Question: Final finish on a folding shovell blade

[Biker]

Got myself a folding shovel/entrenching tool last year and I've cleaned it all up now, fitted new handle etc, looks the biz. But I simply don't know what finish to put on the metalwork of the blade.

I was going to slap some black hammerite on it figuring that'd be good enough, but it seems a bit DIY-ish in the worst possible way.

Then I read somewhere that linseed oil is a good way of keeping the rust down.

So here's my question for the hive mind:

What can a tosh over the iron work to keep it nice and clean while it's not digging holes in Normandy?

Thanks in advance for your advice and recommendations.

 

[Radix lecti]

Any metal items i restore i coat them with gun oil.

Daz

 

[bilmo-p5]

Boiled oil is ok if its not going to get used from one year end to the next, but otherwise I'd give it a coat of Galvafroid.

 

[Samon]

Gun blue would be different, got pictures of it?

 

[blacktimberwolf]

A wipe over with oil (3 in 1 sort of thing ) ....grease (such as used on bike chains etc.) In France they sometimes use a bucket of sand impregnated with used motor oil ( huile de vidange) then give the spade/shovel several stabs in that,( not very ecological), but I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't know or already......I would avoid linseed oil .but any mineral grease or oil would do, even vasaline. I've only mentioned some things you may have to hand.

 

[Biker]

Gun blue would be different, got pictures of it?

Haven't heard of Gun Blue, but I do have some blacking that I use on my cast iron log burner, so I might use that on the metal work after all. I've used it on billhooks and the drawknifes I've sold as it keeps the moisture off of them nicely. I'll just have to reapply a coat if I do any digging.

You asked for some photos. here ya go.

The ball on the end is a finial from a curtain pole I tenoned and screwed onto the end of the shaft, makes for a better grip if using the tool in a twisting action. I was going to fit a T bar on the end but figured I'd have problems getting one of those military type covers to fit over that obstruction. Just hope that ball goes through it is all.

Thanks for all the advice chaps.

 

[Samon]

looks great buddy!

gun blue on knives looks pretty interesting, http://www.intershoot-sports.co.uk/acatalog/Gun_Bluing.html looks pretty cheap too.

 

[Large Sack]

Hi Biker,

The only problem with gun blue would be any pitting that you have on the metalwork. As I recall blued finishes on pitted metal were not the mutts nutts. Would therefore second the plain gun oil or 3 in 1. You could try black lead (oh the horror) or grate blackener (goes on more easily than Hammerite) or perhaps try the newer synthetic gun lubes with graphite.

Cheers
sack

 

[Biker]

Yeah it's the grate blackener that I'm talking about. Comes out the pot like boot polish or out the tube like toothpaste, I actually use an old toothbrush to put it on with, wait a while then buff it up. Gives even cleaned off rusted tools a lovely old patina, shed water like a duck's back. Should be perfect for this old folding shovel.

This shovel was rusted solid into the opened position and the handle was worm eaten, that went onto the fire the day I got it home back in October last year. I just finally got around to cleaning off the surface rust the other day. The whole mechanism works really smoothly now and locks into the "adze" postion as well as conventional digging spade nice and tight.

On a total aside that signature of yours Large Sack makes me laugh. When I saw the film I sprayed coke over the bloke in front of me in the cinema laughing at that line. One of Arnie's better films, after Terminator of course.

 

[shaggystu]

i think that i'd be tempted to season it in the same way as you would a cast iron skillet or a dutch oven, but then i think i'd probably do more cooking with a folding shovel than i would digging

stuart

 

[Large Sack]

Yeah it's the grate blackener that I'm talking about. Comes out the pot like boot polish or out the tube like toothpaste, I actually use an old toothbrush to put it on with, wait a while then buff it up. Gives even cleaned off rusted tools a lovely old patina, shed water like a duck's back. Should be perfect for this old folding shovel.

This shovel was rusted solid into the opened position and the handle was worm eaten, that went onto the fire the day I got it home back in October last year. I just finally got around to cleaning off the surface rust the other day. The whole mechanism works really smoothly now and locks into the "adze" postion as well as conventional digging spade nice and tight.

On a total aside that signature of yours Large Sack makes me laugh. When I saw the film I sprayed coke over the bloke in front of me in the cinema laughing at that line. One of Arnie's better films, after Terminator of course.

Yup, I reckon that would work well. Sorry Biker, in my earlier post I didn't say what a good job you had done on turning it into something that looks great. Nice job on the pommel mate.

Re my sig, TBH I reckon Tom Arnold got the better lines...but that one's a definite classic IMO

Cheers

Sack

 

[Biker]

Yup, I reckon that would work well. Sorry Biker, in my earlier post I didn't say what a good job you had done on turning it into something that looks great. Nice job on the pommel mate.

Re my sig, TBH I reckon Tom Arnold got the better lines...but that one's a definite classic IMO

Cheers

Sack

Thanks for the compliment Sack I do geta lot of satisfaction restoring up an old tool like that having seen it languishing in a box of rusty tools and parts. Seems criminal, in a way, that tools are left to rot like that
Yeah, Tom Arnold did get the best lines, Arnie was there to take up action side of things. Hiding behind the lampost scene while being shot at got a laugh out loud too. "testicles, spectacles, wallet and watch" all present and accounted for (Phew!)

Shaggystu. I hear what you're saying, but I have more cooksets than you can shake a stick at, so using my spade as a frying pan I'd have to be pretty bloody desperate given the amount of pans I have to call upon, but thanks for the idea anyway. I wonder if I did would I risk damaging the temper of the metal bit heating it over a fire like that. I mean I wouldn't want to soften the steel so it's weakened... or am I talking out of my ar$e? I don't really know enough about metals and tempering etc to know for sure. Anyone got an answer to that?

 

[Tor helge]

I would just use black hammerite on it. Gives a hard wearing finish. Not very nice looking as you say, but it works.

 

[John Fenna]

I would just use black hammerite on it. Gives a hard wearing finish. Not very nice looking as you say, but it works.

I would just do the tissue paper an vinegar soak - like I do my carbon knives... looks good, keeps down the rust and is cheap, clean and easy

 

[ged]

I can get it galvanized for you if you like.