Cried for no one

[Arde]

No sign of rust behind the tears, Cried for no one,
A tool that should have lasted years

My Heyco tools in the E24 had corroded to a sad state, too sad to post, while the E9 tools are perfect. I thought humidity did a number on the E24 Heycos because the car sits sometimes in the rain, and even in salty Aptos. Trying to stop the rust I put them all in vinegar for two hours, then covered in WD40, and voila, the tools are shiny again. No sign of rust. All that oxide was not even surface rust, it was deposited on them. But who is the source? I looked at the tools with a who farted look. Nobody admitted. What gives?
What is the contagion mechanism? Can it come from elsewhere in the car and just stick to chrome? Waiting for a Dr Fauci of rust to chime in.

 

[Jon B]

What gives? What is the contagion mechanism? Can it come from elsewhere in the car and just stick to chrome?
Waiting for a Dr Fauci of rust to chime in.

I want to tell you, but I feel hung up and I don't know why.

 

[eriknetherlands]

I have seen cases where the foam particles stick to the tools, making it look like rust. It's even crispy and really stuck, needed to be scraped off. But being polyurethane, water also does the trick with old foam; it disintegrates due to the water.

 

[Arde]

I have seen cases where the foam particles stick to the tools, making it look like rust. It's even crispy and really stuck, needed to be scraped off. But being polyurethane, water also does the trick with old foam; it disintegrates due to the water.

If it is brown that may be the case, as I find no such deposits outside the toolbox. Should I replace the foam?

 

[bavbob]

I noticed this on my E24 as well despite avoiding moisture. Perhaps my assumption was that the clamshell is more robust and intact after so many years so leave them in there. I now have tool rolls for all my old cars and the rolls are in plastic bags. Toolkit prices are out of control, another driving force to protect them.