How do you protect your A2 blades?

AntDog

AntDog

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What is the best protection for uncoated blades made of A2 steel? Should I worry about storing one in a kydex sheath? I have no experience with the corrosion resistance of this steel so any input would be appreciated.
 
AntDog,
I really like carbon steel for fixed blades, and Sentry Solutions Tuf Cloth takes care of mine. I've found no finer rust preventative for anything made of steel.
 
The only uncoated A2 blades I have experience with are Blackjack Trailguides. My main user blade was buffed to a near mirror finish and then periodically wiped with Tuff-cloth. I stored it in the leather sheath with no problems whatsoever. I believe A2 has approx. 5% Chromium so it is better than your normal carbon steels but does not approach the stain resistance of any of the so-called true stainless steels (440A, 440B, 440C, 420V, 440V, AUS6, AUS8, VG-10, ATS-34, 154CM, BG-42, etc.). An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, take care of it ;)
 
Any high quality gun oil will do just fine. Storing in the KYDEX sheath, provided its dry when you store it, will not have any bearing on the matter. Kydex does not retain moisture. I like break free CLP for mine, but many oils will work as well.
 
Any oil is waaay better than no oil. Some oils are a little better than others (Break Free).

Tuf cloth works pretty well and is a dry film protectant (nice, compared to oils).

Any wax works very well (even the cheap car waxes are excellent, like Turtle wax. And the expensive stuff like Renaissance is just super clear/white, non yellowing, but it and just works about the same). Wax it on, buff it off.

After use, in my opinion, the best thing you can do before storing is to give the knife a good soap/water bath to get the general cr@p off (animal or plant organics, salt, other corrosives/acids/alkalies, etc).

Then hit the blade with a solvent... anything from the mediocre (like paint thinner which is mineral spirits, or WD-40) to the very good (Acetone, MEK, Lacquer Thinner, brake cleaner from autoparts store). Just be smart....solvents can soften and dissolve some rubbery handle materials (only cheap stuff), and if the maker puts a sort of paint over the blade (Allen Blade's Talonite MEUK had paint on it!), that'll come off. All the hard nitrided and teflon black finishes are fine under solvent.

The solvents will take most things (oils, water, debris) out of the pores or scratches (brushed finish) of the steel.

Then, you can apply oil, wax, or Tuf Cloth to a very clean blade.

If you wax or oil over junk that is in the pores of the steel, well, it can still corrode to some degree, although keeping oxygen out helps a lot.
 
Excellent advice above.

Tuf Cloth works well. I find the regular one smells better and the marine one works better! It is my first choice on knives as it is not messy.

For maximum protection Break Free works great. It is what I use on stainless firearms.

Kydex should not be a problem as long as it is not wet.
 
Man, this thread got a lot of great responses quick! Thank you all for your great advice. (My carbon steel blades say thank you also!):D
 
I have several Hartsfield blades and I store them all in their sheaths (leather with a metal lining). I clean the blades with Simichrome and then coat the blades with Rennaisance Wax. I've never had a problem with rust. On other blades I own that seem to rust easier, I use an oily coating, like the one sold by A.G. Russel.
 
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