Custom filework, on carbon blades or jsut stainless?

[mxlj]

I have a question, should you only do custom filework on stainless blades or high carbon (non stainless) also? Im worried about someone not taking care of a blade and it rusting at the filework. what do you guys think or do? If a customer ordered carbon and filework i would make it. But just making some high carbon blades and fileworking them to be sold at shows some time in the future etc. Good idea or a bad idea? thanks.

 

[Alarion]

Yes, on a SS filework will be forever shiny (more or less)... and cold.
I feel filework on a carbon blade will acquire with time a patina that enhances the look in a way a stainless blade can only dream of.
As for rust, even moderate standard maintenance is enough to avoid it.
People who get rust deserve it.

 

[Dan Pierson]

I rather like leaving tempering colors in filework instead of cleaning it up. Just need to take it to a high enough finish before tempering or run a final tempering cycle after most finishing is done, then refinish the flats (or hollow grind if that's what you do).