Any Ideas how to clean rust of tools?
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @graham_smoothey. It's sensational to have you join us and many thanks for your question on removing rust from tools.
That looks to be mostly surface rust, so they should clean up quite well.
I'd start by spraying the affected areas with a penetrating oil such as WD-40 and letting it soak in for 10 to 15 minutes. Then use some fine steel wool or a synthetic abrasive pad to gently rub away the rust. For any more stubborn spots, a fine wire brush can help, but be careful not to remove the black oxide coating any more than necessary.
Once they're clean, wipe them down with a rag and apply a light coat of machine oil to help prevent the rust from returning. Storing them somewhere dry, or adding a few silica gel packs to your toolbox, can also help keep moisture at bay.
If the rust has pitted the surface quite deeply, it may leave some cosmetic marks, but it shouldn't affect the function of the hex keys.
Here's a helpful guide: How to clean rusty tools.
Let me tag @Noyade, @Nailbag, @TedBear and @WoodenGregsWood, to see if they have any tips.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
@MitchellMc thanks, WD40 and rag cleaned it off. Just coated it in some lanolin, hopefully that keeps it rust free.
Hi @graham_smoothey
I pretty much spray and wipe off the excess of WD40 once tools start showing signs of corrosion. I use a scouring pad if they need a bit more help. This tends to last for ages or until the next time they may get unavoidably wet.
Nailbag
