Alpha Folder Question.

[Pack Rat]

I decided to put the Rosie grips back on my 277 Ats34 folder and when I pulled the rubber grips, there is some corrosion on the 277. So I pulled the grips off the 279 and it is clean.

I lightly sanded it with 1000 grit and got most of it off, but what is left seems just slightly deeper in the metal. I could probably get more aggressive and get it all off.

But I am wondering whats going on???

Click twice on the pic for largest image.

 

[edbeau]

What grip material were you using on the 277?

 

[Pack Rat]

What grip material were you using on the 277?

I have had the Buck factory rubber grips on both of them for a couple of years or so. The 279 came with the rubber ones. Added rubber to the 277.

Thing is, I would have seen this when I swapped the Rosie and rubber grips. So I think it has happened in last couple of years.

 

[jb4570]

Hi There Ratty,

In that big state of TX you live in it's hot and humid in a lot of places. Not sure if that fits your location?

Now I also must ask if you have coated your wood handles with any after market stuff, and if so, or not can you show us what the back side of your scales looks like?

Did you use your knife and get it wet with anything and store it in that condition?

I have not observed any kind of oxidation under any of my scales. But, the location I live and play in has low RH all the time unless it's raining.
jb4570

 

[Pack Rat]

Hi There Ratty,

In that big state of TX you live in it's hot and humid in a lot of places. Not sure if that fits your location?

Now I also must ask if you have coated your wood handles with any after market stuff, and if so, or not can you show us what the back side of your scales looks like?

Did you use your knife and get it wet with anything and store it in that condition?

I have not observed any kind of oxidation under any of my scales. But, the location I live and play in has low RH all the time unless it's raining.
jb4570

Sure, it is humid here, but these live here in my little room, and I have never used them at all. With wifes medical things, I have to keep this place fairly cool and dry. This is the only corrosion I have seen on a Buck.

The rosie grips were scratched up some when I got the 277, so I smoothed them down with 0000 steel wool and put a few coats of tru oil on them.

But, I had never reinstalled them on the frame. There is nothing added to the rubber grips I put back on it. Just as they came from Buck.

Being a stainless steel frame, I can't imagine me having oiled it or anything when I put the rubbers on it.

 

[jb4570]

Sure, it is humid here, but these live here in my little room, and I have never used them at all. With wifes medical things, I have to keep this place fairly cool and dry. This is the only corrosion I have seen on a Buck.

The rosie grips were scratched up some when I got the 277, so I smoothed them down with 0000 steel wool and put a few coats of tru oil on them.

But, I had never reinstalled them on the frame. There is nothing added to the rubber grips I put back on it. Just as they came from Buck.

Being a stainless steel frame, I can't imagine me having oiled it or anything when I put the rubbers on it.

Ratty,

This is excellent information. As you have not used these knives so they were not stored wet. In addition they were not subjected to humid conditions. Then I would suspect the rubber scales.

Where did you get the rubber scales from? If these were new from the factory (and second hand); then I would suspect some kind of reaction from scale manufacturing material. The rubber scales appear to be a hard plastic frame with a rubber over mold application. This maybe a chemical reaction from that lot of scales.

You have two Alphas there...was there oxidation under both of them? Or just the one you swapped scales with?

 

[Pack Rat]

Ratty,

This is excellent information. As you have not used these knives so they were not stored wet. In addition they were not subjected to humid conditions. Then I would suspect the rubber scales.

Where did you get the rubber scales from? If these were new from the factory (and second hand); then I would suspect some kind of reaction from scale manufacturing material. The rubber scales appear to be a hard plastic frame with a rubber over mold application. This maybe a chemical reaction from that lot of scales.

You have two Alphas there...was there oxidation under both of them? Or just the one you swapped scales with?

The extra set of rubber scales (rubber, not plastic) came from Buck.

Yes, the one with the corrosion is the 277 ATS34, The 279 420HC shows no corrosion at all.

Looking at both sets of rubber scales, they are identical. No obvious sign of chemical on them at all.

This is minor stuff and causes no issues with using the knife, but seems to me that it shouldn't be there on a stainless steel frame. And kind of puzzles me that my light sanding with the 1000 grit didn't take it all off.

But like I said, I didn't get too aggressive. Nor did some Brasso on 0000 steel wool take it off. I don't have any other metal polish right now.

You can see the package that the rubber grips came in.

 

[jb4570]

The extra set of rubber scales (rubber, not plastic) came from Buck.

Yes, the one with the corrosion is the 277 ATS34, The 279 420HC shows no corrosion at all.

Looking at both sets of rubber scales, they are identical. No obvious sign of chemical on them at all.

This is minor stuff and causes no issues with using the knife, but seems to me that it shouldn't be there on a stainless steel frame. And kind of puzzles me that my light sanding with the 1000 grit didn't take it all off.

But like I said, I didn't get too aggressive. Nor did some Brasso on 0000 steel wool take it off. I don't have any other metal polish right now.



You can see the package that the rubber grips came in.

