Hello:
Quick question please. I bought a couple of Disston saws at a flea market. I used Naval Jelly to get the rust off, then put WD40 on it to protect it. Now my saw is very dark and ugly. How do I go about polishing the saw so it is nice and shiny steel again?
Thanks
Bob
WD40 won't protect it. It's more of a solvent than a rust inhibitor. It isn't as good as all the things they'd like you to believe it's for.
Green Scotchbrite pad dipped in mineral spirits or kerosene or spritz on some of that WD40 you like. Just don't light any matches! You can make it even prettier by finishing it off with Meguair's metal polish and lots of elbow grease, but I'd go with something like 1,200 and 2,000 grit first. also with a lubricant to keep the paper from clogging.
To protect it use SC Johnson's paste wax. No car wax, due to silicone. Get some T-9 corrosion preventative and use that in lieu of WD40 to prevent rust on tools.
dave
Bob wrote:
oh, the T-9 is Boeshield.
dave
Bob wrote:
Start by not using naval jelly.
UA100
Rolled up fine sandpaper, carefully & lightly run it up & down the blade faces while running, just avoid the blade tips. Cleans the blade up a treat on table saws, mitre saws & circular saws, quite safe if you watch what you are doing. Afterwards a light spray of Topcote table & tool surface sealant really helps.
or peanut butter.
or beer.
dave
Unisaw A100 wrote:
But he's talking about a hand saw :-).
I've had good luck with something called Blue Magic Liquid Metal Polish.
Don't use abrasive material, it'll ruin any antique value the saws may have.
And next time don't use naval jelly. Use the vinegar and salt method or even better use electrolysis (do a Google on cleaning hand saws).
ROFL!!!
Dave, you killed me! You watered that eye, yes you did. Man, that's classic.
:-)
A drop or two of kerosene and lots of elbow grease. This will remove light rust and prevent further rusting. WD40 is short-lived.
What's wrong with peanut butter ? (the smooth grade of course)
It's an excellent emollient for many unfathomable greases and gunks that don't shift with more obvious detergents. Just try it on price sticker residue sometime.
A rather more sensible comment.
Naval jelly is phosphoric acid (only gellified, and sold with a huge markup). It converts rust to a stable black iron phosphate, but this is still physically thicker than the original steel. So you end up with a "restored" looking saw, but the sides of it are now coated in your extra-durable high-friction coating. Looks great, but they're damned hard work to use.
Much better is to use electrolysis. This removes the rust layer and returns the saw to its original dimensions (or thinner, if steel has been lost). You get a much smoother surface this way, and the saw may end up usable again.
-- Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods
You need to people for this. One to run the HAND saw and one to polish.
Did not realise it was a hand saw in question, but the process works great on rotary blades & I still have three fingers left to prove it.
I did get a great finish on a hand saw using a 100g Makita multi disc once.....mind you it was not to restore a valuable saw only to remove the rust from one stored in a very damp shed. I would say the light even swirl effect actually made the blade look great & it only took about 30 seconds per side & looked brand new.
Thanks for all the replies. In response to the poster who suggested I put Johnson's Paste wax on my tools. I have Trewax paste wax, it says on the can, buffable with caurnuba. Is this similar enough? I have seen alot of recipes online containing alot of beeswax and paraffin too.
Bob
if there's no silicone in it, it's safe to use, Bob. Silicones, even in minute quanitities can mess you up when it's time to apply finishes.
dave
Bob wrote:
I've always used Trewax. I tried Johnson's. Nothing wrong with it, but the Trewax seems to me to last longer.
As I posted before, I wasn't that hot on spending as much on the used tilt top table saw and joiner but when I over heard two people discussing using naval jelly to clean them, I wasn't going to let them have these old pieces of equipment.
Use a gray scotchbrite pad and some Camelia oil. The oil can be had from Japanese woodworking supply places.
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