How to save from rust the blades you use for foods too?

[Falcenberg]

I don't like to use Tuf-Cloth on the blades I plan to use on my food too.

BTW, I don't use Teflon-coated pans or pots too.

Until now, I made some experiments, from honing oil to butter.

Do you have some suggestions what can I use to protect these blades? Olive oil, margarine, cooking fat?

My first choice would be olive oil (I have a very good healty olive oil, it costs $ 10 USD a litre), but I don't know anything about its long term effects on steel, its chemistry.

Falcenberg

 

[Gollnick]

You may wish to check the ongoing thread entitled "Knive oils", for information on this topic.

Chuck

 

[Jeff Clark]

My main concern is to not get a metalic flavor in acidic foods like tomatoes and tart fruits. Oil will not last long enough while I prepare large amounts of these foods. I just use a "stainless" alloy and clean immediately after use. For these purposes the steel does not have to be very hard, it just needs to take a very sharp edge for the tomatoes. I like thin smooth edges.

For meats I have some very long carbon steel blades. They do develop discoloration which I mostly ignore. Again you just want to clean the blades with hot soapy water right after you use them. Keeping them shiny almost means not using them.