Removing Rust from LV planes

[maximillian arango]

I've only had heavy rust on planes and the only thing I did was lap the plane and in 5 minutes the rust was gone. I have only used pb blast on an old rag to keep them from rusting.

[Joe Tilson]

All I can tell is, those guys are about as crazy about their boats as we are about our Planes(I would have said hand tools, but).

[Andrew Bell]

I've had everything I touch turn to rust as I live in a humid environment and guess I must have very acidic fingers

I've found that having a can stuffed with a rag that is slightly proud of the surface that I add oil to every now and again on the workbench, I wipe whatever I am using on it where it has come into contact with the bench, wood or my hands before its put away and have not had rust since, even things that have been in storage for a year appear fine.

[James Taglienti]

My lv block plane rusts like crazy. I've given up! I strike the fuzz off with a razor blade when it gets bad but that's about it. I'm hoping that one day it will darken to the point that it doesn't rust as much.
i think this malleable iron the new makers are using rusts more readily than the gray iron.
i have older gray iron planes that are cleaned to shining and that don't rust nearly as fast.

[Anthony Moumar]

I've also had problems with rust on my LV planes. To clean it off I found that fine steel wool and turpentine as a lubricant works well. I ended up buying the plane socks that lee valley sells which I keep the planes in. I keep a silica gel pack in each sock which I replace every now and again. It's extra effort at the end of the day but it works well.

[Clay Zimmer]

My lv block plane rusts like crazy. I've given up! I strike the fuzz off with a razor blade when it gets bad but that's about it. I'm hoping that one day it will darken to the point that it doesn't rust as much.
i think this malleable iron the new makers are using rusts more readily than the gray iron.
i have older gray iron planes that are cleaned to shining and that don't rust nearly as fast.

Funny you say this. My LV block plane rusts much faster than my old Stanley. I get fingerprints in rust on all my malleable iron tools if I don't wipe them down after use. I don't know if this is due to the composition of the metal or maybe my gray iron tools, which are all early 20th century, have had their pores filled with wax, oil, etc. after many years of use/cleaning which adds a layer of protection against rust. Whereas my malleable iron tools are all less than 4 years old and have not been waxed or oiled nearly as much. Honestly, I have no clue why but I have had the same experience as you when it comes to malleable iron rusting faster than old gray iron planes.