Reddit mentions of Sandflex Sanding Block - 3 Pack

The conditions of the environment are the most important. If you work in a garage with no insulation or climate control and you live in an area with large temperature and humidity fluctuations; you are screwed. That doesn't mean heating your garage up so you can work in it and then letting it freeze again, but keeping a fairly consistent temp all the time (I don't let mine go below 50).

Storage with doors and either blocks of camphor or VC2 emitters will keep them mostly rust free during storage, but it doesn't take long for rust to start. Think of it like taking that ice cold can of beer out of the fridge on an 85 degree humid day. Condensation forms instantly when you have a big temperature/RH mismatch.

I have a fully insulated and climate controlled garage so I don't have many rust issues anymore, but you'd be surprised how fast that sweaty thumb print turns to rust. I wasn't always so lucky. That's my old no.7 that rusted up in the time it took me to eat lunch when I was in my old non-climate controlled shop.

There are some things you can do to keep the rust to a minimum

• Keep everything dust free. I have a nice natural bristle paint brush that I use just for dusting off planes. Sawdust and chips attract and hold moisture.
  
  
• Keep everything oiled/waxed. Oil is kind of a double edged sword. It does prevent rust, but is also attracts dust. Wax is more of a dry film so I use that on the plane body itself. I do use oil on the iron, but mostly because I sharpen with water.
  
  
• deal with it. Unfortunately rust is a part of tool ownership. Get yourself some sandflex hand blocks and erase the rust.
  
  
• Don't use expensive oils. Jojoba should be cheap. My oil of choice is 3-in-1.
  
  
• Use your tools! The more you use them, the more frequently they get waxed and cleaned. If you don't use them for long periods of time and your shop isn't climate controlled, just put them back in the original packaging in the back of your closet. Keep that VC2 paper they come wrapped in.
  
  
• Treat them. Pick a product and treat them from time-to-time. Boshield T9, birchwood Casey Barricade, or my personal choice CRC 3-36. Just make sure the product you use has no silicone. These are hardly as protective as the internet would lead you to believe, but they do work better than just oil or wax alone.

I bought these "Rust Erasers" recently and used them to clean a few small rust spots off of my bandsaw table. They are basically rubber with embedded grit. It worked really well.

These are absolutely incredible for removing rust. I always put a coat of Boeshield for rust protection on surfaces that might rust. It works like a charm. rub on some paste-wax and buff it off and you have a slippery tabletop that wont need any attention for months!