That old blacksmith told me to stop using motor oil on my anvil

Ngl, I was at a hammer-in near Austin about 2 years ago and this guy in his 70s watched me wipe down my anvil with used motor oil. He walked over and said "that stuff is killing your face, son." Then he showed me how he mixes beeswax with a little mineral oil and rubs it on while the anvil is warm. Has anyone else switched to a different protectant for their anvil?

3 comments

3 Comments

karen36116d ago

Yeah I read somewhere that used motor oil has heavy metals and other junk that can pit the face over time. A buddy of mine swears by plain old paste wax from the hardware store, says it does the trick without the mess. I still use a light coat of 3-in-1 oil myself but I'm curious about that beeswax mix now.

elliot_gibson2716d ago

My first attempt at a beeswax mix looked like I'd attacked my face with a yellow crayon.

mark43615d ago

Feel you man, @karen361's right about the motor oil though.