Old tools with paint - what do I do?

[SUP]

I found some old tools recently. Nice ones. They all have what appears to be black paint on the metal, except for the actual working area.

I was thinking of replacing that paint, since it has become a little patchy. I will need to strip off all the old paint first, isn't it?

What do I use to do that? And after that, what paint do I use? 

Is it a good idea to replace the paint or is it better to strip off all the old paint and use a good metal wax? I would love some advice.

[fredk]

Its possibly a black lacquer and normal paint stripper wont work on it. You could try a soaking in lacquer (cellulose) thinners, otherwise its a case of sanding it off with a very rough grade of grit. When replacing it I would use Hammerite Paint. As Hammerite is fairly thick you could just paint it over the old paint and the patches wont show. Hammerite comes in many colours so you can also choose one you like

Edited May 3, 2024 by fredk

[TonyV]

I wouldn't do anything about the paint.  It's part of the natural "patina" of an old tool that has been well used.  And, if, any of these tools happen to be collectible, it may ruin the value.

OTH, they're yours, do as you wish.  fredk has a good answer.  Look at lacquer thinner first before moving on to anything stronger.  Repainting might not be worth the expense and work.  Might be better off keeping them in the white and use a light oil or wax to prevent rust.

[SUP]

The brand on one appears to be  Mahlen, on another it seems to be  Koritsor or Koritson. The names are not very clear so just guessing a bit. The others are not clear at all. 

Cannot find much on them. Do any of you have an idea about these brands?

The paint will preserve better but until I get some, I will probably just use a blade wax and add them to the list of items to check twice a month. It is so humid here, sometimes the bare floor feels damp inside. I have dehumidifiers and monitors galore with the leathers and tools.

[DieselTech]

2 hours ago, SUP said:

I found some old tools recently. Nice ones. They all have what appears to be black paint on the metal, except for the actual working area.

I was thinking of replacing that paint, since it has become a little patchy. I will need to strip off all the old paint first, isn't it?

What do I use to do that? And after that, what paint do I use? 

Is it a good idea to replace the paint or is it better to strip off all the old paint and use a good metal wax? I would love some advice.

Are you sure it's paint? It could be a hot bluing or possibly black parkerized. Some old tools I think were hot blued. Got any pics. 

Thanks. 

[bruce johnson]

It depends on what the tools are. Realistically unless they are museum or display pieces that need to look the part, removing the old paint and repainting has little to do with lessening value of leather tools. Other tools yes, but most leather tools are going back to work, not be on display or to traded between collectors.  It blows away some of my general tool collectors friends what I do that they could never think about with refurbishing. They would kill the value and I don't. 

I've pretty well tried it most processes and it's evolved - scotch brite, strippers of all varieties, abrasive wheels and papers, etc. Some of these old paints are hard a rock and just laugh at strippers and solvents while others dissolve like KoolAid. I never knew what was going to happen from piece to piece. Here is my process now. I have blast cabinet and blast them down to bare metal. That has been the great equalizer. Faster, gets into the pits, takes off rust as well as paint, and leaves a clean surface with minimal residue I can blow off and go straight to paint. No rinsing off a stripper or residue that resists paint. In the old days a local powder coating outfit blasted for me at an hourly rate. Once I set enough money away I bought a big compressor and blast cabinet. After blasting I smooth and polish every place that needs polished with several abrasives and compounds to the desired finish and then tape off the areas that don't need paint. A coat of primer and let it dry a day. Light coats of rattle can paint for color. I use ACE brand matte or gloss and Rustoleum hammer finishes mostly. I use light coats from a distance every 10-20 minutes until I get the coverage I want. Usually 2-3/maybe 4 coats. In the winter I've got a heated drying cabinet I hang them in. I let the paint cure for at 24 hours or more before handling.

Punches and things like that - I blast, polish, and sharpen. I stopped repainting punches a few years ago. I was offering it for $5 more and essentially nobody wanted it. 

I like powder coated finishes but that's an involved process with more equipment and time that just doesn't pencil out for me right now. 

[SUP]

Thank you @bruce johnson. These are cobbler's tools, so I will be able to use them only when using thick leather or I will need to get inventive. But i do plan to use them. 

@DieselTech Here is a pic of some of the tools. 

I just cleaned and dried them, then applied blade wax. The paint, as you can see, is patchy on all except one of them. I will probably be able to get some of it off. I do everything by hand, of course, so it will take a bit more time.  I doubt I will be able to get it all off though. I might need to do as @fredk suggested and use Hammerlite directly. Or maybe a spray  like @bruce johnson says - Ace or Rustoleum.

Does humidity affect any of this? The ambient humidity is really high here, right now at 65%.

 

 

 

[BlackDragon]

That looks like Japanning or Tool Black.

It's a protective lacquer coating against rust, mostly for tools.

Lacquer thinner should remove it but I would redo the blacking or use cold bluing to protect your tools.

[Tastech]

I was wondering what sort of tools your were talking about . So its heel and welt irons i see . The black on the metal is wax .  Easy to get off with thinners , paint stripper or white spirit .  But to by pass all that give them a once over with a wire wheel on a bench grinder .  I am a shoe maker and i collect shoe irons . I don't use them much but i just like them. I also like them to look nice and shiny . There are thousands of them in the universe with patina but that,s not my thing . Shiny is .  I have perfected my method to suit me . 

First put the iron end in a vice with not marking jaws and with a twisty pulling motion remove the iron from handle .

I put the irons in a solution of phosphoric acid about 10  parts water to 1 acid   . ( available from an cleaners wholesaler ) while the acid does its work .( about 2 hours ) strip the handles  The way i do this is with a stanley knife . The knife is held just of 90 Deg and pull the blade towards you . Sort of like peeling a potato . rotate sightly after each pass and everything comes off easy . I then lightly sand with 240 grit . Some of the original patina remains but that is ok . When the irons are ready take them out of the acid using gloves and wash with water and soap using a course scourer  . this will take the blackness off and prepare the surface for polishing . You will notice the irons oxidize very quickly  so you have to work them the same day . You can either wire wheel them and leave them at that or go the full mirror polish .  To mirror polish require some equipment and only very little skill . If you want to know how to do the mirror polish let me know .  Because that can be fiddly often just linish them  . I do the same to my cobbler hammer collection 

Keep in mind the irons are just that irons . They were heated over a spirit burner and used to melt wax into the heels and edges of shoes . They were never painted and never should be . To seal the surface i use Penetrol which i wipe on with a rag . It stops rust and dries clear .  On the handles i give them 2 coats of a satin clear coat .

[billybopp]

45 minutes ago, SUP said:

Thank you @bruce johnson. These are cobbler's tools, so I will be able to use them only when using thick leather or I will need to get inventive. But i do plan to use them. 

@DieselTech Here is a pic of some of the tools. 

I just cleaned and dried them, then applied blade wax. The paint, as you can see, is patchy on all except one of them. I will probably be able to get some of it off. I do everything by hand, of course, so it will take a bit more time.  I doubt I will be able to get it all off though. I might need to do as @fredk suggested and use Hammerlite directly. Or maybe a spray  like @bruce johnson says - Ace or Rustoleum.

Does humidity affect any of this? The ambient humidity is really high here, right now at 65%.

 

 

 

That may not be paint.  Those are used hot, so it may be a carbon buildup from heating over an open flame.