Will wrote:
I have a box of old tools... wrenches, screw drivers, sockets, socket wrench
handels, etc.

It is all quite rusty.

What is the best way to clean these tools up and get all the rust off?

thanks for any help - Will


My son put a bunch of old flea market tools into a bucket with some
waste oil and was going to clean 'em off after a few weeks. I don't
quite know what was in the waste oil bucket, I suspect old diesel, some
crankcase oil from a bike, maybe a bit of brake fluid. Well the bucket
stayed out all winter and filled with rainwater even so it was under a
tarp. Recently we were cleaning up and I found the bucket almost full to
the top, with a deep layer of dark oily stuff on top, so I stuck a hose
to the bottom of the bucket and syphoned off as much rainwater as
possible. The tools came out all covered in milky brown goo and when
cleaned I was amazed to see very little rust, some where actually in
pretty good shape. I can't explain the chemistry, I was expecting a lot
more rust due to the rain water.

cheers
T.Alan