Switching to borax in the slack tub fixed my scale problem

I was fighting with scale sticking to every punch and drift for like 2 months, drove me nuts. Tried a stiffer wire brush and even vinegar dips, nothing really cleaned the tool faces quick enough. Then a guy at the Eugene hammer-in said to mix a scoop of borax into my quench water and use it as a rinse on hot tools before they cool. Worked way better than I expected, the scale just flakes right off now and my drifts are staying smooth. Anyone else run a borax rinse on their striking tools or is there a cheaper trick I'm missing?

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jessicaflores17d ago

Borax rinse has been my go-to for a couple years now. I used to keep a coffee can of plain water next to the anvil just for dipping drifts, but adding a handful of borax made a real difference. The scale pops off in sheets instead of needing a wire wheel every few strikes. Noticed my hot cuts stay sharper too, less micro chipping at the edge. Only downside is the tub gets crusty after a few days, but a quick scrape fixes that. Can't say I've found anything cheaper that works as well.