Steel storage question

[Britt_Askew]

Is steel (1095, 52100) porous ?
I built my shop 30 years ago and didnt use a vapor barrier under the concrete , and have dumped over 5" from the rain gauge in the last 2 days. Not a great environment for 1095. Can I do like the barbers do combs? get a gallon bucket and fill it with something that keeps the steel submerged when not hands on? Would it hurt to get an order of steel and cut it all to length and throw them in the bucket for maybe months? If ok what oil would you use- mineral oil, used motor oil,new motor oil, kerosene ??

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

You can use plain mineral oil (whatever is cheapest). Ebay has it for $47 for 5 gallons, with free shipping.

Get six 24" lengths of 4" PVC pipe and 12 caps. Seal one end cap on each tube with a very heavily coat of heavy duty PVC solvent/weld. Use the other as a slip on cap. make a rack for the tubes and label each tube as well as where it sits on the rack. Let the tubes sit open for three days before putting in the oil. Unless you do swords, 24" is long enough. It will allow cutting a 48" bar in half and storing it in the oil.

Fill five cylinders with one gallon of oil, which is just right once the steel is added. The empty is for pouring off any cylinder to get steel out of the bottom. 4" tubes are just big enough to reach down inside.

IMPORTANT!!!
Get a cheap vibro-graver or rotary graver at HF and mark EVERY piece of steel on both sides at both ends. This is the only way to know what the steel is a year or ten later.
While at HF, get a set of the long reach pliers. They have all sort of shop uses, and are perfect for pulling the steel out of the oil.

 

[Randy3000]

Whenever i get steel in i cut into rectangles the sizes i use, rub oil on it with my hands, put it in a freezer bag, pour a half glug of extra oil in, then roll it up seal it and store it in a bench drawer.

I also make parts in batches, and i store extra parts the same way.