Reviving Old Tools: Restoration Techniques With Abrasives

The tool department is among our most well-liked divisions. Someone is constantly going through boxes and shelves hoping to discover a hidden gem. These treasures can occasionally be found shining just as they were donated by someone who loved the instrument or seldom used it.

However, the tools we carry are frequently rough diamonds: sledgehammers with shattered handles, saws without blade sharpening, and pliers without oil. With a little TLC, they can quickly prove their worth in your next endeavor. These ten methods will help you return your old tools to like-new condition using abrasives.

1. TAKE OUT THE RUST FROM YOUR METAL TOOLS

Over time, rust will inevitably form on hammers, wrenches, and other totally or partially metal hand tools, mainly if used frequently. To restore the original shine to your rusty antique hand tools, immerse them in vinegar for a whole night to break down the oxide layer. After that, give them a thorough water wash before gently cleaning them with light machine oil and fine-grade steel wool to eliminate any traces of rust and shield them from future moisture damage.

2. RESTORE AND SAFEGUARD WOODEN HANDLES

When they are brand-new, the wooden handles of hand tools such as hatchets, hammers, and axes are frequently finished to provide protection. But over time and with repeated use, this wears off. Here's where boiling linseed oil comes in handy.
Sand down your hardwood handles to remove any last traces of old finish and debris. Next, apply boiling linseed oil to a clean shop towel and leave it overnight to solidify. Because linseed oil oxidizes, it leaves a hard, protective layer on wood that prolongs the life of your tool handles. 

3. BRING OLD, DULL CHISELS TO LIFE

While old chisels and other cutting tools will eventually lose their sharpness, they can be sharpened to like-new condition. The finest sharpening technique we've found uses a benchtop grinder with a felt-coated hard buffing wheel.

While holding the tool tangent to the wheel, carefully buff the beveled edge down to a razor-sharp edge. If appropriately used, this technique can sharpen your chisels to a point similar to their original edge.

4. RESTORE THE ORIGINAL THICKNESS PLANER TO ITS ORIGINAL STATE

Fixing your thickness planer can be easier than you think if it's not planning wood as effectively as it used to, causing ridges on what should be a smooth surface.

Lift the planer as high as it can go to begin with. Next, apply a layer of paste wax to the tool's bed. To guarantee an even and complete covering, use a clean shop cloth. Wax will once more facilitate the smooth feeding of wood through the planer. The tool's top should then be removed. One of the blades should then be slightly shifted to the side by loosening the nuts that secure it to the cutter head. This will resolve the ridge issue and restore smooth cutting on your planer blades.

5. ADJUST THE JOINTER

If your jointer isn't cutting correctly, the blades on it are most likely the issue. After unplugging the jointer, pull back the guard and unscrew the nuts securing the blades. If necessary, buy new, matching blades and fit them into the cutter head.

The key to excellent joint performance is ensuring that every blade in the cutter head is precisely at the same height, within a few thousandths of an inch. To do this, place a straight piece of wood over the blades and spin the cutter head until the wood is touched by the first blade. Make a mark in that spot on the wood with a sharp pencil. Then, while you keep turning the cutter, mark the wood again and the blade disappears into the wood.

Make sure the spacing between the markings is constant when you repeat the process with the remaining blades. Your jointer will cut beautifully again if you do this right.

6. UTILIZING A BELT SANDER, CLEAN THE BELT

Don't be hasty to replace the belt if your sander isn't removing wood as it used to. It's likely that it still has some life in it. The easiest way to be sure is to test it with a block of pancake rubber.

Once the sander is turned on, firmly push the pancake block on the belt for a few seconds. As the block runs, move it over the entire width of the belt. This will release all the fine wood dust lodged in the abrasive belt, enabling it to sand like new once more.

7. USE AN ELECTRIC CHAINSAW SHARPENER

If you work with chainsaws frequently, you know how quickly they can get boring. Invest in an electric chain sharpener and learn how to operate it instead of spending hours slaving over a file. When properly adjusted, these may sharpen your chain even more than when it was brand-new, and you can accomplish less stunning results by hand in a fraction of the time.

8. CHANGE OUT THE FRAYED PULL CORDS

An old tool with a frayed or worn pull cord may eventually break. If it doesn't break before then, you can install a new pull cord or continue using it until it does.

Remove your tool's recoil starter after purchasing a pull cord rope spool with the same diameter as the old one. Cut off and discard the old pull cord. Next, securely knot the end of the new cord by threading it into the pull handle. Wind the new cord until the spool is full by rewinding the return spring. Once the other end of the cord has been cut off the spool, firmly tie it to the handle.

9. RESTORE OLD SCISSORS

Can you open and close an old, heavy-duty set of scissors that used to cut effectively but are now gummed up? If so, the issue is most likely rust.

Examine the inside surfaces of both scissors blades after removing the bolt that holds them together. If rust is visible, the bolts or washers are most likely not stainless steel. Use fine-grit sandpaper to remove all of the rust from the region. Replace the washers after drizzling a small amount of light machine oil over the area. To operate in oil, reassemble the scissors and open and close them multiple times. They won't cut as well for a very long time. 

10. TAKE THE HARDENED CEMENT OUT OF AN OLD MIXER

Steel fins are typically located inside the drums of portable cement mixers to aid in mixing mortar and concrete components. Due to years of use and inadequate cleaning, old mixers nearly invariably include hardened gunk inside.

Reach inside with a masonry hammer and chisel (or an air hammer, if you have one) and chip away at the hardened deposits while the mixer is unplugged and wearing safety goggles. Continue working until there is no more undesired content. You'll be able to mix cement like never before.

CONCLUSION

Rust removal isn't always enjoyable; some elbow grease will occasionally be required. However, you may save money and restore the original feel of your beloved old tools by performing your rust removal instead of purchasing a new one.