Cedar as a rust preventer?

Re: Cedar as a rust preventer?

Moses Yoder in White Pigeon, MI

>Todd, are you sure you didn't just fall off the turnip truck? There may be something to the cedar wood; it gives off fumes, which may prevent rust. Somehow I doubt that it would make a big difference whether the tools were in a cedar log or birch log, but then I am pretty ignorant about such things and should probably just keep my mouth shut.

Re: Cedar as a rust preventer?

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>Todd, are you sure you didn't just fall off the turnip truck?

Yup, I'm positive Moses, it was a coconut truck. ;~)

I knew that cedar was good to keep insects away, but didn't know it had rust prohibitive properties as well. There is another wood that I am aware of that is known to prevent rust, but dang if I can recall it's name at the moment, but it smells like eucalyptus.

T.O.

Snicker, snicker...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA

>WOW I started a new catch fraze ;^)

Coconut truck?!?

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA

>I think one hit you on the head! The wood your thinking is dry wood. Any tool placed in a dry wood box will have a better chance of not getting rusted. DUH!

Scott, being a Smart a#$ ;^)

Re: Snicker, snicker...

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>Yeah, maybe the wood being dry is the whole secret, but still found it interesting.

Has anybody ever found tools in a dry chest that were not rusted and wasn't made of cedar?

Found it comical when David asked the old man how long he had left his traps and such in the log and the old man said about twenty-seven or twenty eight years!

T.O.

Yes, I have no coconuts today. ;~)

Camphor

Bill Houghton, sunny Turkey day in Sebastopol, CA

>I've heard, but never tested, that camphor keeps tools from rusting. The articles I've read that recommend it suggest getting blocks of what I assume are the oils from camphorwood from the drug store (aka chemist in areas that speak the Queen's English).

Yes,that's it Bill, Thanks

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>

Re: Snicker, snicker...

Mike Fitterling

>Plenty of camphor in Florida. Why not give it a test?

Re: Snicker, snicker...

ThomD

>"Any tool placed in a dry wood box will have a better chance of not getting rusted. DUH!"

He said hollow log in the quote above, that isn't the same thing as a chest, it's open on two ends. At least one. I suppose it depends as opposed to leaving them where, on the forest floor? Which is sorta back to your point.

Maybe camphor does work, but I would rather a little rust. Now camellia oil there is a winner. It wipes on and almost immediately is not perceptible, come back a long while latter, and it has prottected against rust.

Re: Snicker, snicker...

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>He advised the author to move all items of value from his cabin while away to prevent theft. He said he had left his traps and such in a hollow cedar log for either 27 or 28 years and when he returned to them they where absolutely rust free! Now, I do suppose that being kept dry was a big factor, and the fact that they where in the region of Maniwaki Canada was another contributing factor, but even still you'd think that after close to 30 years they be rusted solid, so there must be something about the cedar itself preventing the rusting.

I have some camphor kicking around outside, but I can't stand the smell of it, and is banished from my shop. I keep it around to use as clubs when I use my froe.

T.O.

Re: Snicker, snicker...

ThomD

>Interesting story, I share you wonder. Maybe they were actually stone tools. :)