You only have rust on the decarb, not the Infi. The decarb is a layer of rust-prone metal that is on top of the Infi and was not completely removed on the competition finish blades.
Infi is not rust-proof, but is rust-resistant.
Get a Marine Tuff-Cloth and wipe down your blades periodically; you won't have any problems with storage-rust. :thumbup:
Vox,
Thanks for the reply.... But, I must still be missing something.
I know INFI is not rust-proof and yet I generally don't have much problems with my INFI rusting - especially in my knife storage drawers inside my house.... I have a fair number of other INFI pieces.... I generally use Ren-Wax.
I have been trying to tell others that INFI actually "Can" rust for a few years now. Many people still seem to think INFI is pretty much as rust resistant as stainless....
But, I have seen other INFI rust, so I know better... even if it is much more resistant to rust than most any other non-stainless tool steel - except (IMO) D2 which is borderline stainless. I am pretty sure I have seen Jerry say D2 is more prone to rust. But, I have seen differently. Still, for my purposes, INFI is "Generally" resistant "Enough".
.... Until INFI with decarb blades.....
My other INFI takes some effort to get to rust - although it will. I have seen it.
This Comp blade rusted "VERY" fast and easily along side and compared to many other blades including satin finished SR-101 blades that didn't rust near the same. I know SR-101 will generally rust MUCH easier than INFI. But, in a drawer in my house with some humidity, the Comp INFI blade grew rust quickly and much more so than many blades prone to rust including the SR-101 and some O1 and 0170-6 steel.
You say:
You only have rust on the decarb, not the Infi.
Then you say:
The decarb is a layer of rust-prone metal that is on top of the Infi and was not completely removed on the competition finish blades.
But, INFI is not coated with a "Different" type of steel.
So, if INFI is not coated, and has a layer of "rust-prone metal", then it has a layer of rust-prone INFI..... - called decarb (??????)
The pitting of the INFI alone could not have been the culprit for this rust. This HR just rusted too easily.
I was thinking there might actually be some corrosive residual chemical or agent left on the blade that "Promoted" corrosion from some part of the making process (??????) .
I have plenty of stripped pieces of INFI that never had this type of rust problem. And never rusted "Nearly" this fast and/or easily.
Some of those pieces were in the same drawer and untreated with wax or similar. I generally don't even bother to wax or treat my INFI. Although, I do (generally) wax and treat my SR-101.
As it is, you can confirm in the pictures, most of the rust is actually NOT in the pits - although some is. Most of the rust is at the "Machined" parts of the blade: groove and false edge on top. The rust is primarily in the grooves and false edge on both sides. There is some rust in the pits. But, 85% - 90% in the "Machined" areas. The false edge on top of my HR appears (clearly) to be cut by machine and not sanding belts. There are obvious machine marks on the false edge.
The blade's edge, choil, flat part of the spine and the exposed tang areas of the handle were obviously sanded after the handle was attached and there are no significant signs of rust in any of the areas that were sanded. So, whatever was on the steel prior to sharpening and handle finishing, stayed on the steel except where sharpened.
So, is this really a layer of rust prone INFI????
Or was there some chemical or similar agent used during some part of the machining process or heat-treat process that has been left behing that "Causes" rust???
.
Also, we need pix of ol'Nessie and Bigfoot. 
