[mwilleson]

I have seen it written that some guys keep a silicon cloth in their carving boxes kind of like they sell to wipe down guns with. Then, whenever they're done with a tool, they wipe it down and put it away.

This would certainly help prevent against moisture but could it have negative effects when it comes time for finishing?

Silicon and paint don't mix. I don't imagine silicon and stain or sealers would mix very well either....or is it too small of an amount to be concerned with?

Opinions...?

[squbrigg]

I suppose it depends on the atmosphere in your shop. If it is humid, or unheated, then you might need to do something like that. I find that a regular inspection of my tools, and an application of oil once every six months or so, keeps the rust at bay. It will also depend on how often you use the tool, nothing worse than going to use a tool that you haven't used in a while and finding rust marks on it, and having to stop everything to fix it.

Bob

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

No rust problem here!

[Hugh]

Thats a good suggestion, but the best protection for your tools is to put them under lock and key!!!!!

[Thomp]

i would rather use a buffer and red rouge every 6 months or so than to have silicone around my tools,

i made a big mistake putting my tool rack in front of the air conditioner, the rack didnt inpare air flow, so i thought what the heck..
the constant chillling and warming has put a haze rust on the less used tools but the buffer and rouge took care of that...

silicone causes fisheye in paint finish, just the least amount of silicone will reck a finish...

[Ashbys]

Any good steel , including stainless will rust. I rust tools simply from my use of the tools. If you handle a tool your body produces sweat , which can be very acidic, this combined with a combinations of salts will produce rust.
I would never suggest silicon , which although it will displace moisture, it can also cause it own unique problems to your personal health. Although a seal closed area , a silcon pack will help your best protection is a small can of wd-40 which you can use as a sharpening aid, and just wipe your tools after use and spray them with a light coat after use.
If your concern about getting oil on your carving , simply keep a clean rag/ paper towel and make a habit of wiping them off before use.
If you want to get even more protection I suggest liquid glove, You put it on your hands and it froms a skin tight barrer between you and your tools. And yes it does work and will last for hours, or until you wash your hands.

Ash

[mdallensr]

Ditto the WD-40. It won't hurt your carving and does a great job of preventing rust. I stated wiping down all my steel tools a couple of times per year. I don't like to have to spend a bunch of time fixing tools just to do a 10 minute job. An ounce of prevention..... Mike

[Capt. Bandaid]

I believe WD-40 is intended to be a penetrating oil. It will penetrate rusted parts and free them. It's rust preventative powers are actually modest. I prefer to put a light coat of Paste Wax, like Johnsons, on my tools since this will form a tight barrier to oxidation. There are actual rust preventive chemicals that can be purchased at auto parts stores or Walmart, but I don't know what effect they might have on a painted finish.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Thought the WD stood for "water displacement"?

[Kenny_S]

Yep Dave, it does. It does one heck of a job on distributer caps when they are wet inside. Some of the youngens on the board may not know what they are. Still have a couple of vehicles with distributoe caps and no dang computer.