What is the best polish/rust protector/finish

[the_sandy_creek_forge]

AND to add a point of safety to his point of safety :

The same goes for rags soaked with ANY type of oil or grease. Not sure if peanut oil will do it. But guess what? If you treat the peanut oil soaked rag the same as a rag soaked in 10W30, you'll get in the good habit of properly containing ALL oily rags (kinda like the "treat all steel as if it were hot steel" mentality).

-Aaron @ the SCF

[RegionalChaos]

I've been happy just rubbing hunks of bees wax onto the metal while it is black hot. One piece I have inside, I never used wax, and one day I took it down and sprayed a non-stick cooking spray on it. Maybe Pam. Wiped off the excess and put it back up. It looks surprisingly nice.

[welder19]

What is the best finish for kitchen utensils and things that will be used with food?

welder19

[matt87]

JohnB showed me a good one: sunflower oil. Wire brush the piece and gently heat to 'touch hot'. Apply a good but not excessive layer of oil with a rag, paper towel etx. You want enough to give a good coat but you don't want it dripping. Heat the piece again and watch out for a flare. The hotter the piece the darker the finish. Suppose you could probably use veggie oil, corn oil, peanut oil etc., but haven't tried it yet.

[gerald]

I use vegetable oil. It's best to not use peanut oil on food items because peanut allergies are common. It doesn't take much to make some folks pretty sick.

[skunkriv]

For food use items I have been using cheapie spray cans of olive or canola oil from walmart. Convenient and the oil stays clean til you use it. Lots of good tips in this thread but one finish I often like to use is none. On things that will be stuck in the ground or hung where it won't drip on the house after a rain I like a natural rust finish.

[Ice Czar]

Boeing's LPS3 and a little Japan Drier

LPS 3 Heavy-Duty Inhibitor is a specially formulated long term corrosion inhibitor which will protect metal parts stored indoors for up to two years.

When applied it forms a soft, transparent, waxy film which acts as an effective barrier sealing out moisture, air, acid, alkali fumes and other corrosive elements.

Flash Point: 100°F (40°C) TCC minimum
Dry Film Thickness: 0.002 inch approximately
Pour Point: 0°F (-18°C) approximately
% Non-Volatiles: 24-29%
Viscosity at 77°F (25°C): 200 – 600 cps
Humidity Cabinet Test: (ASTM D 1748)
No rust on 1020 steel panels after 30 days
Salt Spray Cabinet Test: (ASTM D 117)
No corrosion on 2024-T3 aluminium panels after 336 hours
Dielectric Strength and Breakdown Voltage (ASTM D-877): 19,500 volts
Propellant: Carbon dioxide

[Farmer Phil]

The one thing about using vegetable oil one's supposed to be careful of is that it sometimes goes rancid. At least that's what the wood cutting board folks often say. They recommend a mineral oil.

[Alan B]

I like to mix 1 tablespoon of japan dryer to 2 cups linseed oil then apply at a black heat. It dries quickly and leaves a nice flat black finish almost like seasoned cast iron. It is also food safe so I coat all my grills with it.

[chyancarrek]

I specialize in making hand hammered serving dishes and I get my patinas using successive coats of vegetable oil to create a food safe / moisture resistant finish.

The secret here is to paint the piece with oil in thin coats - not dip it. This is especially important with thin sheet stock as immersing it cools the metal too quickly for the oil to carbonize and it leaves it with a translucent soft coating.

Heat your piece in the forge to between 500 - 800 degrees - Use a natural fibre cloth (don't use polyester blends) dipped lightly in oil.

Bring your piece out of the forge and begin painting it on the surface (it will smoke big time - make sure you have lots o' ventilation and it'll flash at the higher temps so be careful!) but continue to paint it on in light coats until the metal starts to cool and accept it - the cloth will carbonize and add to the black color of the patina. Continue this until you get the result you're looking for - If need be, reinsert the piece in the forge until the existing oil starts to smoke - remove it and continue.

This technique works equally well with any oil. For my purposes I hand sand and buff the piece to get the hammered texture to show back (see attached pics) I then wash it down with rubbing alcohol to remove any residue. If it's going to be a food contact piece, I rub on a thin coat of vegetable oil - If not, I use a satin coat spray lacquer. No worries about the veggie or olive oil going rancid. The oil is thoroughly cooked (like cast iron cookware) and even a light coat of fresh oil is ok because unlike wood, the metal isn't absorbing a deep layer of oil that lies there and rots over time.

Soaking in Muriatic acid to remove scale and etch the surface really helps for creating a consistent patina.

Because I don't paint or powder coat my work, I always tell my clients that my pieces are moisture resistant - not water proof. It will rust if left to the elements - I instruct them how to clean up light rust with triple-aught steel wool that's been dipped in vegetable oil.

It's been a great technique for me - I've been using it for years and never had a return or complaint due to the finish on a piece failing.