Rust Be Gone! The Amazing Transformation of My Pruning Saw with WD-40

My go-to tool for tackling unruly branches and thick brush is a compact, curved hand saw, about a foot in length, with those aggressive wood saw teeth designed for a quick bite. It's been a reliable workhorse in the yard, but years of use and exposure to the elements had left its mark. The once sharp blade was now coated in a layer of rust, dulling its cutting power and making each snip a struggle. It was getting to the point where I was considering replacing it, but I knew that trusty curve and tooth pattern were hard to match.

Before giving up on it, I decided to try the magic of WD-40. I've seen it work wonders on other rusty tools, so I figured it was worth a shot at bringing this saw back to life. I gave the entire blade a generous spray of WD-40, making sure to coat every rusty tooth and crevice. I let it sit for about ten minutes, allowing the penetrating lubricant to work its way into the corrosion.

When I came back, I grabbed a wire brush and gently started scrubbing the blade. The rust began to flake away surprisingly easily, revealing the metal underneath. I worked my way along the entire length of the blade, paying extra attention to the teeth. In some of the more heavily rusted areas, I repeated the process – another spray of WD-40 followed by more brushing. Finally, I wiped the blade clean with a rag. The transformation was remarkable! The saw blade looked almost new, the rust was gone, and the teeth looked much sharper. I can't wait to get back out there and see it bite through those branches with renewed vigor.

You will need a can of WD-40 Multi-Use Product and a wire brush (a stiff nylon brush can also work for lighter rust). You will also need a clean rag or paper towels.

Hold the pruning saw securely and apply a generous and even coat of WD-40 to the entire blade, ensuring all rusty areas and teeth are covered.

Allow the WD-40 to sit on the blade for about 10 minutes. This gives the penetrating lubricant time to loosen the rust particles.

After the soaking time, use the wire brush to gently scrub the surface of the blade. Work along the length of the blade and carefully scrub between the teeth to remove the loosened rust. You should see the rust flaking off.

For areas with stubborn or heavy rust, repeat the process. Apply another coat of WD-40 and let it sit for another 10 minutes before scrubbing again with the wire brush.

Once you have removed as much rust as possible, use a clean rag or paper towels to wipe down the entire blade. This will remove any remaining WD-40 and loose rust particles.

Examine the blade to see if it has reached your desired level of cleanliness. If there are still small areas of rust, you can spot-treat them with more WD-40 and gentle scrubbing.

Now your curved pruning saw should look almost new and be ready to tackle those branches again!