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It is your responsibility to know both the risks and proper use of any materials you are using.

All information in this site is presented for informational purposes only. Many of the chemicals and procedures may be toxic, or at the least harmful. You are the only person responsible for the application of any information on this site, or any damage you manage to do to yourself or your possessions.

Read the fine print on the packages. Check out WHIMIS for information. Wear protective gear, such as rubber gloves, to prevent unnecessary exposure. Always use proper ventilation. Do not contaminate your home, family or the environment through improper use or disposal of materials. Use your own judgment as to the suitability, safety, and accuracy of the methods and information given herein. Consult with an expert, or at least someone with more experience if you are unsure. And remember some of the information presented here was written in 1812 - back when they thought bleeding was cutting edge medicine.

Know the value of your item(s). Before attempting any modification or alteration, you should check to make sure you are not about to destroy a rare or unique item. I heavily suggest erring on the side of caution. Be gentle, and do the minimum amount of work required. Read the OldTools FAQ for some guidelines and suggestions. That being said, it’s your tool. If it is a common as dirt, or rusty piece of scrap - go nuts. I have done some pretty heavy work to my common user tools to make them look acceptable to me, and put them in a state I’m proud of. Others quothe often the phrase “Repaint houses, not tools.”

Put some thought into what you are about to do to your tool(s).

Do NOT take any of this as gospel. This is an amalgamation of a lot of peoples ideas, attitudes, and trial and error.  It was the most accurate knowledge I possessed at the time it was written.  Experiment and run tests. Seek advice. Buy another old run of the mill you can do the experiment on. Not to mention - ideas as to what is "right" and suggested guidelines change over time.  Years ago, the acceptable practice was to restore to ‘as new’.  Today most people will clean up, but would never attempt to make a 100+ year old tool look like it was brand new out of the box.  Find a zone that works for you, but keep yourself open to other ideas.

The mind only works if it is open.