Case truesharp not stainless?

S

Sebrw

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Oct 2, 2019
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I recently got a case large stockman 6.5375 "Bone stag" that should be stainless steel (SS marked on the blade tang).

However, I noticed recently that rust spots are appearing at the basis of the blade. I will post pictures later but basically, when you hold the knife closed looking at the blades, the part that hold the spring when the blade is opened seems to miss the shiny "coating" that the rest of the blade has. Right there I observed spots of red rust that keep reappearing even after I brush it out. The mains body of the blade however, is definitely stainless.

So is the "SS" version of case knifes are really stainless steel or is it just a protective coating?

The red rust also seems to accumulate on the inside part of the backsprings but not on the outside part of it so I feel lost about the steel used.

Can a stainless steel be only partially stainless? For example, my victorinox or opinels (stainless) never had a spot of rust and are super easy to sharpen. I have an Higo knife (carbon) that I can put screaming sharp but that take rust when used on food but the rust is all over the blade. On my case 6.5375 it is much more difficult to obtain a good edge (I am a beginner) so I guess the steel is harder. Does this correlates somehow with the rust issue?

Thanks for your feedback!
 
Yes, TruSharp knives are stainless.... which does not mean they will never rust, it just means that they will "stain LESS" Stainless steel can still rust, but it takes a lot more abuse before it does.

It sounds like you are describing the spring, instead of the blade, though. I don't think the springs are stainless steel, although I certainly could be wrong about that. The "coating" you describe is simply polished stainless steel.
 
Stainless only means Stain Less. Not rustproof. There are virtually rustproof steels out there (H1,LC200N...)

In my experience stainless steels are tougher to sharpen that non-stainless, but I'm okay with that tradeoff.
 
Sounds like you are talking about the tang of the knife.
Make sure you put a drop of oil in the joint and work the action a bit.
That may stop the rust from taking hold in that rougher finished area.
 
Thanks for all your replies.
I found a picture to illustrate what I mean. It is not mine but it is the same knife and it is just to show you where the rust takes place.
I just saw that I have the same problem with a SS trapper knife, right on the same place.

I will try to oil the joint better as suggested by JohnDF. It might be my mistake but I will be interested to know if others have observed the same on their own knives.

Do you have a suggestion to avoid rust on spring bars within the handle?

Thanks again!

Here is the picture, I don't know how to insert it in the post:
https://ibb.co/3zKZHcL


3zKZHcL
 
Sebrw said:
Thanks for all your replies.
I found a picture to illustrate what I mean. It is not mine but it is the same knife and it is just to show you where the rust takes place.
I just saw that I have the same problem with a SS trapper knife, right on the same place.

I will try to oil the joint better as suggested by JohnDF. It might be my mistake but I will be interested to know if others have observed the same on their own knives.

Do you have a suggestion to avoid rust on spring bars within the handle?

Thanks again!

Here is the picture, I don't know how to insert it in the post:
https://ibb.co/3zKZHcL


3zKZHcL
Click to expand...
It looks like you're talking about the tang portion of the blade. What you are seeing isn't a lack of "stainless coating" but an area that isn't as highly polished as the rest of the blade. This rougher texture, along with being an area that can trap moisture, so rust spots can happen - even in a stainless knife. I see lots of knives (not just Case) with this area left a little rough.

As JohnDF JohnDF said, work some oil into the joint, and you should be fine.
 
Also possible there's some rusting of non-stainless (CV) swarf transferred via grinding machinery at the factory. I've read in the past, this can happen if/when the same machines are used to grind both stainless and non-stainless steels (Case might do this, as they produce knives in both 'Tru-Sharp' and 'CV'). If some of that non-stainless swarf has settled into the rough surface of the stainless blade's unfinished tang, it could rust there. Similar to how non-stainless swarf can rust in the surface pores of a sharpening stone.

As mentioned, though, it is still possible for 'stainless steel' to rust; more so, if it's exposed to something more corrosive, like saltwater or chlorine (bleach), etc.

All of Case's springs are stainless in their recent history (maybe ~ 1990s & later), BTW. Even the CV knives are currently fitted with stainless springs.
 
Just as a reference, when I toured the Case Factory while at the Rendezvous this year I made an observation to our guide while in the steel storage area. While no photos were allowed they had both 410 and 420 stainless coils in clearly marked storage bays. Of course they had CV also. I got the impression from the guides response to my questions that the 410 was for springs. I assume the 154 was stored in the corner of the plant where they make the Tony Bose yearly knives. We weren’t allowed in that area but our guide told us that area was a self contained manufacturing area.
 
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I agree with David Obsessed with Edges Obsessed with Edges . Some other stuff may've got in there, wash it out with soap & hot-water then see.

Yes stainless will spot but it takes a great deal to do that. Not long ago I dyed a CASE stainless knife with Potash & salt:D it blackened the blades and spring but they cleaned up with a wash and metal polish. I like the fact that CASE uses stainless back springs (wish they'd revert to NS liners as well as they had 40+ years ago) as it keeps the insides cleaner and less seizing potential.
 
Especially if you have used your knife around salt or a type of cleaner that uses a sodium. I found that a ss knife we used in the break room for opening microwave popcorn rusted real bad. I guess no one was cleaning it after use. If it was mine I would wash it in fresh water, dry, and oil it good open and closing several times and wipe off excess.
 
Sebrw said:
Thanks for all suggestions!
I washed it, get rid of the main rust spots but couldn't get rid of the reddish marks inside the back spring. Could the rust come from the brass liners?

Here are the pictures I promised, sorry for the delay.

https://ibb.co/dgpS6s8
https://ibb.co/S7yvvqK
Click to expand...

I don't think brass will contribute in any way to any rusting on steel. I've never heard of it happening, even with non-stainless knives using brass liners & pins.

On stainless steels, one effective way to dissolve & remove rust spotting is to use some Bar Keepers Friend powder, mixed to a paste consistency with water. Use a Q-tip or some similar implement to apply just a little bit of the paste to the affected spots. Let it sit for no longer than 60 seconds, and rinse it away under running water. No scrubbing needed. The oxalic acid in the BKF actually dissolves rust, which is why this method works. The caution against leaving it in place longer than 60 seconds is because the oxalic acid is capable of etching stainless steel, if it's left in contact too long. On the inside of unfinished stainless springs, that's not a big deal in itself.
 
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That appears to me like some kind of residue or a chemical stain. I’ve had that happen to a knife and I had to use a fast evaporating electrical contact cleaner to neutralize, wipe with a cloth to remove the residue what ever it was. Just be careful to not saturate or leave liquids on the bone scales for long as they could swell. Then I oiled it good and wiped off excess oil then some flitz and it looked new again and stayed clean and bright. Stainless can still have corrosion and staining to a degree but not as much as non stainless. Hope you can get it clean and looking new again.
 
I really don't see that as rust from the pictures you showed. I think it's another kind of staining caused during manufacture. Washing and oiling will almost certainly remove it.
 
r8shell said:
It looks like you're talking about the tang portion of the blade. What you are seeing isn't a lack of "stainless coating" but an area that isn't as highly polished as the rest of the blade. This rougher texture, along with being an area that can trap moisture, so rust spots can happen - even in a stainless knife. I see lots of knives (not just Case) with this area left a little rough.
Click to expand...
Agree.
Aside from being rough and trapping moisture, the tang also traps all sorts of gunk, e.g. pocket lint, particles of steel from wear that occurs. When oil gets dirt in it it turns blackish.

In any case, it is not a lack in the steel.
 
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