Tools, Sharpening and Power Machinery - rusty tools

My new husband has some old tools including a bench vise that are badly rusted. I'd like to make them nice again. Soaked them in vinegar and scrubbed and they looked good for about a day until the rust started coming back again. Can I paint them with rust proof paint? It's on the gripping surfaces of the vise and pliers as well as the threaded part and I did not know if paint would gum those bits up.

When you used the vinegar you etched the surface. Vinegar is an acid.

Clean the tools again with Mineral Spirits or Naval Jelly. Afterwards use a light coat of oil to block the oxidation process. Coating with grease works too, but just doesn't look real pretty.

[Edited by More than a Carpenter on 04-29-01 at 05:39]

I agree. I have been buying tools through an estate sale, and you guessed it, one of the tools was a 1961 Wilton vice. Most of the stuff has been 40 plus years old like this, so I know what "old and rusty" means :)

The guy said "Take it, it's rotted shut". I dumped it into Safe-T-Clean at work (which is really mineral spirits) and the crap just came off of it :)

Then, I polished the shaft with a little crocus cloth, wiped it down and filled it with white lube, and walah, I had a working Wilton :)