Cold temperatures and tools

[Geo]

Any tricks to keeping your tools functioning well in the cold? Like below freezing cold....

I know some metals might not perform as well, and some oils/lubes may harden in the cold so what do you all suggest for optimizing tool performance and reducing the chance of damage in cold conditions (consider rescue, long vehicle extraction etc....)

[G-Dizzle]

Good question. I would like to hear the answer as well.

[Kampfer]

Any tricks to keeping your tools functioning well in the cold? Like below freezing cold....

I know some metals might not perform as well, and some oils/lubes may harden in the cold so what do you all suggest for optimizing tool performance and reducing the chance of damage in cold conditions (consider rescue, long vehicle extraction etc....)

Warm them up before use, and keep them warm during use. 

[Poncho65]

I don't do anything different in the cold than I do in the warm weather if you worry about it just keep it in your pocket until ready to use

[Geo]

Not worried, just curious!  Thanks!!

[Douglas]

Basic mineral oil is a wonderfull all aroud lube and as a bonus it's food safe.  Mineral oil is used with verious refrigerants to maintain lubracation of the compressor and has to travel with the refrigerant often times at temperatures below -20 deg F and above 140 deg F.  As for the metal types some one else will have to provide their insight.
Hope this helps.

[gerleatherberman]

I've  never had an MT or knife perform much differently from cold sub-freezing temps. But, I have had my hands perform poorly from sub-freezing temps.
Note: I pocket/sheath carry. Tools never get that cold as they may in a bag or car.

[Vidar]

I don't really do much different in cold, but I can share a few braindroppings:

Anything electric and battery driven will typically drain much faster when cold. And things with lcd screens tend to update real slow at best.

I'm also taking more care hanging on to small screws and tidbits as they are even easier to loose if they fall in snow. (And I will avoid white tools if I ever see any.. They are probably everywhere but perfectly camoflaged!  )

Tools with plastic handles are truly appreciated in the winter over tools with just bare metal handles.

Some plastic stuff (polypropylene!) do get considerably more brittle in cold. And as you say many oils will be considerably thicker, so especially diesel engines and rotary vane vacuum machines can struggle to get going. Below -30°C I would think twice before even trying for fear of ruining any gearboxes.

For maintainance of handtools I just make sure that everything is dry and sheltered afterwards. And the same before going out - tools that are frozen stuck to each other can make you feel real smart. Don't ask how I know 

[dks]

Metals should not be affected assuming the tool parts are at the same temperature. You need to think in terms of kelvin to realise that within temperatures that humans can survive the teperature change is not that much.

You need to go to extremely low temperatures to affect the metals, making them brittle.

[gerleatherberman]

My old Gerber Dime must have reached absolute-zero at some sub-dimensional vacuum point momentary rupture in the space-time continuum, because it disappeared off my key ring one day and was never seen again. 

[Vidar]

My old Gerber Dime must have reached absolute-zero at some sub-dimensional vacuum point momentary rupture in the space-time continuum, because it disappeared off my key ring one day and was never seen again. 

Oh no, that happened to a sock I had once too! That can't be a coincidence - clearly it is the same conspiracy that got X-files cancelled for knowing too much.  It even happened to a girl I dated once - I never saw her again!

Let's see, cold issues.. Padlocks. Very locky locks. Quite a few wont accept a key until spring comes.

[lister]

I think that there is a change in stainless steel crystal structure at temperatures that humans can survive. I think that the temperature is somewhere around -20°C to -30°C ? Anyway the steel becomes more brittle. But don't quote me on it as I am far from a material scientist / mechanical engineer / Eskimo... 

[gerleatherberman]

My old Gerber Dime must have reached absolute-zero at some sub-dimensional vacuum point momentary rupture in the space-time continuum, because it disappeared off my key ring one day and was never seen again. 

Oh no, that happened to a sock I had once too! That can't be a coincidence - clearly it is the same conspiracy that got X-files cancelled for knowing too much.  It even happened to a girl I dated once - I never saw her again!

Let's see, cold issues.. Padlocks. Very locky locks. Quite a few wont accept a key until spring comes.

