.jpg
[Thumbnail for RustyTool2.jpg]
RustBeingRemoved.jpg
[Thumbnail for RustBeingRemoved.jpg]
CleanAndOiled1.jpg
[Thumbnail for CleanAndOiled1.jpg]
CleanAndOiled2.jpg
[Thumbnail for CleanAndOiled2.jpg]
Staff note (gir bot) :

Mike Barkley approved this submission.
Note: Beautiful tool & it looks much better!!!

 
gardener
Posts: 1246
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Approved submission
The past couple days I finally tackled a project I've been saying I should do for years now.  I got this crazy old metal forming, raising hammer for $5 at a flea market a long time ago.  It was in crappy condition, rusty, with a cracked handle, and broken hammer face.  I've fixed this up to working condition again and did a couple BBs in the process.  Repairing the handle will be a different submission for the make a wedge style handle BB.  For this submission I have refurbished the hammer head.

This involved a lot of rust removal initially.  I started with a diamond abrasive sanding sponge to get the worst of it, then moved to a wire brush on a flex shaft tool as well as an 80 grit radial bristle brush on my Foredom bench lathe.  

After this I set about refinishing the faces of the hammer.  They were deeply pitted which is not a good thing for the sort of metalwork I do.  Any mark or pit on the surface of the hammer face will get imprinted on the metal I'm forming with it over and over again.  Initially I tried just working with my coarsest diamond grit sanding sponge, but that wasn't getting me anywhere significant.  The hammer face was well hardened and deeply pitted.  So I did break out the 4.5 inch angle grinder and went to town on it, being careful not to overheat the metal while also keeping the proper head shape.  With the broken corner on the boxing face there was no real repair possible.  I opted to just blend that back a bit further, softening the edge, so if I do use that side I can hopefully avoid that corner making unsightly hammer marks from a ragged edge hitting.  Then I finished up the hammer faces with sanding sponges which conform nicely to curves and brought it down to a suitably smooth finish.

There was still some rust in crevices and the hole for the handle so I decided to try the vinegar trick which I learned reading the BB submissions of others!  That seemed to work.  Finally I applied a thin coat of some old, rancid canola oil I have.  Copying M Broussard's trick I then heated it up with a fuzzy torch until it just started to smoke to set it as a better finish.

Finally, once the handle was made I got it all mounted and restored to working order.  In cleaning this up I could see this is an old hammer that has seen a lot of use.  I have to wonder what its history really is.  What stories could it tell?  I doubt I'll actually use it much as it's designed for a style of raising I don't do, not to mention larger scale pieces than I generally do as well.  Still this was somebody's workhorse hammer at one point in the past.  Hopefully I've revived it well enough that it can be for someone else in the future after me.

DSC06185.JPG
Here is the hammer in the original state I was starting with.
Here is the hammer in the original state I was starting with.
DSC06198.JPG
After I removed the cracked handle this is the head I was working to clean up and restore.
After I removed the cracked handle this is the head I was working to clean up and restore.
DSC06199.JPG
Action shot removing rust with the radial bristle brushes.
Action shot removing rust with the radial bristle brushes.
DSC06201.JPG
Big jump forward in the restoration process. I'm now doing some final finishing with sanding sponges.
Big jump forward in the restoration process. I'm now doing some final finishing with sanding sponges.
DSC06203.JPG
A vinegar bath to finish removing residual rust from hard to reach places.
A vinegar bath to finish removing residual rust from hard to reach places.
DSC06205.JPG
The hammer head after it was oiled with a thin coat of canola oil.
The hammer head after it was oiled with a thin coat of canola oil.
DSC06206.JPG
Close up of the refurbished broken boxing face.
Close up of the refurbished broken boxing face.
DSC06207.JPG
Close up of the refurbished cross peen raising face.
Close up of the refurbished cross peen raising face.
DSC06224.JPG
The finished and restored hammer with it's new ash wood handle.
The finished and restored hammer with it's new ash wood handle.
Staff note (gir bot) :

Mike Barkley approved this submission.

 
Posts: 69
Location: Chemung, NY
4
homestead
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klara stinders wrote:Cleaned this lovely old traditional belgian tool with vinegar and an inox sponge
Gave it a vinegar bath for a total of around 3 hours, without having the handle in the vinegar.
To get closer to the handle, I wrapped an in vinegar soaked cloth around the blade so it would also get the vinegar treatment.

I had no patience, so every now and again I went to do some scrubbing, but everytime I found out I was too early.
After those 3 hours, I was happy with the end result. Dried it with a paper towel, let it sit in the air for a while, and then oiled it with linseed oil.

Can't wait for this baby to be sharpened :-)



What is this Belgian tool used for? What is it called? Thanks.
 
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