Best liquids to prevent corrosion on steel

[abdulbadii]

What some of the best liquids to prevent corrosion on steel or stainless one (or common metal else) when in either static or dynamic condition, ie. being still, wrapped and kept stored, or being in active moving uses ?

[antenna]

Anything that will create an oxygen barrier will stop corrosion.  For antique knives and swords, I use renaissance wax.  The problem with any liquid coating (that stays liquid) is that it usually collects dirt too, and that dirt collects moisture and wears down moving parts.  It would really help to know what it is you are trying to protect.

[Muttley Snickers]

I once used a dry film lubricant called Molybond for corrosion protection on a number of tools including a large AEG pedestal drill column and its return spring, it still looks brand new five years after the application.

There are similar products around but the one I used was a Molybdenum Disulphide in an aerosol can, it left a brilliant metallic grey finish over everything I sprayed. It's an expensive product but for some applications worth every cent.

[helius]

Some long-term reviews of corrosion inhibitors show that for winter weather (ice, rain, road salt) as would be the environment for vehicles, lanolin-based coatings such as Woolwax and Fluidfilm can protect steel for over a year. The key property of these waxy coatings is that they never truly dry, so they don't flake off or separate from the steel underneath. Some other Cosmolene-like waxy materials are also effective but can be harder to spray inside hollow compartments.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/9SOOfZFmhSY

Other reviews using a corrosive spray to simulate accelerated aging concluded that a dry film used for firearms, Hornady One Shot, was the most effective product and also worked well as a lubricant.
https://dayattherange.com/?page_id=3667

Exactly what conditions your pieces are exposed to is an important criterion. The lanolin products remain sticky to the touch forever, so they would not be appreciated on shop tools where operators are handling them. Shop tools are usually protected with carnauba-based paste wax.

[Gregg]

Fluid Film is one of the leading brands of rust protection products: https://www.fluid-film.com/
But hydraulic oil generally has good anti corrosion additives and doesn't leave a thick film.  WD40; not really long term protection

[coppercone2]

wd40 long term corrosion inhibitor works well but it makes like a layer on the object that needs to be cleaned off with solvent and it smells highly of mothballs, like you can scrape it with your fingernail like its smeared with chap stick after a year, I would not call it a lubricant unless you are dragging a steel plate on concrete

[beanflying]

Boeshield T-9 is a great all around option. There is a whole back story to it but it started out as a Boeing development for Aircraft anti corrosion.

I also use a Beeswax/Oil mix on most of my Cast woodwork machine surfaces (including planes). Clean them of debris and dust and re apply a few times a year and buff most of it back off.

[David Hess]

I use LPS 2, or sometimes LPS 3 which leaves a waxy finish.  Abom79 uses CRC SP-350 on machine surfaces.  Blondihacks uses Boeshield T-9.  Fireball Tool did comparison testing.

[Doctorandus_P]

I've heared of some liquid that dries out after some time, but is then apparently still capable of protecting steel against corrosion.
They call it "paint", which I find quite quaint.

[WReed]

    David H,  thanks for the Fireball link!

    Paint can indeed be a good option.
Three step painting can be really durable  -  primer and paint, followed by a UV-inhibiting clearcoat that protects the paint.

With almost any metal, proper surface prep is often key to a long-term good result.

[mcinque]

I found birchwood "hopper spit"  the best in long term protection. for less time birchwood "barricade"

[thm_w]

I've heared of some liquid that dries out after some time, but is then apparently still capable of protecting steel against corrosion.
They call it "paint", which I find quite quaint.

[beanflying]

This came across my YouTube feed yesterday. Interesting product if you can get it in your corner of the world

[matskatsaba]

Würth has a passivator (works more or less the same as evipass). Looks like a strawberry milkshake. Forgot it's actual name, not in the workshop right now. It passivates the metal (also turns blue in the process, somewhat), and leaves a polymer residue that smells plastic when massaging with the angle grinder. We usually use this stuff for structural steel stuff.