high carbon steel on batangas

P

pechelman

Joined
Nov 5, 2001
Messages
118
Ive read on a few websites that the high carbon steel from the batangas knives rusts really easily. My question is just how easily it does.

I bought an Opinel knife one time because i really liked its simplicity and 9$ price, but the blade tarnishes to a black color within a couple weeks of cleaning it with polish.

Is it anything this bad, or just minor surface rust?

also while on the topic, anyone have opinions about them
heres a link to the knife in question
http://kis.net/kzt/batangasclipper.JPG

thanks
 
I bought one of those batangas clippers back in July and have not had any problems with rust. I keep it stored in a dry place and wipe fingerprints and moisture off it with a silicone gun cloth. How often you would need to wipe it with the cloth would depend on the weather where you live. I maintain knives pretty much the same way I do my guns. The chemical cleaner used on your other knife may have done more harm than good. The batangas clipper is a decent knife-I like the five inch blade and the pocket clip.
 
When you clean/polish a high carbon blade, you remove any film on the steels surface, allowing moisture/air to access it more readily; thus it rusts very quickly. Try polishing it again, and then use Renaissance wax, Tuf-cloth, or similar product to protect it.
 
As far as I could see in Barrio Balisong in Batangas, most of "high carbon" steel meant spring steel. They are prone to rust, but a little bit better than Opinels made of pure high carbon steel (unless inox = stainless).

Another choice about steel is available in Batandas, genuine "18-8" stainless steel. Shop clerk will proudly prove it to you by touching the blade by magnet.... I've always taken spring steel balisongs.
Hope this helps.
 
...and Welcome to the Forums!

I wouldn't worry about the rust factor as long as you take good care of the knife. Some good suggestions have been given.

I have also been to Batangas Province (twice).., and rarely (if ever) saw any blades made from anything except the 52100 bearing grade steel the makers could get from salvaged housings off of trucks. I'm not aware of the stainless Balisong blades as "Wrong Friend" mentioned, but I do know that Balisong you are looking at on "KnifeZilla" was made in Batangas (probably somewhere near the city of Taal)..., but probably not in Barrio Balisong.

If you use the methods described by Ranney or Nash, you won't have any trouble at all with rust.

Hope that's helpful!


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
 
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