How To Restore Rusted Garden Tools With NO Chemicals!

[@jeffhurst4744]

Excellent reminder on how “simple” cleaning, de-rusting, and sharpening your gardening tools is to the gardener. We do multiple tools at a time, to shorten time spent doing it. I sometimes do a bit more on the sharpening aspect to many of our garden devices using a sharp edge (I have been sharpening knives/scissors/etc for many friends and family for decades). Keep videos like this coming. Thank you.

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

So true Jeff. A little care goes a long way! :-)

[@makulewahine]

I wish I dared to take my tools apart but they would never get back together again. LOL Thanks so much for this tutorial.

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Haha Gordon, I hear you on that one man...you're not alone! :-)

[@lljl5310]

Lol...i thought the same thing! Then it would end up in the landfill! 👍

[@TheWtfnonamez]

Great advice. Where I live its quite damp, so vegetable oils tend to go rancid fast. Baby oil is a great cheap alternative. Baby oil is basically food grade mineral oil, with a tiny bit of perfume. Its also VASTLY cheaper than buying food grade mineral oil because of market conditions. It smells weird in bulk but you dont notice it in normal use. Thank you for the video. I will be busting out the vinegar tonight!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

That's an awesome tip on the baby oil, thanks for that!

[@kevinrowbotham545]

Excellent advice! Food grade oil is the best choice for sure. Old timers used to keep a bucket of oil soaked sand in the shed and plunge garden trowels, shovels etc. into the oily sand to keep their tools rust free and clean. Though some of them used old motor oil...YUCK NOT IN MY GARDEN! The vinegar soak is a very good idea. I've got a set of pruners that could use a soak! Thanks for the video. Interestingly enough, ferrous metal in cleaning vinegar over time creates iron acetate which can be used as a natural, non-toxic stain and light preservative for wood. I'm off to give my pruners some TLC!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

YESSSS.....oily sand for the big shovels and rakes! Now, the stain thing....you got my brain curious Kevin!

[@kevinrowbotham545]

It's pretty neat really. We did it as a home school science experiment and stained some garden fence we built from HT pallets. The acetate reacts with the natural tannin's in the wood so the stain effect can vary greatly. Brushing the wood with strong black tea first, letting it dry and then using the acetate enhances the staining effects. Effects go from brown to almost black and reddish brown if your ferrous metal rusts in the vinegar. Clear acetate results from using steel wool to create the acetate. At least this is what we found.

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

@@kevinrowbotham545 So cool man. I love wood enhancers like that. Not necessarily masking the wood, but bringing out the grain and knots and all the other visual things that make wood so aesthetic!

[@kevinrowbotham545]

I agree. I really like the look of it too!

[@AJWGBFX]

I just retrieved my secateurs (what we call pruners in UK) from my allotment shed yesterday. Full of rust and me wondering how to sort them. Bingo! I hit the jackpot when I saw your video. Vinegar treatment coming up. BTW I was taught that a cutting blade with one bevelled side and one flat side should be kept like that. The bevel should be filed/sharpened at an angle, but the flat side should be laid flat on a stone or file as it is worked so it stays flat.

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Very timely! Yes, totally correct about the beveled and flat edges of a blade. Not all blades are beveled on both sides, you're totally correct!

[@Steve197201]

I just tried this with two pairs of pruning shears soaked in straight vinegar for eight hours (I didn't add water) and they're like new! Plus it was really cool to see all the rust floating in the vinegar. This technique really works! Thanks for the tip! 👍

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

That's so awesome! Straight vinegar eh? Thanks for the insight! Was it 5% regular white vinegar?

[@Steve197201]

@@TheRipeTomatoFarms Yes, that was 5% white vinegar. Do you know of any risks associated with using straight vinegar?

[@kimariokiji]

Thank you! This is the best video I have seen on restoring and preserving rusty tools. The only things I would add would be to rub the tools with a baking soda pasta after soaking in the weak acid to neutralize the acid of the vinegar. I would also let the tools warm in the sun to dry and open the surface of the metal before applying the vegetable oil. A heat gun or even a hand held hair dryer will work to heat the tools.

[@mikef6948]

I literally just finished doing this very thing !! How crazy is that ??? lol BTW Jeff, my kale and spinach is doing fantastic under that $50 grow light !!! Thanks again so much for bringing that light to our attention. Merry Christmas to you and yours and cheers !! Grow on !!!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Right on Mike, perfect time of year for it!! Cheers to you friend, enjoy the weekend! :-)

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

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[@keithhilton8869]

Jeff, excellent advice and excellent video. Cheers mate

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Thanks Keith, appreciate that man! :-)

[@suburbanfarmtotable2367]

Now that we are finally getting winter weather in 7A, something I can do instead of working outside! Can’t wait to get my pruners a well deserved bath!

[@joj1252]

Brilliant tips Jeff thanks 🙏🏻 definitely going to do this each year

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Thanks Jo, appreciate it! :-)

[@gailrees7703]

Brilliant thank you for sharing

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Cheers Gail, thanks for watching!

[@melanieallen8980]

I need to do this! thanks!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Cheers Melanie, best of luck!

[@fletchybabe6172]

Thanks Jeff

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Hey, thanks for watching! :-)

[@venessamarquis5293]

What to do if the rust doesn't completely come off even with extra soaking? Love your short and to the point videos.

