420hc

You'd have a heck of a time getting it to rust.

But, I'm sure if you left it on the ocean floor for a while you'd have some issues.
 
It's hard to give an exact timeframe but it'll start rusting after being exposed to saltwater for just a few hours. I had a little buck fixed blade that i used while sea kayaking in SW Alaska, it was brand new at the beginning of the trip but damm if it didn't get some serious rust after about a week out. I was really careful with the knife and always cleaned it extremely well but i must have gotten a splash of saltwater in the sheath or something. Thats the only knife that i've had rust issues that went deeper than just cosmetics but it will happen. stainless is fine for a dive knife because you can easily wash it off after a dive but if you're in a situation where water gets everywhere for extended periods of time, like on a boat in bad weather or kayaking, it'll rust no matter how well you wipe it off.
 
um hey guys i'm just wondering how rust resistant Bucks 420HC is. help me out.

Reasonably rust resistant. In everyday use you should not see much in the way of rust.
 
pretty good rust resistance. i have a buck kitchen knife that i left in the sink all day and washed it late at night, no rust.
 
May be somewhat dependent on the finish. Some folks have had bead blasted 420HC rust at the drop of a hat.
 
I recently bought a kitchen spatula and I wanted a commercial type .This is always a problem these days with Chinese junk ! Well I bought a Mercer which I was not familiar with . Made in Taiwan not mainland China [big difference] . To my great surprise it was very well designed and made . No spot welds or rivets to fail ! The blade lists the steel type -420 and it's hardened . The blade is tapered toward the front .What a nice tool !! Of course as a kitchen tool it should be very rust resistant.

Bead blasiting is often a problem as the beads may be contaminated with carbon steel !
 
I'm actually gonna go against the grain here and say I've actually had some aggravating problems with rusting on a vantage. It got a little condensation from being in my pocket at work and overnight I had bad spotting. It cleaned up but still
 
I've stored my bucks and seldom touched them in years without treating them with oil

never had any rust probs
 
Each steel has its advantages. One will be stronger and another may stay sharp longer.

Buck recommends its 420HC as the best choice for folks who don't want to bother with constantly oiling their knives.

Buck's Boss, heat-treated 420HC also is no slouch in other categories. Possibly the sharpest knife I own is the Buck 173, the Taiwanese version of the acclaimed Buck Mayo. It is relatively inexpensive compared to the S30V version, but watch out for that blade -- it will cut you if you aren't careful!

While its 420HC is Buck's bread and butter steel, it deserves respect.
 
420HC has moderate-high rust resistance. It's not a fancy steel, but it's VERY respectable. As mentioned, the corrosion resistance of any steel is partly affected by the surface finish. The closer to a mirror shine it is the better it will resist rusting.
 
I live near the Pacific Ocean and have quite a few Bucks in 420HC.I have never experienced any rust problems with it.
 
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