A reader, Ed Pullen of s/v Kibitka, recently emailed SetSail with some great tips for taking care of tools.

Regarding your FAQ section on Maintaining Tools, I’d like to share a couple of “tricks” I’ve learned from other craftsmen and mechanics. First, for tools that are used on a fairly regular basis, I like to wipe them down with Liquid Wrench ™ – NOT WD40, then remove the excess by wiping with a dry, clean (meaning no grit – doesn’t have to be laundry-clean) mechanic’s rag. This accomplishes several things, such as: clean and mildly polished tools; surface corrosion removal (a little at a time); corrosion prevention (even mildly pitted surfaces won’t corrode if oxygen and water are excluded); most importantly, it is good karma to massage your tools – they will last, they will perform, and they will become a true tool – i.e., an extension of your hand. Anyone who has read and/or used the book “How To Keep Your Volkswagen Alive” by John Muir knows what I’m talking about. The more familiar you are with your tools, the more proficient you will be with them – kind of like your boat. I keep these same tools in a cheap, $5 metal box marketed by one of the big stores like KMart. My tools are in perfect shape because after I clean up, I place the LW rag on the bottom of the box, and a second one that is dampened with same, folded over the top. I have a Crescent wrench given to me by my stepfather over 40 years ago (and it was well-used then) that is still working like it is supposed to.

For tools that will be stored more than a month at a time, you might consider blocks of camphor. This is a volatile solid that “sublimes” directly into the vapor phase, thus coating everything inside the enclosure. Try to keep it from breaking up, as it will break down faster. Open these tools outside – it is probably not good to breathe the vapor when it is real concentrated.