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Hey Vanessa....you know, I've never NOT had the rust come completely off! It always does!

[@kevinrowbotham545]

There are three types of rust. Surface, scale, and penetrating corrosion. Surface rust is easily loosened with a weak acid as demonstrated in the video. As rust progresses through different stages it becomes more resistant to removal and does more damage to the metal. Once pitting of the metal begins, rust is typically much more stubborn and the worse it gets the harder it will be to remove. At this point the surface metal has been eroded somewhat anyway so using an abrasive may be the easiest solution. After removing the rust applying a rust inhibitor is a good idea.

[@lljl5310]

Thank you! 👍

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Hey, thanks for watching! :-)

[@mindfulskateboarding3693]

Needed this

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Cheers! 🙂

[@kaskoll7536]

Great video! Thank you!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Hey thanks, appreciate it!

[@rainrabbit9209]

Excellent!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Hey thanks! :-)

[@KitchenGardeningwithMe]

Excellent👍great idea💡

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Thanks! :-)

[@lorihamlin3604]

No way I’d take my pruners apart. I’d wind up with a pile of shiny clean pile ofscrap metal. The best I can do soak in vinegar for a couple of days. I do admire you for your tool care..impressive. I have to get one of your sharpeners. That’s one issue I need as I sometimes use tools on things I shouldn’t.

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

I hear you lori...some of these pruners with 10-15 parts....a little tricky to get back together, haha!

[@Steve197201]

This is a great idea! Question: can you use olive oil instead of vegetable oil?

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Yes, 100% you can!

[@Steve197201]

@@TheRipeTomatoFarms Thanks! Love your channel! 👍

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

@@Steve197201 Thanks, I appreciate that, really! :-)

[@latemanparodius5133]

Another thing that comes to mind is using the same process as seasoning a cast iron pan. However, it would involve using the oven.

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

I was always amazed that cast irons don't rust more....then it dawned on me...the oily coating!

[@latemanparodius5133]

@@TheRipeTomatoFarms Also, cast iron makes use of a different form of oxidation that doesn't progress through the metal. Rust is Fe2O3, but the black oxide is Fe3O4. Chemistry so old it's got its own term. "Bluing".

[@Bev437Sqn]

Jeff where can I buy that sharpener you used. I want to get one for husband for his birthday so he can sharpen all our tools. Thanks. Cheers

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Home depot, Lee Valley Tools, Amazon......

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

I'll try to find you a link....

[@Bev437Sqn]

@@TheRipeTomatoFarms Thanks Jeff much appreciated

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

This is the one I've used before Bev: amzn.to/3p97ELr

[@Bev437Sqn]

@@TheRipeTomatoFarms thanks Jeff it's in my amazon cart

[@dn744]

I use neem oil, as its antibacterial.

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

That'll work too! Better than motor oil, LOL!

[@dn744]

@@TheRipeTomatoFarms or cod liver lol

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

@@dn744 nice and smelly! Lol

[@jonathan_r_lee92]

Would a old toothbrush work for removing the loose rust or would the bristles on the toothbrush damage the metal much like a steel abrasive brush?

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Hey Jonathan...anything plastic is just fine. Plastic scrubbies, toothbrush...all ok. Its the steel wool and sandpaper that just do the metal in. :-)

[@kimisinha4049]

So no rinsing with water after the vinegar bath?

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

I don't bother. It's so weak, I just dry it thoroughly with the soft towel

[@marcuspowell2510]

👍🏾

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

:-)

[@johnjude2685]

So after I've sharpen and prep for next season, Now, I'll probably learn about what I did wrong. OK buddy teach me better. Thanks I'm only getting better 😌

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Ha ha we'll see buddy! There's only 4 steps! :-)

[@illjusthavecoffee]

I’m not sure I could reassemble the pruners correctly if I took them apart to that point 😂

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Ha ha I hear you on that one.... Some are actually quite complicated!

[@kerrileelawrence15]

Great But My Cutters are Old n Blunt n Just Don't Cut Anymore..

[@dorothyfu7540]

I don't know if it is a woman's thing but the biggest challenge for me would be to put it back again!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Ha ha you're not alone Dorothy! Some of the more intricate pruners are definitely not as easy to put back together!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

@Tomato Brilliant! :-)

[@pennyriherd6697]

Vegetable oil over time will become sticky and rancid

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

It doesn't last long enough for that to happen. Its not like my tools sit around for 2 years not being used. :-)

[@sabbyjones2308]

I have never tried it but someone told me to use coke?

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Correct Sabby....although it is a little harsher and uses phosphoric acid instead of acetic acid.....same results. :-)

[@rhianburke6380]

Hiiiiiiiiii

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Howdy

[@Squee_Dow]

Helpful and informative, but he uptalking was just this side of maddening! O!M!G!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Use subtitles then

[@Squee_Dow]

@@TheRipeTomatoFarms No, thanks. I'll move along and wish you all the best. Perhaps a speech course in a community college would be a good investment of time, especially for someone who is instructing and narrating.

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

@@Squee_Dow I'm ok, keep spreading the good cheer, lol

[@lljl5310]

@@Squee_Dow click the unsubscribe button. You won't be missed, I guarantee it!! 👌

[@Squee_Dow]

@@lljl5310 I know you're trying hard to be helpful, but I'm not subscribed. Any other ideas?