Spanners are one of the most important tools in any toolbox. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with a variety of different applications across sectors. Whether you’re looking for a big spanner, as, say a mechanic – or a little spanner – for your home toolbox as a tinkerer – there’s a spanner for almost every need.
But with great spanners comes great responsibility. This means taking proper care of your spanner, so that it can serve you time and again. Here’s a handy guide on how to take proper care of your spanners.
Make Sure They’re Kept Dry
If there’s one thing that’ll ruin a tool – it’s rust. It’s critical that you ensure that your spanners are kept dry and in a cool area. You shouldn’t leave your spanners out in the open air – as this can cause oxidation and eventually, they’ll start to rust. Your spanners should be stored in a toolbox, preferably one with a lid that can be closed so that they’re not exposed to the open air.
Wipe Them Down Often
This is especially true if you’re a mechanic and working with oily substances all day long. Make sure you take a minute at the end of each working day to wipe down your spanners (and other tools) to prevent the metallic compounds that make up the spanner’s coating from becoming compromised by the presence of oil and grease. Hot water and dish soap is the only thing you’ll need.
Coat With An Oil
One of the best things you can do to protect your spanners from oxidation is to apply a thin coat of oil on them periodically. This will create a coating that is protective from the elements. Make sure that you clean your spanner before you apply the oil and ensure that it is dry. There are a multitude of lubricants available, so you won’t have to worry about choice. Just make sure that you coat your spanner with a thin layer of oil, rather than applying a lot of oil – as this just creates a mess.
Store Your Spanners Neatly
You might not think about it, as you toss your spanner into the open toolbox haphazardly. However, all of that banging around and colliding with other tools can be quite rough on your spanner’s exterior, at the very least. If you want to keep your spanner looking nice and neat, and prevent damage – this is particularly with adjustable spanners – then you want to make sure that you place your spanners into their place in a neat, organised toolbox.
Keeping your tools well organised is better for your space, yourself and your tools. It will increase their longevity and workability, as well as allowing you the confidence that everything is right where it’s supposed to be, when working with these tools.
Your spanner is a reliable tool that will serve you time and again with proper care and maintenance, throughout its lifetime. No matter if you use a spanner every day or are just a hobbyist with a few toolboxes – those tools are still an investment and need to be properly cared for, in order for your investment to pay off. It’s imperative that you follow these steps above to properly take care of your tools, so they can take care of you.
