I've also used a 'modern-day cosmoline'. It's a product manufactured by LPS. It's their LPS3. It goes on and dries with a waxy surface. The wax can be 'cut with a fingernail and it will eventually heal itself. I've personally left a couple of small sheets of steel in the back yard that had this covering applied. Both sheets were left for 2 years! Rain and shine, summer and winter. No rusting was evident. It comes off in boiling water or with gun scrubber, or brake cleaner. I used the spray cans for this test. I later went out and bought a couple of gallons.

If HR1022 goes into effect, there will be a lot of midnight gardening going on!