What's the coating on the ends of tools?

strantor

strantor

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Some turning tools and end mills I've bought used in the past come with some sort of wax or glue covering the end of them. I assume this is to keep them from rusting or dulling by contact with other tools, is this right? What is this stuff actually? and would I be doing myself a favor by coating all my tools is it? Do I remove it with heat from a torch or what?
 
I dont know exactly, Its some kind of wax base stuff like cosmolene. I never thought about it, just put it
to work. Now I think about it, not a bad idea to give a dunk in wax for long term storage.
 
Don't go heating your tools with a torch!! It may take the temper out of the edges if the tool is carbon steel. I just cut it off. You can buy "Tool Dip" to make a plastic layer on the handles of pliers,etc.. Resharpened or new end mills are often found coated with a greenish "wax" to keep the edges from getting nicked.
 
Like GK I have no idea what the coating is exactly I just wipe it off and go to work but
at the shop I work at we send a lot of tools out to be reground they come back with tool dip
on them.
 
When I was working at GE we took turns running the tool crib. There we would dip the cutters in a wax type of coating so the tools could be stored together in their proper bins. We would reheat the used wax and if more was needed added small pieces of new wax. Just peel it off and wipe off any remaining material or oil left behind. We were told cutters once coated were protected from damage if dropped.
 
Yup, Dipseal is one brand name. I have a pot. Just an overgrown high heat crockpot with an aluminum pot. There are different varieties that have more or less oil with them, and melt at different temps. Most tool grinding shops use it, many toolrooms. I always keep what I get when I buy tools that are dipped and toss it in my pot, so I'm sure I have a mixture, but it all seems compatible.
 
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