How To Remove Rust & Restore Old Woodworking Tools
Recently I started reading the Anarchist Tool Chest by:Christopher Schwarz of Lost Art Press, as per the recommendation of my amazing friend Anne Briggs of Anne of All Trades. In this reading I have got my wheels turning on investing in becoming a better woodworker, and the long term of that. Not so much being cool and making cool things and have fun new tools. But really diving into becoming a great woodworker. But with that, comes the need for not only skills, but tools. The book outlines some “necessities” and also basically tells you what in Chris’s opinion you should have if you want to be a master. So as my gears turned on this concept, I remembered i had a box of old rusty tools back at my shop. So in this video I am going to show you how to remove rust from rusty garage sale tools, and a hand me down drill from my grandfather, and I clean them up and make them work.
Check out the Full Build Video Here
How To Remove Rust From Old Woodworking Tools
- Remove Surface Dirt
- Disassemble Tools
- Soak Tools In Rust Remover
- Clean Tool Metal
- Buff & Wax
- Sharpen Blades & Cutters
Before Jumping into cleaning your tools, you’re going to want to grab a few things.
Evapo-Rust : Rust Removing Chemical
Shapton Sharpening Stone
Diamond Sharpening Stone
Affiliate links are posted on this page. For more information on my Affiliate disclosure, check out my Disclosure Page.
Step 1: Remove Surface Dirt
The absolute first step If you want to learn How To Remove Rust From old tools, is to use whatever you have at your disposal to eliminate all of the dirt and grime from the surface. That being, the nasty surface rust, dirt, and whatever else could have found its way onto your tool. For this step i like to use my compressor with an air gun, an old wire brush, and some rags.
Step 2: Disassemble Tools
Once the tool is clean of the dirt and grime. The second thing you’ll want to do to Remove Rust From Old Tools, is to disassemble the tool and keep track of the parts. this is easy if you use some small dixie cups or plastic cups and keep everything in a water tight container. I happened to have some small mixing cups
Step 3: Soak Tools In Rust Remover
The next step to remove rust from old tools, is to use a solution to soak the parts. Some people like to use straight vinegar, which i have done in the past. But I found using product like Evapo-Rust works way better and much faster. you let the parts soak as long as you want then remove them from the bath and pat them dry. I would suggest a minimum of at least one hour.
Step 4: Clean Tool Metal
You’ll now want to remove the tool parts from the bath. From there you’ll also want to dry them off, for this i like to use a rag and my air gun once again. For those hard to reach places just blast the solution off the surface with short bursts of air.
You’ll then want to use a wire wheel either in your hand held drill, or drill press to clean off the surface. Make sure when using the wheel you use a soft wheel, or it can damage the shape of the tool and create more work in the long term.
Step 5: Buff & Wax
Once all of the rust is removed, and you have had the wire wheel clean up all the metal parts. You move into the buff and wax section of the restoration. If you plan on painting your parts, you’ll want to do that at this point, before you buff it out.
For this i use a buffing wheel in my drill press again, with some compound on it. this shines up the metal nicely, and also creates smoother and better surfaces for sliding and movement.
Step 6: Sharpen Blades & Cutters
Use whichever your preferred flattening and sharpening method you like, if you’re looking to learn how to sharpen you can check out my video here. Once all of your planes and irons are sharpened up, you’ll want to install them in your planes and get to cutting!
If you liked this post, you may like another one of the build videos below!
- Outdoor Adirondack Chair
- DIY Concrete Coffee Table
- River Table Build
- Modern End Table
- Hidden Compartment Mantle
If you liked this please leave a comment down below!
Sponsored by:
Affiliate links are posted on this page. For more information on my Affiliate disclosure, check out my Disclosure Page.
