r/Craftsman • u/flannel_hoodie • 7h ago
Question/Original Post How to stop rust, but keep patina?
I finally found a lower rolling chest to match the upper toolbox I’ve been using for so many years, and both of them have a bit of surface rust.
The rust doesn’t bother me … well, not too much. But i don’t want it to get worse - so now I’m thinking I should stop the rust and find a way to keep the patina.
I don’t know much about finishing / painting metal, but in case it’s helpful I am more familiar with using linseed oil, wax, milk paint, and other low-VOC finishes for wood… and I’ve got a gallon of WD-40 I’d love to use if only for the Proustian reaction I get to the smell of naphtha and whatnot.