Old tools with paint - what do I do?

[toxo]

5 hours ago, Northmount said:

It's one thing for a surgeon to pull iron pieces out of an eye with the help of a magnet.  Doesn't work for grit from a grindstone.  Eyesight recovery is less likely.

I worked for a foreman that blew dust out of a hole he drilled to set an anchor in a brick wall.  The dust blew straight back into his eye and he didn't have it properly cared for.  (Was probably in the 50s or 60s when they didn't have all the capability for microsurgery we have today.)  Got infection in it and lost his eye.  Became known as One-Eyed Jake. 

The simple little things that we do without realizing how dangerous they really are when we should, with a little common sense, realize the likely risk.

 

Don't remind me! As a fabricator welder I had a season ticket to the Royal Eye Hospital at the Elephant & Castle in London. As you say, the powerful magnets don't work on non metallic and welding slag is just that. I remember well that black and chrome thing that you had to put your chin on. The surprising thing was, when he switched on the two really bright lights and came at you with a very sharp spikey thing and said DON'T MOVE, DON'T BLINK, despite water streaming down your face, you didn't, even as you felt the plucking at your eyeball.

I remember the first time, a black nurse put drops in my eye, put a pad over it and began winding a bandage around my head. I fainted.

The funny bit (In hindsight) was when I was waiting for the bus to get home. The road was quite wide and one way. The bus stop was placed so if your bus came around the corner you stuck your hand out and the bus would come over to the left to pick you up. If no hand was stuck out he would move over to the right hand side to turn right. I was there for a while because, by the time I could see what bus it was it was too late. He had gone over to the other side of the road ready to turn right. Eventually I stuck out my hand for every bus.

[SUP]

@Northmount, @toxo wow. My eyes ache just reading about these experiences. My worst is mild comparatively - a klutz next to me in the lab, tipped over her spirit lamp onto my arm which caught fire - from elbow to fingers. I waved it around and the remaining spirit on my skin evaporated and the fire died out. Everyone else was transfixed with horror. My arm, amazingly, was fine - not a single burn.  Never sat next to her again.. no one did.

Anyway, leery about using spirit lamps since then.   

7 hours ago, Northmount said:

The simple little things that we do without realizing how dangerous they really are when we should, with a little common sense, realize the likely risk.

Yep, exactly. After over 4 decades of using pressure cookers, one of mine exploded some months ago. No idea why. Valves  worked fine. Vents clean and clear. Even with utmost care, accidents occur; all we can really do is think of all the risks and possibilities and try to prevent them.. and cross fingers and hope.

[Wepster]

These are small, low power, variable speed. Safer? Tough call, but you can slow it way down so it wont be as violent. But perhaps quicker than by hand..   https://www.amazon.com/OPAVIOC-Jewelry-Polisher-Adjustable-Polishing/dp/B09MNB2VJH/ref=asc_df_B09MNB2VJH?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80676783972125&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584276312388278&psc=1

Wet/dry "sandpaper" here is an inexpensive pack with the finer grits you will not find at a big box store. Automotive finishes stores have finer grits, parts stores have some    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08JJ39YX8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

[Littlef]

17 minutes ago, Wepster said:

These are small, low power, variable speed. Safer? Tough call, but you can slow it way down so it wont be as violent. But perhaps quicker than by hand..   https://www.amazon.com/OPAVIOC-Jewelry-Polisher-Adjustable-Polishing/dp/B09MNB2VJH/ref=asc_df_B09MNB2VJH?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80676783972125&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584276312388278&psc=1

Wet/dry "sandpaper" here is an inexpensive pack with the finer grits you will not find at a big box store. Automotive finishes stores have finer grits, parts stores have some    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08JJ39YX8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

along those same lines, Another option:  I don't have a bench grinder or a buffer,  but I do have a handheld dremel tool, which has grinding wheels and buffing pads.  Its sufficient for the "little" bit of occasional buffing and grinding I need to do.  

[SUP]

1 hour ago, Wepster said:

These are small, low power, variable speed. Safer? Tough call, but you can slow it way down so it wont be as violent. But perhaps quicker than by hand..   https://www.amazon.com/OPAVIOC-Jewelry-Polisher-Adjustable-Polishing/dp/B09MNB2VJH/ref=asc_df_B09MNB2VJH?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80676783972125&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584276312388278&psc=1

Yes. I have something like that. I use it for edge burnishing larger items like bags. I should be able to get a buffer wheel for that.

 

1 hour ago, Littlef said:

Wet/dry "sandpaper" here is an inexpensive pack with the finer grits you will not find at a big box store. Automotive finishes stores have finer grits, parts stores have some    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08JJ39YX8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Ordering these now. 

1 hour ago, Littlef said:

along those same lines, Another option:  I don't have a bench grinder or a buffer,  but I do have a handheld dremel tool, which has grinding wheels and buffing pads.  Its sufficient for the "little" bit of occasional buffing and grinding I need to do.  

I use a handheld Dremel for edge burnishing small items - so just need to look for a buffer wheel. it probably has one - lots of attachments I have not looked at.

Thank you @Wepster and @Littlef. I might actually have most things I need at home. Now to get to work.

 

 

Thank you everyone here who has given me so much of information and guidance.

Now I get to work!

Edited May 9, 2024 by SUP

[dikman]

A Dremel-type tool, yeah, I forgot about that, great for small items and the buffing wheels are pretty cheap on ebay.

[Chef niloc]

Could be wrong but I think you may be talking about old japanning? A form of baked enamel made from asphaltum that’s there’s no “true” historically accurate product on the market to use . There are old recipes to  make it but I found the  old recipes are toxic and difficult to make and work with and more trouble than it’s worth. Dupli-Color DE 1635 is a cheap automotive spray paint that 100% looks exactly the same. It’s very durable not as durable as the real stuff, but tough. You can bake it on to increase durability but not necessary.

 

 

as for rust old paint removal look up “electrolysis rust removal” i’ve done countless antique tools with this method, and it not only removes the rust if I understand it correctly, it reverses it and turning  it into black oxide, so your not eating away the old metal and it gives things a wonderful dark” old look” with pretty much no elbow grease

[SUP]

@Chef niloc, yes electrolysis really cleans rust. I used it for old iron pots and pans a few years ago. i planned to set it up again but don't feel like it for a few tools.

So I used lime juice and Evaporust instead. That got the tools clean of rust. Not shining though but I can live with that. Lastly,  I used blade wax on them. 

They are now clean and not getting rusted again.

Edited July 11, 2024 by SUP

[dikman]

In the end it sounds like it was a pretty easy and simple process (after all the talk about buffing and electrolysis ).

[SUP]

@dikman Yes i was! but I learnt a lot about what I want to do, and more important, what I am not ready for, at this point. Tomorrow... who knows? 

Sometimes, my enthusiasm and eagerness to learn runs away from me!

Thank you, all of you , who went out of your way to teach me so much and especially to warn me of the dangers. 

Edited July 12, 2024 by SUP