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Gardening Tools

Presenter- Rachel from Ace Hardware

"Tool Maintenance" - June 12th, 2023

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Evapo Rust 

  • SAFE TO USE: This metal rust remover is made of a water-based solution that is easy-to-use on automotive, household and industrial-grade metal parts. It contains no harmful acids, solvents, bases, odors or fumes.

  • VERSATILE: The non-corrosive rust remover can be used to remove rust from all metals including auto parts, tools, cast iron cookware, clocks, grills, and more.

  • EASY TO USE: To remove rust from your metal parts submerge completely in the water-based rust remover, once rust is removed, rinse with water and protect with corrosion inhibitor.

Quality tools are designed to last many years, but they must be cared for and regularly maintained. If you opt for bargain priced tools, maintaining them is less of a problem because when they wear out you can simply throw them away.  Regardless of the quality, maintaining your garden tools on a regular basis will help to assure that they will be ready to go to work on your next garden chore. Following a few basic rules will add many years of life and use to all of the tools which were designed to make your gardening tasks easier.

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  1. Always remove all of the soil from your digging tools after each use. Usually hosing is all it takes, but use a stiff brush to remove caked or dried mud.

  2. Never put your tools away wet. Allow them to dry completely before storing to prevent rusting and handle rot. Once each garden season, rub linseed oil into your wooden handles to help preserve them.

  3. After each use wipe the metal parts of pruners, shears, and loppers with an oily rag. Alternately, you can wipe your tools dry with a clean rag, and then spray lightly with a penetrating oil such as linseed oil, tung oil, or cooking oil.

  4. Sharpen your cutting tools as well as the blades of shovels and spades during the gardening season. A hone or whetstone should be used for sharpening cutting tools. A file should be used to remove nicks and smooth the edge of your shovels and trowels.

  5. Thoroughly clean any tools which have been used for chemical applications. Fertilizers and other chemicals will rapidly corrode any metal parts.

  6. For extra rust prevention. Fill a 5 gallon bucket with builders sand and pour a quart of linseed oil over it. Use this as a shovel cleaner/oiler each time you put your tools away. Plunge each tool in and out the oily sand several times after use. You can also use this bucket as a shovel stand.

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Store hours

Mon - Fri 8:00am - 7:00pm
Sat 9:00am - 6:00pm
Sun 9:00am - 6:00pm

 

Address

9750 SW Bank Rd,
Vashon, WA 98070

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Phone(206) 463-3852

Emailjohn@vashonacehardware.com

Additional links

http://www.vashonacehardware.com/

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Boiled Linseed Oil

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"Do not use any petroleum based oil on your garden tools...you’ll just end up transferring that oil on your tools to the soil in your garden..."

"There is no more important thing you can do to help you garden tools last and is also one of the simplest...oil your garden tools. With this simple step, you can prevent rust on the metal portion of the tool and when applied to any wood element, you’ll prevent drying and cracking."

FLUID FILM is a solvent free, Lanolin based rust and corrosion inhibitor, Lubricant and penetrant. This non-hazardous/non-toxic film will not readily dry or get gummy or tacky. Making it ideal for metal preservation and long-lasting lubrication.

  • Solvent free

  • Non-hazardous/non-toxic

  • Long-lasting

  • Lanolin based

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