Rusty tools

[Petra]

Have just raided my uncle's shed and taken posession of my grandad's rusty old fork, shovel and hoe. Any suggeston as to restore them to their former glory? Have also acquired his old watering can which is a thing of beauty I can tell you!!

[Petra]

[tim]

Just 000 wire wool & then WD40?

My g/f's things have never rusted. That's since a while ago. How standards have changed.

[jennym]

Can't afford WD40. Sharpening stone, wire wool and mutton fat for me.

[powerspade]

I had my Grand Dads old gardening tools left me , the best way to keep them shiney is to use them

[KevB]

I had my Grand Dads old gardening tools left me , the best way to keep them shiney is to use them

Wirh a name like PowerSpade you've got to be right!! and you are!! the very action of soil on the metal acts as an abrasive and cleans away the oxidation!! just wipe clean after use, and wipe over with a greasy cloth!! Hey Presto!! Kev B

[wardy]

I keep a tin of WD40 in the shed and was glad I did as my lotty neighbour got locked out of his shed as his lock had rusted and he just couldn't get in.  quick squirt and we were in

Also my very old shears were left on the plot shed and were very stiff but soon freed up with a little squirt of WD.  It also cleans the underside of the lawn mower

[keef]

I always wipe over my tools with a rag thats been soaked in oil. A rag will last a year or so before it needs to be soaked again.

[wardy]

I bet cooking oil would do too.  I have some in my shed for when I do a cook out  :)

[aquilegia]

Oh - must get some WD40 then. I have grandad's fork and spade and I love them. They are among my most treasured possessions.

(Tim - I read that "g/f" as girlfriend first of all!)

[Roy Bham UK]

Every house hold should have a tin of WD40, it's magic stuff ;D it's actually Rocket Science, I believe the yanks invented it especially for space missions and I think it was originally called Rocket when it went commercial, it has so many uses.

Here's an intersting link... http://www.wd40.com/AboutUs/our_history.html#

[supersprout]

Thanks Roy, I have forwarded this link to my boffin bro who will love it ;D

[Merry Tiller]

Every house hold should have a tin of WD40, it's magic stuff  it's actually Rocket Science, I believe the yanks invented it especially for space missions and I think it was originally called Rocket when it went commercial, it has so many uses.

WD40 has been banned from industrial use now due to it's carcinogenic properties, we had to collect it all up & send it for disposal last year

[roundtoit]

Hi there, fully endorse the wonder working properties of WD40 but a bit of advice from an old Irish navvie who used to work for my dad on building sites. He kept an old (wide mouthed) tin bucket full of sand which was liberally soaked with old sump-oil. At the end of the day the tools - Spade, shovel, mattock etc were pushed into that -up and down a few times! -  kept 'em clean, bright and sharp ready for next time.

[aquilegia]

OK - I change my mind about getting WD40 after what Merry Tiller's said.

[wardy]

I've just had a look at the WD 40 site and they state on their website that WD40 contains no carcinogens.

I suppose at home you'd only use the stuff periodically - it's not like you'd be breathing its fume in constantly.