What is the best application to tool steel for long term storage?

[jmj3esq]

I have a lot of knives, specifically a lot of Spyderco tool steel blades. I store my "safe queens" in their original boxes, usually with OEM desiccant bags in the boxes. I also have larger desiccant bags in the safe to help prevent corrosion. Although I take these precautions, I from time to time find that my tool steel begin to develop surface rust, especially on the edge. I understand I could strop the rust away, but in the process im taking away the original factory edge, which I don't want to do on my high end, safe queen, knives. Ive used several CLP type protectants, but it sees they dry up or evaporate after long storage.

What is the best stuff I can apply to tool steel for long term storage? Something that wont break down, evaporate, or leave me with a rusted edge. Maybe some sort of heavier wax? Let me know what you guys use for this. Thanks!

[ladybug93]

i've had good success with frog club paste.

[Manixguy@1994]

[Danke]

[RustyIron]

What is the best stuff I can apply to tool steel for long term storage? Something that wont break down, evaporate, or leave me with a rusted edge. Maybe some sort of heavier wax?

Cosmoline. It's too messy for my purposes, but you asked. I've had guns that were coated many decades earlier, and they looked fine.

Birchwood-Casey's Barricade is a more sensible solution for long-term storage. If you want to take it one step further, seal each knife in a vacuum food storage bag.

[Bill1170]

Chapstick seems to hold up well. I think it’s a blend of wax and petroleum jelly.

[dsvirsky]

Briwax also works very well.

[bdblue]

Birchwood-Casey's Barricade is a more sensible solution for long-term storage. If you want to take it one step further, seal each knife in a vacuum food storage bag.

This is the stuff I use and it performed the best in my informal test. You can search the internet and find tests done by various people including Project Farm. I have Ren Wax and I tried it in my test but it didn't do very well. I also have the glycerine-looking stuff sold by AG Russell, it didn't do very well in my test either.

[zhyla]

I think sword people use wax based products. The chapstick idea above seems like it would work well.

Really anything that stays put and blocks out moisture and oxygen will work.

[Naperville]

This product is what many museums use to keep iron/steel Medieval artifacts from rusting away.

I bought it. It is not messy like an oil or lubricant that will be all over everything and destroy paper and boxes used to store knives.

You really have to be gungho to coat 100 knives. I had around 100 knives when I bought Renaissance Wax, and I took a look at the pile of knives, thought about the amount of time to coat the blades and said "No Thanks." Now that I've sold half of the knives I may give it a shot.

I am going to get a few very good quality clean cotton hand towels and one at a time dip the towel in the wax, then quickly coat the blades the best that I can. I do not own Tutankhamen's Knife....and the value of each of my knives is under $400 each I would think. I do not want to take a week, just a few hours max.

[kennbr34]

Chapstick seems to hold up well. I think it’s a blend of wax and petroleum jelly.

Yeah, chapstick is my favorite. Cheap and easy to apply and is really stable. Plus it's non-toxic, so that's nice to not have to worry about washing my hands afterwards.

Barricade also works well from what I have seen on my gun barrels, but I don't really like leaving it on outer surfaces because it seems to be easily wiped away.

One interesting thing I have heard recommended is a mixture of beeswax, petroleum jelly and mineral oil. The mineral oil helps with application, like sinking into crevices, and then when it disappears the beeswax helps keep the petroleum jelly more stable. I haven't tried it because it seems like Chapstick does the same.

[JoviAl]

I rate Marine Tuff Glide, but my gosh does it stink.

[arty]

I use the Lee Valley Conservator’s wax. It works well.

https://assets.leevalley.com/Size4/1010 ... f-0022.jpg

[Matus]

Frog Lube - it is food safe. There are stronger rust-protecting agents, but I would rather not have on surfaces that might get in contact with food.

Here you can find a very detailed comparison of over 40 anti-rust agents
https://dayattherange.com/?page_id=3667

[Scandi Grind]

I would use Frog Lube because I have a jar and it's food safe. Otherwise I'd be thinking the chapstick option from the other suggestions here, seems like a easy option if it works well.

[SpyderJunky]

I like Corrosion X.
Highly mobile on the metal surface and has a polar molecular bond to metal that can be best described as similar to magnetic.
It resists removal by detergent, alcohol, heat, and friction etc.
Also said to be bio-safe in quantities that might be transferred to food from a knife...
Imho, it is head and shoulders above It's competitors in the marine saltwater environment.
2 cents.

[Airlsee]

I like Corrosion X.

I use Frog Lube paste...it's worked great for me and will probably last for at least another decade, but I'd never heard of Corrosion X, it definitely seems interesting, thanks!

[JayHenMac]

I'm an Eezox fan for my guns and non-food knives.

[Dullededge78!]

I stored a lot of knives some with 1095 some with ELMAX and several other steels in a suitcase in a house for 10 years all I did was lubricate them with sentry oil and wrap them in bubble wrap . The house was in a temperate climate without ac as it’s not needed . I had 0 issue with any apart from a slight bit of rust on an essee and that was only on the laser engraved logo .

[GT99]

Fluid film works great, havent even gotten so much as a patina on anything because of it, rain, sweat, fruit....no issues.