Cleaning Rust off Raindrop Damascus

L

LarsLord2000

Joined
Apr 6, 2014
Messages
7
Hello!
I am looking at a raindrop Damascus Tiny Trapper knife in used condition, but it has a little rust on the blade.

Is it possible to clean this, and how would I go about it?

I have zero experience with Damascus steel.

Thanks!!!
Lars.
 
Damascus isn't necessarily unlike any other steel, it is essentially multiple steels folded together to form a final product that is a random amalgamation of several different steels--nowadays it is truly essentially for aesthetic reasons that it is used. So , just like any steel's blade, I would try something like Flitz with a fine scothbrite pad, it should scrub right off. For the sake of future protection, you might use something like WD-40 with the pad, or any light mineral oil--this will just lubricate the pad, and leave behind a protective coating to help prevent future rust--reapply every so often--every blue moon in my case. You can also use 5 aught steel wool.
 
Be aware, polishing with Flitz or other similar products will remove a lot of the contrasting dark oxide from the surface, which is usually a big part of the attraction to damascus. Won't harm the blade, but it'll tend to make the layered pattern fade/diminish in appearance. The oxide could be re-applied by acid-etching, but you may not want to go to that trouble, and instead just avoid taking the oxide off in the first place.

(I figured this out the hard way, after using some Simichrome polishing paste on a Buck 110 with a damascus blade. It still looks good, but the dark etch of the damascus faded to a still-attractive grey. Both Flitz and Simichrome utilize aluminum oxide abrasives, which are very hard; hence the risk of scrubbing off the dark oxide.)

To remove the red rust, just use some very fine steel wool (#0000) and some mineral oil or WD-40 to scrub it away. The steel wool will be gentle enough on the harder blade steel, so you don't need to worry about scratching or scrubbing the black oxide off.


David
 
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LarsLord2000 said:
Thanks guys!

A buck 110 with Damascus blade? Nice! I'd like to see that.
Click to expand...

This is the one, "after" using the Simichrome polish on it; you can see how 'grey' and plain it looks, but the layered pattern is there. I don't have a pic of the "before" appearance, but it was so darkly oxidized, I almost couldn't see the damascus pattern on it. That's why I used the polish on it, if I recall correctly. In fact, I bought the knife on the 'Bay, from a seller who listed it as a 'black oxide' blade (at the time, Buck also had some in standard 420HC with a black blade finish), with no mention of the damascus. I suspect the seller didn't see the pattern either, which I think is why I got a good deal on it. ;)


David
 
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I like that handle too. Nice knife!

Lost the bid on the one I was after. Someone swooped in at the last second and snagged it. No biggie. What I really want anyway is a Case Peanut in Raindrop Damascus. Keeping a lookout for one to come available.

I'm new on this site and like it so far. Glad to be a member.
Lars.
 
LarsLord2000 said:
I like that handle too. Nice knife!

Lost the bid on the one I was after. Someone swooped in at the last second and snagged it. No biggie. What I really want anyway is a Case Peanut in Raindrop Damascus. Keeping a lookout for one to come available.

I'm new on this site and like it so far. Glad to be a member.
Lars.
Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum, Lars!


David
 
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