What's the best oil or grease to put on old axes, hatchets and cleavers to preserve them?

Is it best to use something different on the metal than on the wood handles and if so, what works best on each.

Is it best to clean the old oil and grease off first?

Any ideas for displaying a rather large collection?

Thanks for your help.

Keith

you can put linseed oil on the metal also , it is like a varnish it keeps them from rusting

ADC has a glass top box as a coffee table for his butcher knife collection that looks cool with a fur to lay them on

if you plan to use them for cutting food yet , food grade mineral oil , often sold as knife sharpening and honing oil is the way to preserve blades and lube folders.
it is also sold for cutting boards

one cuttingboard/sharpening knife oil can be used on the wood and the metal

The standard for metal among collectors of cutting edge items - Vaseline.

Boiled Linseed Oil goes on my handles,,and sewing machine oil(or 3 in 1 oil) on the metal.

I like boiled or regular linseed oil on wood, it works good on the metal also

That is my winter chore for garden tools axes and such. Linseed oil on the metal. I use Pine Tar and turpintine on all wood handles.

I sand the handles and linseed oil then lay them out in the sun to let it soak in shovels , rakes , and other wood handle tools


I might be the last person buying wood handle tools , sand and oil every other to every few years and they will last a very long time

I've used regular vegetable oil on knives, meat saws, hatchets axes and shovels . I give the handles 2 or 3 coats. Seems to work good

No you're not. I have scoured yard sales and such for old garden yard tools. Better built, better designed, better metal. I sand handles too, just use Pine Tar and turpintine on the wood.

then there are a few of us
I have never tried pine tar what is the benefit of pin tar over just linseed oil?

single wheel wheel barrows seem to be the other thing no one wants much any more

I was at an auction about 10 years ago and they had 2 wheel barrows a 2 and a 1 wheel well the 2 wheel went up for auction first my top price was 40 dollars and I think it went for 80 or 90 , so the 1 wheel comes up next opening bid 10 so I bid , and I got it for 10 along with a bunch of hoes and shot handle shovels those were going 2-3 for 10 dollars and I was the only one to bid on any of them.
I have bought 2 more 1 wheel wheel barrows since I am getting them for less than a new tires costs for one most of the time.
I have 4 now and that seems to be a good number when I am doing fire wood

I put "Tung Oil" on several axe heads and some ornamental brass things
about 13 years ago. Everything looks like the day I done it except for some dust.
Most was stored in a damp basement but looks new yet.

GCP Pine Tar preserves and prevents rot. It also gives sort of a non slip grip. One of my favorite Mosin Nagant stocks is finished with pine tar. I have tomato stakes made from oak I have has in the ground every season for close to 10 years. Check out "LogCabinLooms" on You Tube. He restoresold tools and such for use around his homestead.

I recently bought a broad fork with wood handles, maker recommended a mix of turpentine and linseed oil on the handles....it did a nice job, maybe better then straight oil....

thanks , I will have to get some pine tar it is about time to do a bunch of handles again

Thanks to everybody who responded. You gave me some good ideas on what to try.

Keith