Poor sock never stood a chance.
Ex-girlfriends tend to become so frigid they could possibly enter an inert state molecularly and disappear.

I miss me some X-files. CSM was my idol when I was younger. 
The little mini series they have come out with recently have been cool though.

Padlocks. Forgot about those. A good dousing with PBlaster before the cold weather seems to do the trick, as well as PBlaster during the cold.

[ducttapetech]

I don't change a thing until it's starts hitting below zero. And that is only for a few things. Mainly my diesel truck, tractors and my anvil. Not a good idea to smack an anvil with a big hammer when it is -20 F. As far as my truck and tractors go, I let them set for about 10 to 15 minutes to warm up the engines, transmissions and hydraulics(tractors). Then I go slow for a bit to get the gear boxes warmed up before going operating speeds or full PTO(540/1000) speeds.

[Vidar]

My old Gerber Dime must have reached absolute-zero at some sub-dimensional vacuum point momentary rupture in the space-time continuum, because it disappeared off my key ring one day and was never seen again. 

It even happened to a girl I dated once - I never saw her again!

Ex-girlfriends tend to become so frigid they could possibly enter an inert state molecularly and disappear.

I miss me some X-files. CSM was my idol when I was younger. 
The little mini series they have come out with recently have been cool though.

Actually I only dated her once. Then she seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth. She was nowhere to be seen, and she didn't reply phone calls either. At the time I took it as clear evidence of alien abductions!

I thought I saw her in a shop later, but she didn't recognice me and just ignored me so I guess it wasn't really her. Or maybe it was, but the aliens had poked her brain a bit too much? 

I never noticed there was a mini-series? Hm. I might have to look for that one.

[ironraven]

If you are carrying your tool in a pack, gloves.

If it's on your belt, odds are your jacket covers it. It will be as warm as your butt.

If it's in your pocket, it's at least as warm as your butt.

If it is below zero, it needs to not be in your pack if you're going to be using it. And at 40 below, it doesn't matter which scale you're using- even Russian gear breaks.

[Marc_in_NS]

I have spent weeks working up north, I mean so far north that one more step would have meant we would be heading south, with Mr. Pinchy. Using it to  tweak “wet” gear and never had a problem. Except for frozen fingers, toes and nose tips. And beside sharpening weekly and cleaning/oiling (3in1), no other special care was ever required.

[gerleatherberman]

I have spent weeks working up north, I mean so far north that one more step would have meant we would be heading south, with Mr. Pinchy. Using it to  tweak “wet” gear and never had a problem. Except for frozen fingers, toes and nose tips. And beside sharpening weekly and cleaning/oiling (3in1), no other special care was ever required.

Aside from the pinching thing, it is a truly rugged tool. Not surprised it survived you using it in those extremes! People don't know though, that with some patience and practice, you won't get bit too bad.

[G-Dizzle]

I have spent weeks working up north, I mean so far north that one more step would have meant we would be heading south, with Mr. Pinchy. Using it to  tweak “wet” gear and never had a problem. Except for frozen fingers, toes and nose tips. And beside sharpening weekly and cleaning/oiling (3in1), no other special care was ever required.

Thats really cool! See any polar bears? Would love to read stories of how the work was up there.

[Nix]

... at 40 below, it doesn't matter which scale you're using- even Russian gear breaks.

This.

[Marc_in_NS]

I have spent weeks working up north, I mean so far north that one more step would have meant we would be heading south, with Mr. Pinchy. Using it to  tweak “wet” gear and never had a problem. Except for frozen fingers, toes and nose tips. And beside sharpening weekly and cleaning/oiling (3in1), no other special care was ever required.

Thats really cool! See any polar bears? Would love to read stories of how the work was up there.

Those storie are better told over a beer... haha

But some day, it would be cool to document/tell some of the things we did in the name of Queen and Country. Leaving out anything sensitive of course. Perhaps I’ll chronicle some voyages on your thread gdoolittle.

[gerleatherberman]

You pinched a bear into submission with a Mr. PINCHY Gerber multi plier. Is this correct? 

[Marc_in_NS]

You pinched a bear into submission with a Mr. PINCHY Gerber multi plier. Is this correct? 

That’s funny considering one of guys, often working with me, we called bear.