I'm almost finished straightening and sharpeing my antique chisels. I've noticed that they tend to rust from finger prints etc. What can be used to protect them from rust when not in use? Gun oil? Some other kind of oil? I also plan to get some leather protector sheaths from Barr for them. Thanks, Brad

Are your chisels new? I find that the old chisels have a nice patina on them, and that seems to protect them. I don't think a light oiling would hurt either.


Dave

PS, Jim Rogers has a wide selection of sheaths for chisels and slicks, and may even have them for adzes now.

The gun oil seems to work pretty well. It's been 6 months and it looks like it works pretty well.

From my shipwright friends, the very best oil for preventing rust is herring oil. Fairly common in fishing stores.
I asked the same question a couple years back and someone mentioned butcher's wax, which I never could find or even figure out just what it was.

Best,

Zach

Butchers wax is a wood wax used on bowling alley's (for example).

I don't know if it would be any good for chisels or not.

http://www.bwccompany.com/

I keep a can of S.C. Johnson Paste Wax with a rag in it in my tool box. I tend to give everything a once over at the end of the day before putting it all away. I don't get fancy about it, just pull out the rag and wipe down chisels, planes, saw blades, router and saw bases, layout tools - anything steel.

Johnson's is just a furniture paste wax, and there are lots of makers of various waxes out there. I find it cleaner than using oils, and it sure makes tools glide.