So I went for a little hike yesterday just behind my place and had to wack some shrubs to get where I was going. I also did a few durability tests once I got where I was going, being stabbing reasonably hard into a piece of dry wood and flexing.Then a few chops only as the blade in question is light. After I got home I washed it with hot water and wiped it all off. I then rinsed the kydex sheath lightly then blew it out and let it sit. Re sheathed the knife aproximately 4 to 5 hours later as it was about 25 degrees plus outside and when I woke up this morning it had some minor surface spotting that I was able to wipe off all but one little dot. Is this normal with elmax?
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elmax spotting?
- Thread starter noob93
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There's a very good chance you still had some moisture inside the Kydex. Next time, pour some 90% rubbing alcohol into the Kydex to help displace and dry any water.
Elmax is stainless and slightly similar to M390, however any "stainless" steel can still corrode though.
Elmax is stainless and slightly similar to M390, however any "stainless" steel can still corrode though.
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you may not have got all the moisture out of the sheath, any steel (almost any) sitting in moisture will show signs of such.
if the little spot bothers you and its a user, use some really fine steel wool and a dab of hoppes solvent, that will get rid of spots and rust with ease.
might try just putting a light layer of CLP on your users at the end of the day to help protect the finish
if the little spot bothers you and its a user, use some really fine steel wool and a dab of hoppes solvent, that will get rid of spots and rust with ease.
might try just putting a light layer of CLP on your users at the end of the day to help protect the finish
Rusting in that manner is something that a person need to pay more attention to when using a kydex/plastic sheath as opposed to the traditional nylon/leather sheath.
The plastic is water proof while the older sheaths would absorb the moisture. That's like putting a knife on a bottle of water. If it isn't hot enough for evaporation, water isn't going anywhere.
but you already knew that. One of those doh moments.
Or use alcohol. Or don't use water to clean interior. Whatever your preference.
The plastic is water proof while the older sheaths would absorb the moisture. That's like putting a knife on a bottle of water. If it isn't hot enough for evaporation, water isn't going anywhere.
but you already knew that. One of those doh moments.
Or use alcohol. Or don't use water to clean interior. Whatever your preference.
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- Dec 10, 2006
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The fact that it has 18% Chrome does not make it "stainless". There is an article where a guy played around with the secondary hardening of Elmax and results showed its stainless characteristics were brought down to that of O-1 tool steel. It comes down the heat treat and tempering as with all steels.
yes I do realize all steel will stain or rust but that is some interesting information. It would seem that kind of heat treat would be counter productive for an alloy like elmax? unless it makes it way tougher as i doubt it would make it hold an edge longer?
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big-time... i have even had a 440c blade i made for a guy at work spot quite badly in a kydex sheath. i will caveat that with it being in the jungle for 3 months, and the kydex had a felt liner to keep down noise and scratching the blade, but the blade was oiled fairly regularly (according to him, but i've got no reason to doubt it). stainless is stain-less... or stain resistent, not rust proof, that's for sure.