1095 steel and rust

For those who are averse to petroleum based lubricants and rust inhibitors on their knives, an alternative is mineral oil. It won't affect the taste of anything that you cut with your knife.
 
I've been in LE since 1993 and I agree 100% with what Beroya said.

I'm pretty new to obsessive collection of blades. I've carried good blades on duty but have recently expanded and RC is one of my addictions.

I've been dying to try this (I use it with firearms pieces) on a blade but haven't yet:

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/st...?p=1112&title=FORMULA 44/40~ INSTANT GUN BLUE

I've touched some 1095 with it just to "see" and it blackens it instantly. My Izula proto may become "polished" and then blackened!

I really like the 1095.
 
I took by Izula proto to San Francisco bay earlier today to go crabbing, besides tiny specs of surface rust, it did great. It'll strop right off once I get my green compound.
 
ive been useing tuf glide and never seen rust all you have to do is just clesn it when your done thats it add alittle tuf that knife will last longer then your life lol
 
It would be nice to see a RC-X knife in one of those laminated stainless steels similar to San Mai or Fallkniven's. Would be nice to get that steel with your ergonomics.

edit: Ok, just read about the problems getting those steels out of Japan. Never mind.
 
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rhino said:
For those who are averse to petroleum based lubricants and rust inhibitors on their knives, an alternative is mineral oil. It won't affect the taste of anything that you cut with your knife.
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Mineral oil IS petroleum-based. It's just biologically non-reactive for the most part.
 
I rubb my blades down with olive oil when I put them away. It works. Its also food safe.:thumbup:
 
All of my high carbon blades have stains or a patina. Doesn't hurt the function of the blade in the least. Keep 'em dry or wipe 'em down with Tuf Cloth or BreakFree.
 
A one pound block of totally edible beeswax runs about $5.00

Use a wire cheese cutter to cut off small section and you can rub it on the entirety of an uncoated blade or just draw the edge across the section for a coated blade. I fill a travel soap case with molten beeswax and take it camping.

It's stable and doesn't re-melt too easily.
It's non-toxic.
It's dye free.
It can coat exposed steel and preserves the patina.
It can lubricate screw threads, shock pole fittings, etc.
It can waterproof leather.
It can be smeared onto chapped skin, though reapplication will be more frequent than with a proper balm.
It can be pinched, worked into a ball to soften up, and patch a pinhole leak in a shell, rainfly or poncho, or seal a tent seam to get you through the night.
It can be smeared onto glass as an anti-fogging or anti glare shield for your compass or sunglasses without harming coatings.
With some natural cordage, you can produce a makeshift candle if needed.
You can use it to whip frayed ends of line back into some semblance of normal.
You can seal all of the pores of an eggshell and keep an uncooled egg from rotting for up to three months, though this trick works better using petroleum jelly.
In a severe pinch, you can eat it and at least shut up your stomach for a moment.

Beeswax rocks.
 
I think that it would be common sense to lay a light coat of oil or wax on your knives. Even stainless will rust if not taken care of. Exposed (untreated) metal will rust. Period.
 
If my blades uncoated, I've found that a $5 tube of Metal Glo not only cleans off any rust you can build up over a camping trip but also leaves a protective film. If you don't want to have chem on your blade, just wipe it down with steel wool when it gets rusty and it'll also be fine.
 
We grind an industrial knife from 1095 and find that we have to keep freshly ground blades covered in grinding coolant or they will rust while you're looking at them. We do a pretty good tumble polish on them and then handle them only with gloved hands to keep from staining. Makes a darn good cutting blade though.
 
I rubbed my knife down with a Tuff Cloth and now there are these black spots on the edge. Is this bad? I haven't really used my RC-3 really hard, just simple mundane stuff and it really hasn't been exposed to water either. Can someone assist?

Thanks,
Dave
 
DBrew said:
I rubbed my knife down with a Tuff Cloth and now there are these black spots on the edge. Is this bad? I haven't really used my RC-3 really hard, just simple mundane stuff and it really hasn't been exposed to water either. Can someone assist?

Thanks,
Dave
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Hi Dave - yes the simple answer to your question is use your knife more. The edge stays clean with use.

But black spots are a good sign though - they are patina, unlike red rusty spots. You might be getting them on the bevel when it is actually the very edge that experiences most of the friction.

I have a cast iron pan that is blacker than the devil's anus - and if I could get my uncoated carbon blades to look like that then I'd be overjoyed!
 
Yes, it's on the bevel more than the edge. So this will disappear with use? I was starting to get worried because I know I've been taking care of the knife and not letting it get rusted.
 
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