Corrosion resistance of highly polished 1095cv???

S

Survivormind

Joined
Dec 18, 2012
Messages
399
I am sure there is someone on this forum that can comment on the corrosion resistance of highly polished 1095cv. Does polishing make that much of a difference compared to just a striped blade? Anyone have any other nifty ideas on how to make 1095cv more corrosion resistant?

Survivormind
 
The smoother the surface the less surface area there is to rust but it does not change the properties of the steel. I like stripped blades and find that a patina provides good enough protection in most conditions but in areas of high humidity, particularly coastal areas, I apply Marine Tuf-Cloth or just use something different.
 
Those arent mutually exclusive. A high polish helps prevent moisture from "Sticking" to the blade, so it will help prevent corrosion. You can also patina a high polished blade. The two things combined should help quite a bit, but keep in mind, every scratch or ding in the blade after the polish, will be a less protected point. There are also some AMAZING food safe lubes out there made to help prevent rust. If you practice basic tool maintenance, combined with any or all of these things you will see a huge decrease in corrosion. Someone on BF did a fantastic test of lubricants/rust inhibitors that are food safe, I just cant find it right off hand. A few were great, one was a real stand out.
 
"A courser 'polish' will hold in rust preventative oils better than a high polish"

I read this in a gun metal finishing and blueing article / instructions.

Sounds logical......
 
JDMiller said:
"A courser 'polish' will hold in rust preventative oils better than a high polish"

I read this in a gun metal finishing and blueing article / instructions.

Sounds logical......
Click to expand...

Makes sense, but I would think it would also hold moisture and contaminants better too. I might need to read some more..lol
 
Cody, we are involving patina.

Mine is a striped BK5 that has developed a natural patina over three years of use. I don't think it's going to be sufficient for my winter living conditions this year. I'm going to be living on the beach so saltwater will be the big environmental change and since I've already seen rust occasionally while living in this inland waterway, I think it could probably use the next step in corrosion resistance.

Silverthorn, have you polished and patinad a blade yourself? I am also liking the food safe inhibitor idea.
 
Thanks for the link, Silverthorn. Frog lube looks best to me.

Same here, Glover. I was thinking Cerakote. That won't protect the edge, obviously. Also, I wonder how more difficult, if at all, it would be to sharpen. Would it gum up a stone? I think the Cerakote would probably be fine but I heard Duracoat gums up stones.
 
I would think maybe the Ezox under the handle scales since its not touching food, and the frog lube on the blade ?
 
I use Frog Lube on blades used for food prep as well. Silverthorn's advice on the Eezox treatment for the handle area makes perfect sense.
 
I will post a pic tonight of my bk2 that I near mirror polished and full height convex for strop only maintenence. I use it for food prep and light yard usage until I can get back out camping... no patina, no corrosion, nothing aside from some rub marks.

I have not used anything other than a strop on it for the last 2 1/2 months.
 
I hand sanded my bk2 to a mirror polish and used flitz and a buffing wheel to further polish it. When I ran water on the knife for cleaning I got the same effect as rainx on a car windshield. I was even in the process of cleaning it once and got pulled away by my daughter, thinking I'd only be a minute I laid it down in my hot humid sc garage without drying it off first. Well several hours later I remember and thought for sure I was gonna have a lil rust but when I inspected it there was nothing.

However maintaining a high polish on a user knife like a Becker wasn't worth it. First time you baton it your finish is scuffed up. I sanded it down, forced a patina then sanded it a lil more and now have a satin like finish. Much easier maintaining.

4BoLg9I.jpg

kQPXrvp.jpg
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the link, Thorny, it was a good read

I have a couple of stripped Beckers, and my polished (not that highly) BK-14 does seem to repel the knife cancer better than my stripped and stropped BK-16 with the caveat that the BK-16 gets used for more gnarly work.

On the issue of rust preventative treatments, I have had outstanding results with Johnson's paste wax applied to metal that doesn't need foodsafe protection. It's a trick I picked up from a local gunsmith, and it's treated me right thus far. I'm certain the ingredient list is a bit uh.... industrial, but that shouldn't matter on a nonfood knife.
 
I stripped my BK9 and sanded it but haven't put a high polish on it. I treat it like crap, never clean it, never oil it, once dunked it in a river and put it away wet. Never had it rust on me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top