Yeah that "light oil coat" idea works okay... but man, sometimes simple isn't enough. Like robins83 said, that old gunsmith wisdom misses how bad weather can really mess things up. My cousin near the coast oils his tools, but salt air still gets in and ruins them. It's like expecting a quick wipe to save a console from dust in a super dirty house. Some situations just need a full tear-down, not just a surface fix.

But what if the hands had a special meaning back then?

Saw a doc where they used rock steps to redirect hikers, kind of like @piperbailey's log barriers. It really slows down the wear and tear.

Helped my neighbor fix a fence, now we share tools and stories every weekend.

My friend at a specialty shop still gets requests for custom cuts lol.