Five tips on how to care for tools properly

What's the use of a well-equipped workshop if the tools don't work properly?? Little to nothing. The fact is that you have to take care of even the best tool if you want to enjoy it for a while! Damp and even not completely dry storage places for the tools are especially treacherous.

Because even the smallest spots of rust can sometimes make tools unusable. Let us list what is particularly important when caring for tools.

Properly store and maintain tools

You don't have to care for your tools every week. Of course, this would be exaggerated, every few months is enough. Provided you store your tools sensibly – i.e. with regard to the tool. Because for the proper use of screwdriver, scissors, pliers and what they are all called, already the correct storage does a great part.

How to store equipment and tools properly, you can read for example in this article. And shelves and storage boxes, like the ones available here, help a lot with sorting and keeping things tidy. Nothing goes in a neat tool like well thought out storage space.

Clean tools after each use

After each use, the tools should be put back in their original place. This will save time and gray hair the next time you go to the workshop.

Urgent tip: Don't just throw the tool into the box, the crate, the shelf, but clean it at least enough so that you can use it again the next time. And want.

This is perhaps most obvious with garden tools such as hedge trimmers or spades. Sure, you might be tired and earth is not necessarily dirt, but something wonderful and alive. True.

Only: The next time you go to the garden, the crumbs of earth are encrusted, so that you can not use the scissors or the spade – so at any rate. Garden tools in particular should be returned to usable condition before you leave the garden.

So if you clean your tools and equipment immediately, you will save yourself a lot of maintenance work. A damp cloth is usually sufficient to remove soiling. For stubborn dirt, cleaning brushes and cleaning products help.

If the tool consists of several elements with joints, the hidden surfaces and moving parts should also be thoroughly cleaned of dirt. These places are predestined for rusting.

Care for tools carefully: Above all, store them in a dry place

Rust occurs when moisture is involved. The tools should therefore not only be cleaned, but also dried. And of course, if at all possible, find a dry place for your tools. Tool shed in the garden – clear. But it should be tight and have a dry bottom – i.e.: not get wet even in winter.

When in doubt: a piece of chalk or charcoal in the storage box absorbs moisture from the environment so rust can't form on the tool in the first place.

Protect tools from rust with oil

A light film of oil offers long-term rust protection. Machine oil is suitable for this purpose, just as you would use it for your sewing machine or bicycle chain. Use just a few drops – they're enough to provide lasting rust protection. If you want to be on the safe side, wrap tools like scissors and saws in oiled paper.

How to effectively remove rust from tools

If rust has formed on your tools after all, this is no reason to dispose of the tool. The important thing is to remove the rust as soon as possible. To do this, you first need to clean the tool thoroughly in order to identify all rust-infested areas.

The rust is then tackled with a wire brush or sandpaper. In case of stubborn rust, a grinding machine may have to be used. Once the rust is removed, the tool is carefully oiled again for protection.