Advice on Cleaning Old Tools

[corchromatique]

Along with a number of watches, I recently inherited a pile of old watchmaking tools. From what I understand, my grandfather bought out a bunch of tools and boxes of watch parts from a local college after they ended the horology program. Do you have any advice on how to go about cleaning old equipment without damaging it or risking damaging any watches I might use them on? A lot of it is dusty and a little rusted.
Pictured is roughly 1/4 of the tools.

 

[svenedin]

They don't look bad at all. I think the only risk to your watches is if loose rust fell of into your clean movements. I would give them a rub over with an oily mildly abrasive cloth and then wipe clean with a clean cloth. It is helpful against further corrosion to have a light film of oil on the tools.

 

[corchromatique]

They don't look bad at all. I think the only risk to your watches is if loose rust fell of into your clean movements. I would give them a rub over with an oily mildly abrasive cloth and then wipe clean with a clean cloth. It is helpful against further corrosion to have a light film of oil on the tools.

Any advice on what kind of oil?

 

[darrahg]

Any heavier grade oil such as 3-in-one will do. I generally use a drop of clock oil on a piece of paper towel.

 

[gmorse]

Hi corchromatique,

Do you have any advice on how to go about cleaning old equipment without damaging it or risking damaging any watches I might use them on?

If you need to stabilise any patches of rust, try soaking in strong tea, (no particular variety, but I find a good Assam works well!). The tannic acid will stop any rusting and may leave a black film which is easily cleaned off, then apply the oil as above.

If that small blue box marked 'Nite Lite' contains a radium-based luminous compound, it's best left alone.

Regards,

Graham

 

[corchromatique]

See, that was my next question. I am trying to find out whether that's radium, and I don't have a geiger counter on hand.

 

[gmorse]

Hi corchromatique,

I am trying to find out whether that's radium, and I don't have a geiger counter on hand.

OK, perhaps we can infer its presence by the state of whatever's in that box. Radium-based luminous compound hasn't been used since, I would guess, the late 60s or early 70s at the latest, and by then the amount of radium in the compounds was much reduced in comparison to its heyday during and after WW1. The luminous effect, due to the activation of zinc sulphide by the radioactivity, declined as the sulphide became exhausted, and after 10 or 20 years it would have failed to glow at all, although the radium has continued to emit radiation, (its half-life is ~1,600 years).

If there's a small vial of something in there, and it doesn't glow in the dark, (whether it's exposed to the light first or not), I think you should assume that it is radium. On the other hand, if it only glows after exposure to light, it's one of the later, safer compounds without radium. However, the design and condition of the blue box suggests that it could be from the 50s or thereabouts, when radium compounds were still available, so do the glow tests, and don't open any vials.

Have a look at David Boettcher's website on the subject.

Regards,

Graham

 

[corchromatique]

Hi corchromatique,


OK, perhaps we can infer its presence by the state of whatever's in that box. Radium-based luminous compound hasn't been used since, I would guess, the late 60s or early 70s at the latest, and by then the amount of radium in the compounds was much reduced in comparison to its heyday during and after WW1. The luminous effect, due to the activation of zinc sulphide by the radioactivity, declined as the sulphide became exhausted, and after 10 or 20 years it would have failed to glow at all, although the radium has continued to emit radiation, (its half-life is ~1,600 years).

If there's a small vial of something in there, and it doesn't glow in the dark, (whether it's exposed to the light first or not), I think you should assume that it is radium. On the other hand, if it only glows after exposure to light, it's one of the later, safer compounds without radium. However, the design and condition of the blue box suggests that it could be from the 50s or thereabouts, when radium compounds were still available, so do the glow tests, and don't open any vials.

Have a look at David Boettcher's website on the subject.

Regards,

Graham

Thanks for the advice! Unfortunately the box contains two small tins. Not transparent. I’ll just play it safe and leave them alone.

 

[Schatznut]

For rust prevention and general lubrication on those tools once they're cleaned, I highly recommend Starrett M1. It's what Starrett uses on their tools in the factory.

 

[fuzz1]

A dip in coke or mild phosphoric acid will help remove the rust. Then if you planning to keep them as souvenir and not use them maybe wd40. To be avoided i guess if you wanna use them