Man, I hear you on the salt air—my tools basically start rusting if I even *think* about leaving the shed door open. Tried those fancy marine-grade coatings once, but honestly, they just slowed the rust down a bit. I swear, the ocean breeze is like a ninja... finds every crack and crevice. Vapor barriers helped some, but I still get that weird salty film on everything. At this point, I just accept I’ll be sanding and oiling stuff forever.
Yeah, I’m right there with you. Salt air just eats everything, no matter what you put on it. I’ve tried the marine stuff too—works for a while, but eventually the rust creeps back. I started keeping a tub of silica gel packets in the tool chest. Doesn’t solve it, but I think it helps a bit with the moisture. Honestly, I’ve just gotten used to wiping things down every couple weeks. It’s a losing battle, but what can you do?
Man, I hear you on the wiping down routine—feels like I spend more time cleaning my tools than actually using them. Ever tried those spray-on waxes? I did once and it just made everything slippery... not ideal when you’re halfway up a ladder. Does anyone actually win against salt air, or is it just about slowing the rust down enough to keep your stuff usable?
Spray-on waxes are a joke for tools, honestly. I tried that route and just ended up with greasy hands and a hammer that wanted to escape every time I picked it up. Not great when you’re juggling gear on a steep pitch. Salt air’s a beast—never really met anyone who’s “won” against it, just folks who slow it down a bit.
I’ve had better luck with a quick wipe-down and hitting metal parts with a little WD-40 or Boeshield. Not perfect, but at least it doesn’t turn everything into a slip’n’slide. I keep a rag in the truck and just do a fast wipe at the end of the day, especially if it’s been foggy or drizzly.
Honestly, I think it’s just about keeping ahead of it enough that your tools don’t seize up or fall apart. If someone’s got a magic fix, I’d love to hear it... but after 15 years near the coast, I’m not holding my breath.
I hear you on the wax—tried it once and nearly flung my screwdriver across a crawlspace. What’s worked for me is a quick rinse with fresh water if I’ve been near the ocean, then dry everything off before hitting it with Boeshield. If you can swing it, storing tools in a plastic bin with some silica packs helps too. Not a cure-all, but it slows the rust down a bit.
