Metal finishing Q&As since 1989
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Liquid paraffin vs. other rust prevention waxes and oils
Q. We are manufacturers of chrome steel and carbon steel products. We use rust preventive oils when we finally pack the products. The colour of the oil is generally light yellow.
Our customer now wants the oil to be colorless/transparent. We are finding it difficult to find a colorless rust preventive oil. Can anyone suggest some manufacturers? Also at present, since we cannot find transparent oil, we are using liquid paraffin as the rust preventive oil. Is liquid paraffin a good rust preventer?
A. Khan- Mumbai, India
A. Try commercial castor oil for rust prevention. It is almost colorless.
Naveed Ahmed- Lahore, Pakistan
A. Sir,
I use Parowax on parts to prevent corrosion. Heat the part to 1100 degrees F. and apply the wax then re-heat to 1100 degrees. The finish becomes black and seems to be highly corrosion resistant. You can apply a second coat to cool the part and leave it covered with wax to store of ship. Also, light mineral oil is quite clear.
Norman B. Czerski- Anchorage, Alaska
A. I feel you should go for a wax based rust preventive oil/solvent as they although have a colour but are transparent. Further their coat is also non-staining and they give good corrosion protection.
Rediz Atish J.- Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
2002
RFQ: We are in need of rust preventive oil.Details are as follow
1) Oil Should be applicable to castings made up of cast iron
2) It should be non sticky, nontoxic, seaworthy.It should be easily
cleaned.
3) Monthly requirement is 3000 liters.
- Hyderabad, India
Ed. note: Sorry, this RFQ is old & outdated, so contact info is no longer available. However, if you feel that something technical should be said in reply, please post it; no public commercial suggestions please ( huh? why?)
Plain oils such as liquid paraffin do NOT provide good rust protection. Formulated compounds contain additives which provide long term protection. Try to choose a light colored formulated product (many such products are available). The film formed on the metal substrate will be colorless/ transparent.
Gurveer Singh Minhas- Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India
June 7, 2009
Q. We currently weld sheets of shim stock (steel) together then water jet cut shims from the blank. We have a rust problem with our finished shims. What would be a good treatment to use on the steel to keep it from rusting?
John Oakes- Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA
January 18, 2013
A. I've been involved in removing corrosion inhibitors for over 30 years and my father did it for a decade before me. I've seen plenty of inhibitors fail in the field, usually when the product was not matched to the storage environment. When choosing a corrosion inhibitor, here are some questions to ask.
How long will the corrosion protection be needed? Weeks, months, years?
Will the material be stored outdoors? Ultraviolet exposure is tough on coatings. Indoor inhibitors crack and bake into the metal with left outdoors. It makes removal a mess.
Will it be exposed to seawater?
I've never seen a truly transparent inhibitor designed for more than a few weeks of indoor protection. There are translucent/opaque products but they don't have good UV protection. I hope this helps you work with your customer to design the best corrosion protection package that will work in the real world.
- El Dorado, Arkansas
January 20, 2013
A. Try using Shell Ensis Fluid as a rust inhibitor. After application it evaporates and leaves a thin transparent film that is water repellent.
Seeni Govender- Durban, South Africa
January 14, 2014
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