georgecarson Report post Posted July 23, 2019 I just inherited a bunch of Craftool stamps and some have mild rust visible. What would be the best way to polish them back up? Should they be coated with anything to prevent corrosion. Any ideas or tips would be appreciated. George Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handstitched Report post Posted July 24, 2019 Congratulations on receiving a lovely gift I have had this issue myself. I have around 300 stamps, and while I use most of my ' fave tools' frequently, they don't get rusty, but there are also heaps of tools that I haven't used in yonks. And while they don't get rusty, they do get quite ' tarnished ', perhaps a little surface rust. I have avoided using machines like a bench buffer or wire brush to clean them in case I mess up any intricate detail, some parts my be buffed up I guess, but I have found simply spending a few minutes stamping them on a piece of scrap leather before using has worked . I can see any dirt etc come out on the leather . I also just wipe them over with an oily rag every so often, and generally keep them clean helps too. HS Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruce johnson Report post Posted July 24, 2019 The rust can be removed safely and easily with a product called Evaporust. It can be found at most autoparts stores, some home improvement stores and even Harbor Freight. Soak the tools for 12-24 hours, the rust will be gone and no damage to good metal. You can polish them up with something like Flitz and that will prevent rust. You can reuse the Evaporust for quite a while. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
splinters Report post Posted July 24, 2019 (edited) 53 minutes ago, bruce johnson said: The rust can be removed safely and easily with a product called Evaporust. It can be found at most autoparts stores, some home improvement stores and even Harbor Freight. Soak the tools for 12-24 hours, the rust will be gone and no damage to good metal. You can polish them up with something like Flitz and that will prevent rust. You can reuse the Evaporust for quite a while. Great tip from a reliable source! Edited July 24, 2019 by splinters Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
georgecarson Report post Posted July 25, 2019 Thank you guys for all the replies, I'll be bringing the stamps back to life this weekend. As far as oil, should I be using Neat's foot oil or something else? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites