Interesting AUS-8 steel case study

mnblade

mnblade

Joined
Feb 7, 2000
Messages
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I just stumbled across this page where some guy details how he lost - and then found - his AUS-8 Delica. The knife had spent three months laying in the sand at his local gun range, fully exposed to the elements. When he found it, it was totally encrusted with sand, but there was little rust (he posts two before pics and one after pic). The guys says he cleaned the knife with hot, soapy water, FP-10, a bit of Liquid Wrench from a spray can, some cotton swabs, and some Flitz metal polish. H1 fanatics will find it interesting that, even though the blade is "lowly" AUS-8, after the clean-up job, all the corrosion came off, no problem.
 
I just bought a Salt 1 mainly because the yellow handle is so much easier to spot if dropped. None of my AUS8 knifes have given me a rust problem.
 
COrrect me if I;m wrong but I believe that the SOG SEAL 2000 is made of AUS-8 or AUS-6. Both "lowly" steels as you mentioned. Yet these passed the "legendary 14 day salt water immersion test." I agree with the point you're getting at, AUS-8 isn't a bad steel by any means and I think its probably the best steel you're going to get in that price range (please tell me if there is something better as I'd love to go out and buy it!)
 
There is nothing lowly about AUS-8 (am a bit surprised that it is AUS-8, I would have guessed it was AUS-6; just checked on Ted's page, the molded clip versions were indeed AUS-8), and certainly not the corrosion resistance as far as a SS bladesteel goes.......On the other hand a Salt knife wouldn't have needed the FP-10, Liquid wrench, and Flitz either :).
 
Impressive before and after pictures. I had to look up FP-10 and Flitz (obviously I'm a newbie) but it gives me some ideas about some old knives I was thinking about throwing out. I may have to start looking at yard sale knives with a different view on things. Thanks!
 
Actually I don't have much against AUS-8 at all. There are indeed newer/better blade steels now that make it sort of obsolete in a way. It is AUS-6 that I kind of despise. The 2 knives I had with AUS-6 I spent more time sharpening them than I did using them :(

But there were 2 Spyders I had with AUS-8 that I honestly had reasonable performance with. The stainless handled Native I had with AUS-10 was really good steel for it's time. The SNAP-IT and REMOTE RELEASE models I had for users both had AUS-8 and they did reasonably well.

I admit that I am spoiled with top notch steels like ZDP-189, VG-10 and the CPM steels. But keep in mind it's been few years ago since we've even had a Spyder made with AUS-8. I'd still use a knife with AUS-10 without hesitation.
 
I have a similar story, although not quite as dramatic. I lost my early Delica AUS-8 Delica in December. I thought I lost it on a snowshoeing outing. But I found it last week on the side of my driveway after the snow receeded. I live in snow country, and this past winter I changed from shoveling my steep drive to plowing it with an ATV. It turns out that at some point that FRN clip said good-bye to my Carhartt overall pocket and got plowed into a snowbank for 3 months, unbeknownst to me. The only damage was a few small pinhole sized rust spots that turned out to be surface blemishing only, since they disappeared with a warm water wash and some thumbnail rubbing. The day before I found it, I had bought a Delica 4 at the SFO. The little original has been in retirement since. I love "misplacing" a knife, it's the perfect excuse to...
 
mnblade said:
The knife had spent three months laying in the sand at his local gun range, " AUS-8, .
Click to expand...
It's lucky the knife landed in the sand.
As far as I know, the reason many gun ranges use sand is because it will drain and dry faster than clay.
 
I will second that I went with the Salt line for the yellow handle. Looking for a blue Delca or Dodo next. The colorful handles are sheeple friendly. My Tasman has the hooked beak and serations, there is no way I could take that out at work with a black handle.

I know I am off topic a bit but I wanted to tell someone!

-Mat
 
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