set of neglected tools

[greg gomersall]

Most all of the old stamping tools are iron that was never plated and they don't discolor the leather. They are just making contact with the leather long enough to make an impression , not sleeping next to it. USe the cleaner methods mentioned earlier in this thread then use the tools. Get rid of the ones that you don't like the impression results of and enjoy the rest. Greg

[steveh]

soak the tools in pentatrating oil wd40 or kerosine a few days, then use a brass wire wheel on them.

[Romey]

soak the tools in pentatrating oil wd40 or kerosine a few days, then use a brass wire wheel on them.

+1

[wolvenstien]

Ok, I have all the tools soaking in 10W40 oil.... How long should I soak them....? And where can I find a Brass Wire Wheel for the bench top grinder? Checked both Harbor Freight and Home Depot and neither one have a brass wire wheel....

Thanks

Mike

[Beaverslayer]

Try an automotive type supply store, or Lee Valley Tools may have them. I also think that you can get them from Dremel, but smaller than bench top grinders.

Ken

[Jordan]

I have had good results cleaning stuff with a can of spray called PB-Blaster very strong stuff do not let it stay on your skin for very long it will BURN, Co-worker was cleaning an asphalt laydown machine and did not realize he was spraying his crotch area also! It was halarious to see him jumping around yelling and stripping out of his clothes and rolling in the snow. Felt bad for laughing once we found out the reason for his bizarre behavior. It works real good on rusty frozen bolts. You will have to clean the blaster off with mineral spirits or the residue will discolor your leather. Worked real good cleaning up all the nooks and crannies on my brass/bronze? imprint rolls for the strap embosser machine.

[Luke Hatley]

WOLVERNSTIEN..... use your buffing wheel with the fine grit(jewlers rouge)

buff untill the tools shine. Use them, if the design is pitted, sell on e bay.

i bet you will not see any bad marks on the leather.

[howardb]

Try phosphorizing them. Look up "Naval Jelly" and no that's not the bits of jam that drop into your belly button when you're not looking. I used something of this ilk to remove rust from a tractor seat prior to painting. I think I had to remove the very loose stuff and then just painted it on. It does a chemical reaction on the iron oxide and replaces the iron with phosphorous (I think), which ends up being a suitable primer for painting. Worked like a champ on a tractor seat.

I've got some of my FIL's older tools that have corrosion on them. I will be trying some tartar and possibly some vinegar dunks to clean them up.

Metallurgy info: Oil / kerosene / wd40 / etc plus brushing will remove the rust but will also remove metal. It also exposes bare iron again which will rust again.

The cream of tartar / electrolisys / vinegar / naval jelly solutions will CONVERT the rust chemically and can save the metal that isn't flaking off loose. Might be worth comparing a couple of these before jumping in.

Brent

[howardb]

I felt like experimenting today. I'm attaching before and after photos of two of the suggested methods. I didn't have any of the chrome plated tools that needed cleaned, so I used the ones that were yucky to see what would happen.

The first picture is the before for the heated cream of tartar bath. The second is the after. It peeled off the corrosion, and the plating, and was probably starting to eat the metal. I got a funny feeling these are cast zinc tools with a dichromate finish rather than steel tools, so this may sway the results somewhat. The small nosed tool (topmost in the first pic) has a bright and shiny tip which is unscathed, but the rest of the tool is pitted. The others don't seem pitted, but no real improvement either.

The 3rd picture is the before for a vinegar bath, room temp. The second is the after. No real change for these. Again, the metallurgy may be an affector. One of the tools clearly shows a reddish (iron) oxide both before and after though.

Sometimes, I just have to try.

I'll rig up an electrolysis bath one of these days and give it a shot. What it will do to these funny yellow tools is anyones guess...

Brent

[wolvenstien]

Well... LOL. Too cool.

I have been playing big time myself but not taking pix....

I went and found a 6 inch brass wheel for my grinder.... it ground the tooling pattern right off the small pear shader i tried to clean up with it... now I have a nice smooth pear shader.

I figured i needed something smaller and not as fast to use on it... I found a Dremel kit that had a small wire wheel (not brass) and used it in conjunction with the red compound and it worked great but the little wires kept flying off and sticking me in the arms, forehead, hair, and all over the floor, making it not a good idea to walk in here with bare feet....

I then went to Home depot and found a couple of brass wire wheels for the Dremel and a friend gave me his old 4.8 volt cordless Dremel so i use the brass well on the 4.8volt and a buffing wheel on the corded one... along with white compound and it was working ok....

Then I looked up on the shelve and saw a 3 inch grinder I bought years ago and thought... Hey... it has a buffing wheel and it will go slow... So i got it down and have went through half the tools already with it. Using white compound with it, and when I cant get deep into the patterns I use the 4.8 volt with the brass wire wheel.

The tools are getting cleaned up real well. Some of them have damage on the patterns but I think it will add character... We will see....