ESEE knife question

S

steelcraft

Joined
Apr 8, 2012
Messages
17
Hi guys, Im a big fan of ESEE. I currently have 4, 6, cm6 and Junglas, love all of them. About 1 month ago, I took my 4 with me for a 3 days hunting trip. The winter here in New Zealand is a little wet, I noticed fare a bit of rust on the edge (I did oil the knife) after the first day of the trip. Wondering if anyone else have the same problem? Anyone tried them in rain-forest?Asking cause Im planning hunting overseas, may include some high humidity area, really need my knife to be totally reliable. Thanks a lot in advance for your input. Cheers.:thumbup:
 
Hey mate,
I don't know how much steel knowledge you have so I'm not going to assume anything - forgive me for that :)
Esee use 1095, which is a non-stainless steel. Their 1095 is very good, but one thing it's not is rust resistant. Having said that, they coat the blades (as you know) which will stop rust underneath the coated part. The very edge though will be prone to a bit of corrosion. Normally between oiling the blade, sharpening/honing the knife and using the knife the rust isn't a problem. It might also be worthwhile gluing some 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper to an old library card to use to touch up the blade and keep the rust at bay in the field.

Also make sure the blades are well cleaned after use and don't have residue on them from whatever you're cutting.
 
Hi Chris, thanks heaps for your advice. Yes, Im aware it's 1095. I have a laminated vg10 Fallkniven s1 which is more rust resistant. I still prefer ESEE in 1095 (even better than my SYKCO 511 in SR101) for the ease of sharpen in the field. Normally my hunting/hiking trip will be less than 3 days, rust wont be a big problem. What if more than that, say...10 days to 2 weeks in harsh environment, you cant/forget to take care of your knife everyday, will rust ruin my beloved ESEE?
 
My Esee 4 is rusted all to heck but I use the heck out of it. It will definitely rust if not taken care of.
 
You can cut a small square of microfiber cloth and work some mineral oil into it. Keep it in a plastic baggie and wipe down the edge periodically when rust is a concern. That said, I rarely do this with my own 4. I just clean after use and try to make sure it stays dry, no issues. Pretty sure these knives were designed with use in South American jungles in mind, as part of the training courses they do.
 
You could also try to force a patina on the exposed steel to help prevent rust when it's not in use, but when you sharpen the knife you'll also remove the patina.
Also, I would doubt that the rust would be deep enough after a day or so to cause real issues. A bit of surface rust will just come off. Pitting can be a bit of a problem but that should take a bit longer.
 
Hey Apophis, thanks for the tip. I will pack a piece of oiled cloth along with a couple of Moras as backup on my next trip:thumbup:
Chris, I've heard about patina method a couple of times, have no idea how to do that? read a post says cut an apple then leave it dry. Never tried, is the "fruit cutting" method practical and safe? Cheers buddy.:)
 
steelcraft said:
Hey Apophis, thanks for the tip. I will pack a piece of oiled cloth along with a couple of Moras as backup on my next trip:thumbup:
Chris, I've heard about patina method a couple of times, have no idea how to do that? read a post says cut an apple then leave it dry. Never tried, is the "fruit cutting" method practical and safe? Cheers buddy.:)
Click to expand...

It's basically acid etching with very mild acid. Cutting fruit does it, so does applying vinegar or mustard or a combination of things. You give it a good wash afterward so there won't be any food nasties left on the blade :) You do need to be a little careful because the acid may dull your edge a bit over time. When you start trying patinas it's very much a case of "less is more" unless you're using a cheap knife - start with just a short exposure and work from there. You'll probably find a natural patina building up if you use your knife for food prep anyway.
 
Chris Larrikin said:
It's basically acid etching with very mild acid. Cutting fruit does it, so does applying vinegar or mustard or a combination of things. You give it a good wash afterward so there won't be any food nasties left on the blade :) You do need to be a little careful because the acid may dull your edge a bit over time. When you start trying patinas it's very much a case of "less is more" unless you're using a cheap knife - start with just a short exposure and work from there. You'll probably find a natural patina building up if you use your knife for food prep anyway.
Click to expand...

Cheers mate, will practice doing that start with cheap carbon steel knives. :):thumbup:
 
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