Is 1-2-3 block set meant to come covered in oil

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Just ordered and received a new 1-2-3 block set (WEN Brand)

It’s covered in an oil/grease. Is this normal? What’s the best way to clean this…Mineral Spirits?

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That is fairly typical, it’s generally a rust inhibitor of some type (like cosmoline). Most solvents will take it off, but be sure to wipe them down with a lightweight oil after cleaning them to prevent corrosion.

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It seems to be a normal protectant. Mine came that way. They are just bare metal so they don’t want them to rust. I cleaned mine with acetone then gave a coat of wax.

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So almost all of these are made in China. Most machine tools come oiled and/or in protective paper. As said above after use you need to oil them before storage or your next use will start with a major cleanup. Raw steel will rust if untreated. Maybe if you live in a desert you might not need to oil them but anywhere else they will rust in the box. Paper asorbs moisture and the steel will oxodize (rust) inside the box. Save your protective paper covering. Wax paper also works well. I use wax paper on my hand planes storage.

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So I just cleaned them in acetone and started to use them to tram my machine

@ctdodge What wax do you recommend I purchase for this (HD, Lowe’s, Amazon preferred)?

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In case anyone is wondering, that oil does NOT protect the blocks against being left on a wasteboard during a surfacing operation.

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@gdon_2003 if I wax them do I still need to use oil. And if yes, what oil do you recommend

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I just use regular Johnson’s Paste wax. I use that on my cast iron tables like my table saw and jointer, along with other bare metal products that need to be protected from humidity.

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If you have wax that would work. Still wrap them in wax paper.

I use a product in my shop called TopSaver. I have used it for a long time on my cast iron all over the shop. I highly recommend it for any metal that gets surface rust. https://www.amazon.com/Empire-Manufacturing-TSS-8D-Complete-TopSaver/dp/B0000EI96N/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=top+saver+rust+remover+and+lubricant&qid=1610405461&sprefix=topsaver&sr=8-4

You can get the kit or just the spray at some places.

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