Ratty,

These are rubber over molded plastic scales....the chemical reaction if that is what it is; will not be visible to your eye it would be in the rubber compound used. These were most likely made via a hot injection molding process. The hard plastic backing inserted into a die/mold and the hot rubber injected into the mold over laying the plastic backing and cooled quickly and popped out. I could be wrong about the process for the manufacturing of these scales. But, have seen and made some electrical injection molded parts in my youth.

If this lot of scales is having a reaction with your knife. You should contact Buck and send them photo's. Voice your concerns and see what they have to say.

That said, Stainless steel is not oxidation proof. It can and will rust in the right conditions. It's a good idea to clean your stainless and give it a good coat of oil every now and then. I'm sure everyone has their own ideas on this.
jb4570

 

[Pack Rat]

JB,
Your right. After what you have said and a better look at the grips, I can see the plastic insert with the rubber surround.

Yeah, I guess I will just have to give it a light coat of oil once in a while.

I have had these posted on the for sale side but will probably cancel that and play with it some more. It's now a challenge to see if I can take all of the corrosion off.

I am glad to see that the ones that were on the 279 are just slightly lighter in color (age) than the ones that I had on the 277. Wouldn't want to get the new ones on the 279 and cause the same problems, if that is what caused it.

Now I am headed down to the big toy box to give the stainless stalker a light coat.

Thanks for the info! :thumbup:

 

[imafritz]

Good info. If I were going to put a light cote on my 277 rosie, what oil would you recommend?

 

[Tin Sue]

That said, Stainless steel is not oxidation proof. It can and will rust in the right conditions. It's a good idea to clean your stainless and give it a good coat of oil every now and then. I'm sure everyone has their own ideas on this.
jb4570

Yes indeed, stainless steel will rust!! In fact, I once read in a gun magazine that while it is more difficult for rust to begin to form on stainless, once it does start, it actually proceeds more quickly and is more difficult to control. Ratty, I wonder if acid from finger prints may have played a role while you were changing the handles out. Due to differences in individuals' body chemistries, "finger print rusting" on firearms can be a real problem.

 

[Pack Rat]

Good info. If I were going to put a light cote on my 277 rosie, what oil would you recommend?

Good Question! All I have laying around is 3n1. Ran out of the sewing machine oil I had been using on everything.

Let us know if yours has any issues when you pull the rosies.

 

[Pack Rat]

Yes indeed, stainless steel will rust!! In fact, I once read in a gun magazine that while it is more difficult for rust to begin to form on stainless, once it does start, it actually proceeds more quickly and is more difficult to control. Ratty, I wonder if acid from finger prints may have played a role while you were changing the handles out. Due to differences in individuals' body chemistries, "finger print rusting" on firearms can be a real problem.

OMG!!!!! My knives are allergic to me!!!

There is just no telling on this one TS. Looking at it some more, the corrosion is limited to the area under the handle on both sides. The back side only has a couple of much smaller spots.

So maybe a combination of body oil and the plastic/rubber handles holding it in.

And, the spots are under both the rubber and plastic areas, not just one or the other.

So, anyone else have one of these that they have pulled the handles off of?

Oh,,,for what it is worth. They have not been stored in sheaths.

There is a brand new buffer out in the garage, still in its box. May be about time I learned how to use it.

 

[DarrylS]

...and don't ferget Rodent...if you've used 'em for skinning or gutting any animals, blood is quite corrosive in it's own right. If you didn't pull the scales to remove ALL blood that got beneath 'em, that may have also contributed...I messed up a couple of stainless knives by not removing blood from blades...in my youth...

 

[Pack Rat]

...and don't ferget Rodent...if you've used 'em for skinning or gutting any animals, blood is quite corrosive in it's own right. If you didn't pull the scales to remove ALL blood that got beneath 'em, that may have also contributed...I messed up a couple of stainless knives by not removing blood from blades...in my youth...

But, but, these are drop blades. I tried a fixed droppie once on my deer doins..... They just don't work for me and my deer stuff.

Nah,,,,these haven't been out of this room since they arrived here a few years ago. but may not be here much longer...

Boy, if Cabellas ever quits doin those droppie fixed blades with that fancy steel, I will be rich...


Anyone ever taken the blade out of one of these Alpha folders? If I swap blades and put the ATS34 into the uncontaminated frame. The contaminated frame might become a brother in law knife

 

[DarrylS]

...Bummer...Looks like the body oils, rubber/plastic thingie (reaction) might be somethin' Buck will want to look at...

 

[Pack Rat]

...Bummer...Looks like the body oils, rubber/plastic thingie (reaction) might be somethin' Buck will want to look at...

There is that body oil thing again . Maybe thats what's wrong with my wife. She is allergic to me too!!

If Joe pops in and shows an interest, I'll send it to him. But like I said, it is still an excellent user. Maybe I'll just play with buffing up half of it...lol

 

[David Martin]

While living in East Tex. I had continuous rust problems on firearms and knives.Keeping them oil lightly really helped.Just carrying my shot gun for an afternoon dove hunt and not even shooting it would create rust problems if I didn't oil it before putting it up.West TX. climate was more favorable.
Blood is high in saline content compounding the situation.I think Flitz and a cotton wheel on your buffer will remove the rust in a few seconds.Good luck.DM