After the rust is gone

[Tony (Charleston WV)]

I've a tool part made of cast iron that's soaking in some citric acid to remove rust. (The good side has japanning on it.) Once that's done, what can I use to keep rust from reappearing? I'd like something a little more "permanent" than a wipe with WD-40 or motor oil. I vaguely remember a post by Bob Smalser who described a fairly involved process using bluing, browning, or some other color stuff and more, and I'd like not to go that route if I can avoid it.

Any miracle cures out there?

Thanks,

Tony

[tim_leo]

Lots of people use paste wax

[Downwindtracker2]

Bronnell's Oxpho (sp) Blue is a wipe on blueing, easy enough. It's not a great rust preventer. If that's what you are after, Fluid Film is. There are gun oils like Rem Oil which claim rust prevention. Boeshield is another one.

[Sawdustd]

+1 on paste wax

[JimReed@Tallahassee]

3 in 1 oil dries with a residue that seems to hold rust down a bit. Follow that with paste wax and you have done a lot to help.

Wearing a hat in the shop helps due to the law of Murphy (which states that sweat beads from your forehead will fall directly onto the most critical and most inaccessible part of the handplane in use.) Murphy's corollary states that this sweat staining will only occur on your best tools and never on your beater tools.

Using your tools frequently will also help. As in, "Honey, I would love to watch the Hallmark channel with you but I need to be in the shop protecting our investment in tools."

And of course, there is always Rustoleum.

[Timberwolf]

50/50 mix of beeswax and mink oil, heated until it combines makes a darned good rust preventative..You could also substitute beef tallow for the mink oil...pour a little of it into an Altoid or other lidded metal container, along with a small piece of sheepskin, and wipe the tools off with it after every use.

If you don't want to go to all that trouble, buy a container of RIG {Rust Inhibiting Grease..Google it} and use that..It's what I use on my firearms..

If you are using citric {or any other acid} to remove rust, be sure to neutralize the acid {beyond a fresh water rinse} with a solution of water and baking soda after the final acid soak. I would use about a heaping tablespoon of soda to a gallon of water.

[blackhat]

Mil spec CLP works well but my climate is not very rust inducing.