420HC---stainless or carbon??

O

omaha-beenglockin

Joined
Oct 22, 2005
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1,152
I had my Tempest in the pocket of my shorts while in the swimming pool the other day---didn't get fully submerged---was in the kiddie pool with my 2yo daughter.

After a few hours in my damp pocket---I take my knife out and there are rust spots on the blade. Did the pool chemicals accelerate this? I was very surprised to see this happen so quickly.

So I guess what my question is---With the ''HC'' content is the 420 still considered a ''stainless'' steel?

I'm just thinking if this now considered a carbon steel---I'll have to change my care and maintainence procedures accordingly.
 
420HC is normally VERY rust resistant, my guess wold be that the chlorine and algicides in the pool water are the culprits.
 
420 is stainless.
All stainless will rust it just depends on how quick. You NEED to add carbon to a blade or it wont be a very useful tool for very long. It just depends how much carbon is added to decrease the rust resistance...
go to www.knifeart.com lots of info on blade steel.
Good luck.
Jim
 
It's one of the reason I like Buck's 420HC is that it is so stain resistant, I sweat...I mean SWEAT alot in hot weather, and 420HC has never rusted in my pocket, but having had a swimming pool for years, I can tell you those chemicals can be hard on metal, it's amazing ot me they don't hurt people more than they do.
 
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