File care in wet climates?

A

arsenius

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May 29, 2012
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Does anyone have any tips on keeping files free of rust in wet climates? I just came back from a few days vacation, and my files really rusted while I was gone. It was less than a week, and I had moved them indoors just in case, but to no avail. They were brand new a few weeks ago.:mad: I have never had this problem before, but the last time I made knives I was in a drier climate. Even in an unfinished basement I didn't get much rust on my files. But recently we've been hit here by two typhoons. It's wet...

Is it ok to put WD-40 or something on my files when I'm done working? I read somewhere on this board that you shouldn't clean the file off with your hand as it can make more likely to pick up gunk and gouge your work. I'm worried about the same thing happening with oil (obviously the oil would keep them free of rust).
 
A light coat of WD40 will help. Another option is to store them in a cabinet with a dessicant, like silica gel, or keep them in a container of solvent like alcohol, but that's difficult if you have handles on them.
 
javand said:
A light coat of WD40 will help. Another option is to store them in a cabinet with a dessicant, like silica gel, or keep them in a container of solvent like alcohol, but that's difficult if you have handles on them.
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Or if you get finger oils/acids on them that are particularly acidic.. anything I touch rusts within a day or two. It makes playing guitar difficult, and makes my platen/workrest etc rust like crazy if I don't oil it. But if you don't acidic superpowers like me, I think that's a good idea hehe.
 
Wipe your strings down with WD 40. It works wonders. Makes them easier to play and last longer.
 
If you want to use oil, I find LPS 3 or whatever is in a "Marine Tuff Cloth" works better than WD 40 at preventing rust, if you want to keep the files mostly oil free, store them in an air tight container with a "vapor phase corrosion inhibitor". To old time machinists, that's a block of camphor, but there are newer products available that are not nearly as smelly. If you can use a low temperature heater in the container to drop humidity and prevent condensation, that will help too.
 
Thanks everybody, this has been a big help! I'm probably going to go with the WD 40 as I have it readily available. I'd like to try putting them in a container with a desiccant or alcohol, but I don't have anything large enough for my 14" magicut file (which is an amazing tool, by the way).
 
WD40 works great, spray them with carb cleaner and blow them off with compressed air that will stop the metal filings from sticking to the file and gouging your work, then when your finished reapply the WD ;0)
 
I gotta disagree. My shop is open air in the Pacific NorthWet, and WD40 does NOT do a good job protecting steel, not here. It helps for about a week, and then it's a net loss.
Cheap 30wt oil works better, better yet (though still not great) is Boeshield, a waxier, much more expensive product developed by a local shop (Boeing).
Another thing to think about is what oily residues you want to leave on whatever you're filing. If you're a welder, keep your files in the container where you keep your welding rod. If not...you might want to take em inside.
I use plain beeswax as a lube for everything from jeweler saw blades to files to drill bits- it helps with the rust quite a bit too.

Nathan T.M. probably knows what that machinery oil is that actually does a great job protecting against rust, I can't remember what it is.
Andy G.
 
There's the old gardeners trick, take a small deep bucket of sand and dump a quart of motor oil into it. Mix thoroughly. Stick the files in the sand to store. Take them out and brush off with a file card before use, which you should be in the habbit of anyways. Also great for pruning shears and trowels or shovels.


-Xander
 
The problem with WD40 spray is it carries moisture with when you spray it on. If you want really good rust protection, go to a gun store and get a bottle of Break Free "Collectors". Its an oil the leaves a very thin coat on the metal that prevents rust and fingerprinting for a long time. I also build guns. One of my competition guns is bare metal and has been for over 10 years. I have shot with it in rain, snow, etc. When I get home, I clean and dry and put on a coat of Collectors. It and all my other guns have been rust free in the safe for many years. I have only used one bottle in several years. It only takes a few drops to cover 2 or 3 guns.
Chip Kunkle
 
Kunklec said:
The problem with WD40 spray is it carries moisture with when you spray it on. If you want really good rust protection, go to a gun store and get a bottle of Break Free "Collectors". Its an oil the leaves a very thin coat on the metal that prevents rust and fingerprinting for a long time. I also build guns. One of my competition guns is bare metal and has been for over 10 years. I have shot with it in rain, snow, etc. When I get home, I clean and dry and put on a coat of Collectors. It and all my other guns have been rust free in the safe for many years. I have only used one bottle in several years. It only takes a few drops to cover 2 or 3 guns.
Chip Kunkle
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I agree. WD40 is only good for initially displacing water but sucks for preventing rust. IMO regular breakfree clp works just fine. There are plenty of rust tests that show how well breakfree works.
 
I have anecdotally noticed better protection in my very wet shop, when I've sprayed a light coat of wd40 on and wiped it off, but I don't leave it on, and its only for big cheap forging area files. I keep my swiss files in a case with a dessicant.


I wouldn't use anything like Fluid Film, or any product that stays wet to protect, since that will encourage chip loading. Something like Boesheild, which is a dry lubricant may be ok. The product mentioned above, I've got no experience with so I won't comment, just that if it leaves an oily or fluid residue, it won't be good for the file's intended use.


Camphor, solvent storage, or dessicants are still the best option imho, especially for expensive Grobet or large old irreplacepable american made Nicholson files.
 
Breakfree clp does stay wet. Like jonekatt I spray them off with brake cleaner or acetone before use.
 
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