Posted by Stan Schulz on June 30, 2009, 10:44 pm, in reply to "Re: wrenches"
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The issues are appearance, and preventing rust if the tools have to experience humidity and temperature swings (cold tools + humid air = condensation which soon leads to rust). Past experience has made discriminating collectors fussy, so if you're looking toward ultimate resale, don't apply any finish that could conceal repairs. 20 years ago my dad & some others were using "clear" spray lacquer to put down a rust-preventive coating (dad's collection was stored in boxes in an old horse barn) .. but that coating yellowed with age, & gummed up some adjustment mechanisms. If it got scratched, rust would form at that point, and "creep" under the coating. Some folks are experimenting with hard waxes like "Renaissance Wax" that is used by some museums. Some are using hard wax compounds that have to be heated for application. Some are using flat black with markings touched up with white. I attended a collection dispersal sale this past February where the tools had been stored in various types of boxes with liberal applications of oil to keep moving parts free, etc. Throw in a couple decades worth of dust & the result was Very Messy!

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