rust preventatives tested

brownie0486

brownie0486

Joined
Apr 6, 2003
Messages
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The following test was performed by Robert P. Firriolo, an engineer who has turned attorney on Long Island.

A saturated salt solution was then prepared in a clean spray bottle. In this case, Diamond Crystal Kosher salt (which is not iodized) was added to the water in the bottle until salt crystals started to precipitate out of the solution. A little more water was added to dissolve the precipitated salt, which got me pretty close to a saturated solution. I figure this was about as severe a test solution as I could concoct.

All of the nails were sprayed down until a small puddle formed around each one. Ambient temperature was a mostly constant 75°F, and relative humidity was around 65%.

The test nails were allowed to dry, and the formation of salt crystals on all of the nails was then apparent. The nails were misted again with salt spray every five to six hours.


Results from sustained Exposure After 29 hours:

Eezox:
No rust, bright
excellent

Break Free CLP:
No rust, bright
Excellent

Break Free LP:
Trace rust freckling
Very Good

LSA Medium Weapons Oil:
Some freckling, small rust spot
very good

WD-40:
Some rust freckling, few spots
Good

RemOil:
Some rust freckling
Good

TW25-B:
Some rust spots and freckling
Fair

Rust Prevent:
Significant coverage with rust spots Maybe

CRC 5-56:
No rust, bright Freckling; rust strip 1/3 of bottom Sheath Trace rust freckling Rust spots & freckling Unsatisfactory

Hoppe's Lubricating:
About 50% rust covered
Unsatisfactory

3-in-One Oil:
More than 50% rust covered
Unsatisfactory

___________________________________

Thought others may like to know someone elses results.

If you are interested in getting eezox go here:

http://www.eezox.com/index.htm

Brownie
 
I have looked at this on several occasions, the conclusions I reached were very simple :

1) if you want to have an inhibitor which works on unused knives then it doesn't really matter what you use as even a light oil will do fine, the rust formed in the above was mainly from the salt spray removing the inhibitor (impact energy of the spray), if the blades are just sitting in a drawer this doesn't matter

2) if you want an inhibitor which works on knives which are being used it doesn't really matter what you use because nothing will work, even a very light cutting session (just a few minutes cutting some grass) will strip away the coating left by Marine Tuf-Cloth, White Lightening, etc., I have even tried heavy duty automotive sprays/foams with no effect after just a light use

-Cliff
 
Saturated NaCl solution for 29 hours... wow! That's a very sever test Mr. Firriolo designed. As I recall, the military test is something like 25% Sat. NaCl for 48 hours.

It amazes me that any product was able to withstand that. It certainly speaks well of those products that did.

I'm always amazed by how well WD-40 preforms in these tests. As your results show, it's far from the top, but is acheap product. With the possible exception of good old 3-in-1, I'll bet that WD-40 is the cheapest product tested and it certainly outperformed several products probably costing twice as much. If you find yourself with nothing else, WD-40 will give you good rust protection. As I'm fond of saying: no product does more things as poorly as WD-40. It's the one can to have if can only have one can.

Being and engineer and attorney, I'm sure that Mr. Firriolo did so carefully, but I will point out that when doing this sort of test, it's very important that the test samples be very clean so that any surface contamination including fingerprints aren't a factor in the test results.

Thanks for adding some additional data to our growing body of rust-preventative test results.
 
Brownie, thanks for the very interesting thread.

It would have been nice if he had included an untreated nail so we could see how the lesser ones did in comparison to that.
I also wonder how Tuf-Cloth and Militec would have done.
 
Keith, I have tested Eezox quite a bit, and FWIW I would be cautious when it comes to some types of plastics and rubber. Eezox is not safe for all surfaces. It is a good lube and rust preventative, though. Funny but pleasant smell, and not as safe as FP-10 CLP.

www.eezox.com

Gollnick, I agree on WD-40. In one particular Falex wear test, WD-40 outperformed several high end products, including a very popular grease.

Regards,
Clay
 
I have had EXCELLENT luck using thick litium grease on my heavy outdoor knives. For example...CS'sbig knives are great, but they rust when no looked after, no biggy. I was out a year or three ago clearing a feild with a buddy. I hate my BK&T Brute and he had an old Machette made of similar steel. My BK&T was Lithium Lubed, and after 4 hours of hacking, when we stopped for lunch, I was still able to see the water "bubbling" and was still able to "slide" my fingers over the steel. It was NICE. The Machette, on the other hand, although lubed with a little Liquid Wrench w/Teflon (Blue Can) was dry and rough and showing wetness, not bubbling.

Go to your local auto part place and pick up a can of aersol lithium grease and really spray it on. I leave My special forces shovel from CS and my Bushman in my truck and the ONLY places that get rusty are the places NOT slathered in the lithium grease. I have used the stuff for years and as long as you're not cooking with the tool's you're coating, you should be fine.

I use BreakFree CLP on my EDC's, cause I know that every weekend, they get warm water washed, pressure air blown dried, and re-coated. For that, the stuff is sweet.

SLD in WA
 
Great work Brownie! Just happen to use Break Free on my guns, looks like a new use is in hand!
 
I've tried on my knives TuffCloth, WD-40 and Ballistol. We have quite high humidity here. The best from my experience is Ballistol. Not a single rust spot since I use it. It is also safe on any handle material, plus it presents no risk in case you eat some (wich happens when you use your oiled knives to cut food).
 
Originally posted by CH
Keith, I have tested Eezox quite a bit, and FWIW I would be cautious when it comes to some types of plastics and rubber. Eezox is not safe for all surfaces.
Click to expand...

Thanks for pointing that out. I have had no problems so far, but I only used Eezox as a rust preventative, not a lubricant. I don't have any plastic handled knives and have not had any problem with washers on my folders. It has not done any damage to my knives with stabilized wood or stag handles.

Eezox does have kind of a sickly sweet smell.
 
It's good to see others found the information usefull.

I have used clp on all the firearms for years and never had a problem with rust.

Some of my guns have sat in gun rugs for years soaked in clp inside and out. When they are checked they look like the day I put them away.

I also picked up a quart of military LSA a few years back, and refill the small LSA military bottles as I need them. I keep a small bottle of this stuff in the range bag, rifle cases, and bench at home.

Make sure you shake the LSA real good before applying it, it needs to be mixed after sitting any length of time.

Brownie
 
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