matthew bryan Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 Hello all, I purchased a straight edge from Leevalley (24" steel). I read reviews here and other places that it was a good tool for the money. I recieved it in good order and upon opening it up I put a coat of paste wax on it. This my standard to all my steel equipment that I own (table saw top, drill press table, etc). My shop is one of the bays on my 3 car garage with no temp or humidity control. I have had no issues with the other equipment other than yearly reapplication of the wax. Just a few days of hanging in the garage has sprouted surface rust where my fingers were so you can guess my dissapointment. So I thought to tackle it another way and purchased the Top Saver chemical from Rocker (upon reading positive reviews). It did remove the surface rust well and I followed the direcitons with plastic gloves on. Well it has sprouted rust again and I am not very happy. Am I handleing the care of this tool wrong or is it purly the environment it is in? Do you guys all have conditioned shops or do you just store all of your fine tools in the house and handle them with gloves? I live in Louisianal where it is pretty much 100% humid all the time. Any advice here for a frustrated first timer or are you going to tell me I should have purchased the alumnium one????? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick500 Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 I've had good luck with Boeshield T-9 on my power tool tables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 (edited) Matthew, what part of louisiana do you live in? I'm in baton rouge. I have a/c in my shop, but I only turn it on when I'm in there which is not often, although it is insulated so the temp doesn't fluctuate as rapidly as outside. I don't find that my tools rust very much, but when they do, I typically just wipe them down with some oil, typically one meant for finishing wood that doesn't really effect the wood's color much so that should any come off the tool onto wood(which I've never noticed, very thin coat, like i said) it's not a big deal. peace, russ Edited April 18, 2007 by thegarehanman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbarstrat Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 I'm too lazy to look up that SE, but it seems like it should made to resist rust. If it's advertised as being stainless or plated, or something like that, maybe Lee Valley owes you a new one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarGuy Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 It basically means like soapbar said its made from cheaper steel. Considering the price of those i would contact lee valley. But what can be done is any time it is in storage. put a skim of 3 in 1 oil or some equivalent oil on it and then wrap it with tissue paper or cling wrap. You will never see the rust again. When you want to use it a quick wipe with a rag will clean it and allow you to use it. Kind of a pain but you never want anything that is a precision device to show signs of rust. You can't count on the accuracy if that happens too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 my straitedge is stainless...i think that is the way to go,really. my hand tools are just regular hardened steel,but i keep them inside the house in my desk,and i only take them out when i am ready to use them(the guitar tools anyway...my mechanic tools stay in a tool box in the garage,but they are always covered in enough oil and grease to keep them from rusting) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbarstrat Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 When my Bridge City Tool Works straight-edge fell from it's wall hanger (part of the hung ceiling came down and knocked the SE off the wall hanger), it got screwed-up when it hit the concrete floor. BCTW had a policy, where if your tool gets messed up from any reason, you send it to them along with $5.00 and they repair or replace the tool. They sent another one back to me, but on the hole (for hanging it), there was a little surface rust. I told them about it, and they said to send it back , and I got another one, that was totally fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthew bryan Posted April 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 Thegearman, ....I live in Lake Charles. I am going to send it back and get the aluminum one. That one will not rust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RavenT Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 Just give it a good cleaning and put in an acetone bath to remove any left on it and then give it a good spray of lacquer. That well stops the rust unless you nick of some of the lacquer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbarstrat Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 Nothing screams accuracy like a precision ground edge with a coat of sprayed lacquer over it ! Note to Mods and Admin : I request that 'Tools and shop talk' be changed to 'RavenT's Corner' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenspoke Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 Maybe you should store this tool out of the humidity inside your house??? I think if it was stainless it would be too expensive. Their aluminum SE is very good and is anodized over much if its surface. Its just not as good as a steel edge for marking lines because of its thickness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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