You have to keep air (oxygen actually) off the bare metal. So wax or a clear paint finish will do the job.

3 in 1 oil does a good job as well.

mike

WD-40 is excellent for water displacement. It's what the WD means. Anything I subject to water gets a bath in WD-40 right after. Then dry very well, polish and wax. I live very close to the shore. Salt air and sea water a plenty. Not a spec of rust on anything here.

After marinating in CLR and rise, place on cookie sheet, bake at 300 for 20 minutes until moister is completely gone out of metal or until slightly browned around the edges. After cooling, cover areas in car wax, buff to shine, serve with two drumsticks and a hot drum roll.

I got this recipe from Hemidemisemihalfasquishy something I forget how to say it......he`s not been here in a while.

He cleaned and baked my SONOR D454 just before I picked it up from him and it`s been siting on the stand with no signs of rust return on lugs or rods or shell. It`s been about two years now.

cnw20,

I use a product called Evaporust to remove any hints of rust whatsoever. This product is perfectly safe for chrome. I clean parts such as the inside of lugs with WD-40, Next I use Turtle Wax Chrome Polish and Rust Remover on all chrome. Finally, a coat of good carnauba wax is applied and polished when ready. Lost of fuss,,,no rust!

Brian

All good ideas. I use Mothers Metal Polish on bare metal or as dboomer said, spray them with clear urethane, but make sure they are absolutely free of any wax, hand oils, soap, etc.

Thanks all, that baking suggestion makes me hungry - lug screws and other non-chrome parts seem to rust up the most so I'll try the WD40 and 3 in 1 solutions.