? on fragging tools

[skyedolphan]

OK how does everone keep there tools from getting rusty? I am clueless once again .. I use them then rinse in ro/di water and dry with paper towels and leave on window cill to make sure completely dry but still seem to get rust spots and it drives me crazy .. anyone feel like sharing secrets?

 

[MikeG]

Don't store in high humidity, and put them in a zip lock bag. You need good quality stainless steel for them not to rust. All of my instruments are surgical grade so I don't have that problem.

 

[Liam]

i would'nt put them in a ziplock,one drop of moisture on them and you willhave the same problem.Wrap them in a paper towel and keep in a dry place.

 

[stevenp]

Pennies and/ or silicate (sp? the stuff that comes in the pockets of a new leather jacket) can be thrown in the drawer to absorb moisture.

Steve

 

[Greg Hiller]

I've considered buying the stainless steel tools, and if I was starting over I probably would get them. I'm pretty happy with my rusty old pair(s) of cutting pliers though. I don't see a big issue with using them in the tank. The problem comes in breaking them in. What I mean by this is that if you get a really nice pair of cutting pliers (not stainless) and use them in a tank as Dawn mentioned it's really had to dry them in such a manner so they don't rust. When they rust, if they are high quality and have a very small tolerance (or clearance) between the parts, a little bit of rust will seize them up really bad. The old pliers that I have are kind of cheap and I've had to work them again and again, but now they are so worn that they don't freeze up anymore because a fair amount of metal has been worn away between the parts. I don't even bother to rinse them anymore most times.

 

[Greg Hiller]

>Pennies and/ or silicate (sp? the stuff that comes in the pockets of a new leather jacket) can be thrown in the drawer to absorb moisture.<

Yes, this is what I do with my paint scraper blades I use for cleaning the glass on my tanks. I rinse, dry, then put in a bag with a bunch of desicant (you can get it cheap). Without any water around, rust will not form quickly.

 

[MikeG]

I also use these packets to keep moisture out but wrap them up in a bag. I actually autoclave my instuments every now and then and just store them in the autoclave bags.

 

[MikeG]

i would'nt put them in a ziplock,one drop of moisture on them and you willhave the same problem.Wrap them in a paper towel and keep in a dry place.

Yeah I guess this could make problems even worse. Although the bag will keep moisture out, it won't let any out if the instruments aren't completely dry. I am a little biased on this I guess because I just bring instruments home from work when I need them. If I need a ne set, I just switch them out.

 

[Michael Mota]

I just use them then rinse off in fresh water. Once they get to the point that they will not open freely I just dip them in vegtable oil for a while then I wipe them down and were ready to go. Ya there rusty but I don't think its an issue. I also have some that are stainless steel and for some reason they are rusting too.

 

[skyedolphan]

well thats where my problem is as I could care less about my cheap HD tools but when it comes tomy bonecutters and scalpels which are all SS it drives me crazy .
Thankl you everyone for your suggestions I will try it out
? Vegetable oil or WD40 are they OK for the tools even thought he tools are working with corals ? never though of that

 

[Pat H.]

I think veggy oil would be OK, but NOT the WD-40. It's some kind of oily blend, WD stands for "water displacer". Invented for or by the military I think.

Out of curiousity, do the SS tools have any marks on them? Like "18/8" or "Surgical".
They should be at least 304 SS to keep from rusting easily. Some hardenable stainlesses like the 400 series rust very easily and are used for knives and some other tools that need to hold a sharp edge.

 

[One Eye]

I just wipe mine with a towel. They rust.

 

[shawn]

I just use them then rinse off in fresh water. Once they get to the point that they will not open freely I just dip them in vegtable oil for a while then I wipe them down and were ready to go. Ya there rusty but I don't think its an issue. I also have some that are stainless steel and for some reason they are rusting too.

Yeah, I've been told they are "stain less", not "stain free"!

 

[Mike A]

The previous owner of Reef and Fin in CT used these and they never rusted:

http://www.alltackle.com/donmar_pliers.htm

Of course, they a tad bit more expensive than stainless

 

[Greg Hiller]

>Of course, they a tad bit more expensive than stainless <