1095 carbon steel

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boyscout157

Joined
Jul 21, 2010
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As is probably well known, the BK2, from Becker Knife and Tool, is made of 1095 steel. Pretty good steel, in my opinion: takes an edge, holds that edge, and is fairly durable. My only complaint: IT ISN'T STAINLESS!!! A couple of days ago, I went outside into the single digit or lower temperatures of the northern Wisconsin area that I live in, and got a little bit of snow on the blade of my BK2. I wiped it off, and continued to use it for light chopping, carving, etc. (I was making a fire and roasting an apple, in case you were wondering) By the time I came back inside and examined my blade (after around 1 1/2 hours), there was a VERY light coating of surface stain of the knife. While I was sharpening the knife, I payed close attention to those areas, and the stain (which i don't want to call "surface rust", which is what it looked like), came right off, but it left me wondering: is it just because of the blade steel, or am I just taking horrible care of my knife? Every time I use my knives I clean, dry, and resharpen them, and just leave them in their sheathes in my room. With the BK2 I give it a light coating of Vegetable oil, because I know it is not impervious to moisture. Am I making a bad mistake, or is it just the steel?
 
Some call it "patina"
Some call it "staining"
It's actually surface corrosion.
As long as the steel doesn't develop pitting corrosion it's a matter of cosmetics and personal taste.

Vegetable oil is not much for preventing corrosion.
If you want something that will protect the blade and is edible, try the mineral oil that is sold in drug stores as a laxative. A trace of it on the blade will lead to no untoward digestive results. It will protect the blade better than vegetable oil. It will also not oxidize and turn scummy.
 
knarfeng said:
Some call it "patina"
Some call it "staining"
It's actually surface corrosion.
As long as the steel doesn't develop pitting corrosion it's a matter of cosmetics and personal taste.

Vegetable oil is not much for preventing corrosion.
If you want something that will protect the blade and is edible, try the mineral oil that is sold in drug stores as a laxative. A trace of it on the blade will lead to no untoward digestive results. It will protect the blade better than vegetable oil. It will also not oxidize and turn scummy.
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:thumbup::thumbup: + storing knives especially in their sheaths is a bad idea, oil or not.
 
I know storing knives in leather sheaths is bad because the leather has moisture in it, but does this apply to kydex or cordura sheaths? If so, how do you store the blade?
 
odinp said:
I know storing knives in leather sheaths is bad because the leather has moisture in it, but does this apply to kydex or cordura sheaths? If so, how do you store the blade?
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I keep my blades in one drawer and the sheath in the other.
 
The sheath basically traps moisture against the blade, its best to keep them separate until you a positive both are bone dry, I usually give it a day to dry out inside then store them together.

That was when rust mattered to me, these days I don't see the point in much more than drying the blade off and a light coat of oil, the rust comes off with use anyway and as long as its not sitting for very long theres no real damage.

Of course I also buy coated blades because I like how they look when they get worn down from use, so I may have a few screws loose when it comes to maintenance...;)
 
It's the steel -- you have to keep it clean and moisture-free (a little oil never hurts, though).
Otherwise, if you just use it a lot -- that'll keep the rust off too!

IMG_8562ac.jpg
 
carbon steels are simply subject to various levels of oxyidation. my boonie folders are 1095 & although i have all the super alphabet alloys, i love carbon steels for the bite they have & the great feel when sharpening them.given the worst conditions all steels will stain, i think only the salt series is unaffected. i know that chlorine will eventally wreak the best stainless. after using your knife clean & dry the blade well & you will only develop a patina. i have actually used spit & my shirttail to protect from rust till i got home.--dennis
 
odinp said:
I know storing knives in leather sheaths is bad because the leather has moisture in it, but does this apply to kydex or cordura sheaths? If so, how do you store the blade?
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Well, a sheath can trap moisture, yes, but mainly that refers to leather sheaths, as the acids and dyes used to tan and work leather are extremely reactive to steel.
 
You mentioned you were roasting an apple? If, by chance, you had also used the knife on the apple beforehand, the acid in it can accelerate the oxidation (rusting) process too. Many of the carbon steel & patina afficionados here actually use apples, lemons, potatos, etc. to apply an attractive grey patina to their carbon steel blades. When done in a controlled manner, the light oxide layer produced will help protect the blade from further rusting. But, if left unattended too long, the oxidation can evolve into rusting/corrosion if the acid isn't thoroughly cleaned off.
 
nope, didn't cut the apple with my knife, just sharpened a stick to roast it with. The link above helped a lot. I don't get out as much as I would like to right now, because I have an arm in a sling, but once I get up and running again I will be using my BK2 a lot more, which, as everyone has said, will keep oxidation in check. Thanks all!
 
boyscout157 said:
is made of 1095 steel. Pretty good steel
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imho: properly heat treated 1095 is the standard against which all other steels are judged.

you have to get into some pretty exotic mettalurgical territory before you start to get steels that are substantially 'better' than 1095.

1095 is great stuff. don't reject a blade on that basis alone.
 
it's the steel. the acidity in an apple will force a patina on the edge. as long is it's not actual rust you should be fine. the next time you sharpen it the edge should be like new again.
 
If the blade isn't coated, you could try to polish it to a near mirror finish. Not sure if anyone's ever noticed, but if you sharpen a 1095 blade to a mirror finish, it never quite gets more than a mild patina unless you do something drastic.

My Izula is used to cut fruit(with a quick wash off no more than 5 minutes after), but it hasn't even got a patina yet:thumbup:.
 
I kind of second the comment about it just being rust,If it drives you nuts send it out to get re-polished!I have a cattauragus thats carbon steel ww2 era that I use once in a while and I love the character rust and all ,after all I still have a crap load of nice stainless knives around.
Realistically most of us here will probably never wear-out a knife and if you do retire the thing.
 
Damn.. In singapore where i live in, if u guys even know about this country/island, aus8, vg10 and 154cm stainless steel rusts easily just by being in my pocket. Ok, it takes more for an aus8 steel to rust. I think when my izula arrives in the next week or so, it wll be instant rust! Lol
 
scarysharp said:
:thumbup::thumbup: + storing knives especially in their sheaths is a bad idea, oil or not.
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I store mine in their sheath, never, ever had an issue.

I love a good patina, it is not just corrosion and on various gun shows they talk about it (typical patina is iron oxide, but it is stabilized)...removing a patina for instance from an antique of any sort usually devalues it intensely. The goal with all my carbon traditional folders is they go completely black naturally, not forced. :)
 
Frozy said:
Damn.. In singapore where i live in, if u guys even know about this country/island, aus8, vg10 and 154cm stainless steel rusts easily just by being in my pocket. Ok, it takes more for an aus8 steel to rust. I think when my izula arrives in the next week or so, it wll be instant rust! Lol
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Tuff Cloth! :D Honestly with all of the salt in the air, if I were you, I'd be looking hard at Spyderco's in H1 and Benchmade in their new H2O or whatever it's called.
 
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