Best Oil for long storage

[mhutch]

Well, here's a good place to start.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=...nic__Knowing_the_Limits_of_Rust_Preventatives

Now, oils/waxes/greases and rust prevention is a bit of a hobby for me. And I say hobby so that I don't have to acknowledge my unhealthy obsession with finding the best option. Long story short I've personally tried well around a couple dozen different rust preventatives and have read way too much on the subject.

So...onto your options. In my opinion.
1. Boeshield T9 works very well and doesn't leave a ridiculous film. If you don't wipe it off, which I don't when I'm prepping for storage, it will thicken/harden a little over the next few months and getting rid of it completely will require a degreaser and some elbow grease. I recently tried it on some bare steel tools that I left for 6 months. No rust.
2. RIG grease is what I use on my guns when storing. I have stored guns covered in RIG grease without touching them for about 6 months or so. No rust. About the same as Boeshield but instead of leaving a waxy film it leaves a greasy film. Go figure.
3. Fluid Film. This is commonly used on vehicle underbodies and that's how I found out about it. I used some to spray inside the rear fenders and rocker panels of my truck. I was told to clean and reapply once a year. So far that seems to be doing the trick. It will not harden or crack over time, or at least hasn't done so for me yet. Completely removing it will require some sort of solvent.

Honestly, I don't think you can go wrong with any of those options. I've been happy with all of them. For tools I'd probably lean towards Boeshield because the film it leaves isn't messy and doesn't get in the way of using the tool. RIG grease and especially Fluid Film can be messy. That said, they are both easier to apply. You literally just spray or wipe it on and that's it.

In general I've found waxes and greases to be superior to oil for pure rust prevention. They stay put better. If you have something with a lot of small parts or tight spots then get something you can spray so that you won't miss any spots with a wipe-on preventative.

 

[Neko2]

Noone has mentioned it but ballistol doesn't harden (just gels a bit) and protects well. It can also be used on leather and wood.

 

[classified]

Thanks for your answer. Do you know what the renaissance wax is like for wood or leather handles? Do they need to be covered as well? Would the renwax be suitable for these?

 

[marcinek]

Thanks for your answer. Do you know what the renaissance wax is like for wood or leather handles? Do they need to be covered as well? Would the renwax be suitable for these?

You can use Ren Wax on wood and leather. Bees wax is also an option.

 

[Angus McGunnigle]

Cheap mineral oil from any store

 

[GatorFlash1]

I use the same oil that I use on firearms (often RemOil or Breakfree CLP). I on occasion use Renaissance Wax. I never use WD-40 except in an emergency and I have few emergencies that involve knives or firearms. I think where you store the knife is more important than how you store the knife in terms of lubricants.

Ditto, Breakfree CLP is readily available and not expensive. I store my knives in ziplock sandwich or freezer bags (depends on size). They usually fit back in their box easily.

 

[bdmicarta]

heres an actual test ...

Search and you can find lots of these type informal tests.

Common oils like 3-in-1 will work for most situations of storage, assuming you aren't storing knives in the crawlspace under your house or in your basement that floods regularly. WD40 will even work in the dryer parts of the country. If you need a coating for knives that will be exposed to water and/or corrosive materials you need the best stuff you can find, like the wax that people have mentioned. I use a product that A.G. Russell sells.

There are some sprays made for protecing. One I remember made for guns is called "Sheath", another is something like "Metal Seal", and IIRC Royal Purple makes such a spray for automotive use that you can find in your car parts store. I think these would be good enough for air storage.