More advice needed on cleaning..

Re: More advice needed on cleaning..

Paul in NJ

>You shouldn't have too much trouble extracting wood screws. First carefully clean out the slots the best you can, I use a sharp screw driver. I would use a screw driver bit that fits into a brace and file or grind the bit for a good fit to the screws. Clamp the plane into a vice and then you can really bear down on the brace so the bit doesn't slip. The beauty of the brace is that you can put a lot of pressure and torque on the screw. Sometimes on a tough screw it helps to tighen a little to break it loose but I don't think you will have that much trouble.

Paul Dzioba

knock it off

Adam Cherubini

>I think you should knock it off! If you want shiny stuff, go buy LN. If you hose up one of those ancient screws with the shallow slots and soft heads, you've had it. Also, those skates are two pieces. You may never get those perfectly aligned again, they maybe loose from now on etc. It just isn't worth it to make something shiny, nor are you increasing the use or value of the plane. In your last post you told us which plane looked better. That's just your opinion. I kinda like the dried out wood look! I also like the rusted metal that's been steel wooled and oiled and now looks kinda black and gray. We shouldn't kid ourselves into thinking this sort of effort (and I do it too) is restoration.

If this plane was newer and totally clapped out, I'd say go for it. But it looks like its in pretty good shape. It'd be a shame to hose it up, and for what? Leave it alone. That's my vote.

Adam

hand tool purist

I vote with Adam

jim reed @ tallahassee

>Leave it in place. Trying to remove it is trouble. Knock off the rust with some steel wool and call it a day. I apply 3in1 oil after knocking off the rust. Use a light coat and wipe down afterward with paper towel. Try to keep the oil off the wood.

Re: Thanks.

JL

>Therein lies the problem. How do I keep the oil off of the wood? I want to get all the rust off of the adjustable "foot" as this appears to be a gliding surface. As that has already been removed, that isn't a problem. I guess I can just knock the rust off of the other piece. I'll give a shot and post what I've done.

Re: Thanks.

todd hughes

>When I clean these planes up I just take a strip of sandpaper [maybe 220 grit?] on a sanding stick and use it to take the rust off the skate. Afterward finish it with some steel wool and then spray everything with the WD40 and wipe down with a rag. I don't aim to polish it up but just clean the rust off leaving the plane looking clean but not messed with. I would be very hesistant to take the skate off unless absolutly needed to.....Todd

Razor blade for rust removal...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA

>then wax it.

Re: Razor blade for rust removal...

Hank Knight from SC

>Dremel makes several different styles of small wire brushes for their Roto Tools. These are great for getting at rust in tight places without having to disassemble the plane.