What are your feelings about repainting / restoring tools. Does it hurt the value to redo tools that are rusted or have little or no finish on them. If you have restored any tools could you post some photos.

Charlie

email (option): vhalftrack@aol.com

I would do it if I was trying to put a kit together to match a refurbished bike...'Gun Blue' and other forms of chemical blacking are ideal after the bare steel has been blasted...

You will need to keep them oiled/greased though to prevent rust forming again...

I've done BSA tools previously with black satin black paint as well...That looks OK but can be chipped...I think chemical blacking is better but I guess it depends what the original finish was ...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Tools loose their paint and finish over time, some are blue's steel, a pot of humble works well, some like small king dick adjustable are plain steel so derust clean up and a bit of repolishing, with these oil gives not only good long term preservation and smooth operation but inhibits rust.
With painted tools, you can degrease and deruat and repaint without too much trouble, as long as you don't have too much paint on the inside faces of spanners etc, as for value, it would only theoretically make a difference if they are an unused a1 condition set, but that isn't much price wise, tools are bought primarily forvuae, as well as being bought as a usable period accessory.
Wartime pattern tools though collectible, don't generally command a high price, though special tools can, so keep them clean, serviced and look after them and you will have a good set of tools.
Incidentally, I have wartime spanners in greased plain steel unpolished with burrs, plain steel with hot oil finish, polished steel, painted and primed and painted, so look at the original finish on the piece to guide you, as there was wide variation in wartime standard finishes.

Tools loose their paint and finish over time, some are blue'd steel, a pot of gun blue works well, some like small king dick adjustable are plain steel so derust clean up and a bit of repolishing, with these oil gives not only good long term preservation and smooth operation but inhibits rust.
With painted tools, you can degrease and derust and repaint without too much trouble, as long as you don't have too much paint on the inside faces of spanners etc, as for value, it would only theoretically make a difference if they are an unused a1 condition set, but that isn't much price wise, tools are bought primarily for use, as well as being bought as a usable period accessory.
Wartime pattern tools though collectible, don't generally command a high price, though special tools can, so keep them clean, serviced and look after them and you will have a good set of tools.
Incidentally, I have wartime spanners in greased plain steel unpolished with burrs, plain steel with hot oil finish, polished steel, painted and primed and painted, so look at the original finish on the piece to guide you, as there was wide variation in wartime standard finishes.