# Rusty router bits



## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

I acquired some high quality router bits with a router I bought that were in poor shape. At some point in time they got wet, perhaps rain or maybe just condensation. Looking at photo one I am sure your first instinct is to toss them. I sat down at a table and sprayed each bit with Trend Tool and Bit cleaner. I scrubbed them with some ScotchBrite and because the rust was so heavy I had to spray again. I wiped the slurry away and cleaned each bit with a liberal spray of WD-40, wiped off the excess and let them dry in the sun for a few minutes. Photo two shows the results, total time invested was 20 minutes.


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Hope the router looks better than the bits,bits look good now, good job looks like trend tool Did it's job


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Very clean... Big difference!

Mike- Quick question. Does trend tool and bit cleaner strip the paint or special coatings off? Or are they still retained and safe? (what is not worn or burned off)


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## neville9999 (Jul 22, 2010)

Good work Mike, I think you have proved my point, router cutters deserve to be taken care of, keep them clean, keep them sharp, don't ask them to cut more than they were designed to cut, Neville


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

It hasn't affected the coatings on the few I have used it on so far Mike.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Mike, those bits were rusted so there was no coating to strip. I would not use the ScotchBrite on a coated or painted bit, just a soft rag. The Tool and Bit cleaner will not harm those finishes.


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## Web Shepherd (Feb 8, 2012)

Mike ~ Thanks for recommending Trend Line's Tool and Bit Cleaner. I found the best deal on Amazon last week. $9.08 for an 18oz bottle. Because S&H was $6.99, I decided to order 2. Total cost came to $25.25. Arrived within 2 days of my order. It cleaned up my gummed up Craftsman bits in less than 5 minutes; even removed the burned blue marks. Also used Scotch Brite pads and a tooth brush. Yep, good stuff.


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## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

Peachtree had the Trend Bit Cleaner for $8.05 late last week (20% off) so I ordered. Since I was paying for shipping--I also picked up one of the Trend Point-to-Point jigs for $20.xx--not a necessary tool but one that looks very convenient to have on hand. Just ordered late Friday afternoon, so should be here later this week.

earl


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Definitely well worth the effort. Of course, the true test will be when they're used. But actually, I don't think the rust was really horrible, and think you did a good job.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Mike said:


> Mike, those bits were rusted so there was no coating to strip. I would not use the ScotchBrite on a coated or painted bit, just a soft rag. The Tool and Bit cleaner will not harm those finishes.


I used one of those little green scrubbing pads for the kitchen. They don't have grit in them just a rough textured surface. It seemed to work better than a cloth and it didn't hurt the coatings.


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## del schisler (Feb 2, 2006)

i would have used rust-off soak them and wipe , than use T-9 , the wd-40 is a water displacement , not oil, as you know , any way they look new , cheep i bet per bit


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## beretta (Oct 3, 2013)

Purchased a lot of fifteen router bits at a sale not long ago for a few bucks. They were very rusty so I coated them with navel jelly for 30 minutes to remove all the rust. Surprisingly, the carbide tips came out quite clean and were still rather sharp. The shafts were a bit pitted but after a sharpening touch-up by my local sharpening queen, they worked quite well.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

"...sharpening queen" ?!
Heh, that's a new expression to me.


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## beretta (Oct 3, 2013)

My sharpening Queen is a lady about a mile from where I live. She learned the trade of sharpening from her father at a very early age and has continued the business. She can sharpen anything and I mean anything. I have had spiral bits that I thought were throw-aways and she said no....bring 'em in. 

As much as I can touch-up my bits, I feel fortunate to have someone close by who is really good.


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