[Strogian]

What is that grease that coats all the new tools, e.g. wire strippers, electricians knife, etc. (I got them from Sears) Should I be greasing all my tools with the same stuff?

 

[morsel]

Light grease or oil prevents tools from rusting in humid warm climates. Salt air also promotes rust. In Rio de Janeiro, even chrome plated steel rusts. Oiling tools once every couple of years is not a bad idea, if you are willing to put up with oil on your tools, but that is more for mechanical than electronic tools, as grease and electronics are not good bedfellows.

 

[intlplby]

Rio is great.... i can't wait to move back there again

a cidade marivilhosa

 

[strogg]

to add on to the post, this is what i generally do on a regular basis:

elbow grease on hand tools
wd40 on low power low rpm tools... actually, i don't think i have any low power low rpm tools

but if you need to grease, say, a shaver, wd40'll do the trick
lithium grease (or wd40 if i can't immediately find lithium grease) on the more powerful stuff, like my dremel. can you say, "faster, quieter, cooler dremel?"
and on fans, i use motor oil.

i mainly grease stuff when it starts making noises it shouldn't or if there's more friction between joints/bearings.

as for oxidation, i use either metal polish on non-jointed tools or a combination of vinegar and salt (which makes low molarity hydrochloric acid) and that will take the rust right off the joints and stuff. remember to clean with 99% alcohol afterwards to prevent the water in the vinegar to rust your tools again. 70% should work, too, but i prefer 99%.

 

[Earwax]

WD-40 is very good for protecting hand tools from moisture. It penetrates well into joints like plier pivots and it doesn't attact as much dirt as most household or automotive oils & grease.

 

[tangent]

I put a light coat of sewing machine oil on most of my hand tools, with special emphasis on the ones that stay in my semi-outside workshop. Even here in New Mexico where we get only about a dozen inches of rain a year, tools will rust unless you keep them protected.