Is Vasoline Safe?

TT2Toes

TT2Toes

Joined
Apr 16, 2002
Messages
175
Really folks. I am looking for a low tech, low cost, substance to protect carbon blades. Is it safe to coat carbon blades with Vaseline, to prevent rust during prolonged storage?

I await your learned opinions.

TT2Toes
 
I would advise against Vasoline. You would be better off using mineral oil. It is avalible at any drug store or most food chain stores. It is cheap, it is food safe, it will not go rancid like vegatable oil can. It is what I use on my carbon steel Khukuris that may be used on food. You can even mix in a little clove oil to make it smell nice if you desire. The important thing is that it is totally safe around foods, and it has kept my carbon steel blades rust free for years. Just my .02 Good luck in your search.
 
Vasoline, petroleum jelly, should be fine. And it's food-safe in the quantities that one is likely to injest off of a blade coated with it.

But Mr. GigOne hit right on the answer. Why dink around with anything when Ren Wax is actually very inexpensive (that $15 jar will easily protect 250 knives)? Yes, for $3.00 you can get a jar of Vasoline that will protect 250 knives. But that's a 12 dollar savings. How much are your knives worth?

Yes, Vasoline will work, but it's very messy and will leave the knives greasy and messy. And if you even touch one, aside from getting Vasoline all over yourself again, you'll have wiped the protection right off. Once dry, about three minutes, Ren Wax is dry to the touch and quite durable.

If it's good enough for The White House, Buckingham Palace, and The Smithsonian, it's probably good enough for my stuff and probably worth splurging the extra twelve bucks on.
 
I have been using LubriMatic Marine Corrosion Control and Trailer Wheel Bearing Grease, figuring that something designed to protect metal boat parts in salt water ought to protect knives pretty well. The only drawback is that it is blue in color.
 
Hey Guys..

Astroglide is better....

Whatever you do,, don't coat a blade in weiner-slide and insert it into a kydex sheath!!!

I'd also suggest something different..

I use G-96 for these types of things..

ttyle

Eric...
 
How long do you plan to store them? I use Breakfree CLP and am satisfied with it but I would only trust it for a year or two of climate-controlled storage. I hope some other forumites will address the possibility of using Cosmoline grease for really long term storage.
 
Regular paste wax for cars works fine too... e.g. Turtle Wax. One of the better makers of high end stuff told me that is what he uses.

I do use Renaissance on my higher end stuff, but I'm not sure why really. It's totally white, totally "clear" and clean.

But a good auto wax shouldn't yellow, and if it did, just use a solvent to strip it off (acetone).
 
Acetone is pretty strong stuff. It won't, of course, harm the steel at all. But it could attack plastics, wood, horn, bone, shell, and other such materials.

You can remove wax with household ammonia. Start with a very weak solution and strengthen it as necessary.
 
nifrand's right: KY is better, plus, as Gollnick put it, "it's food-safe in the quantities that one is likely to injest". Oops, forgot we're talking knives. Nevermind... :D ;)

- Mark
 
Being a aircraft mechanic, Ive come across a great product to protect any blade material. Its called Corrosion X, we use it to coat aircraft aluminum to prevent corrosion, especially on forty to fifty year old aircraft. If you have an airport near by stop into a small aircraft repair station and pick up a can. For $10-$15 you can preserve all your blades for many, many years to come.
 
Mark....I think Gollnick was speaking in jest. We all know he can spell better than that... ;)
 
Ok, ok. I am getting good advice from some of you. (Course, some others are gonna go to hell or go blind I think.)

I work with a small army of field biologists and game wardens here in California, who oftentimes spend long periods in remote areas. (C'mon folks, remember the Vaseline is to prevent rust on tool steel, not for someone's personal tool).

Field equipment for these biologists (kept in the truck usually) includes survival knives that are typically low cost high-carbon blades, and may be stored in the vehicle for maybe 6 months between inspection. During storage under or behind the driver's seat the blades may rattle around or be exposed to moisture (snow, mud, or water). Vaseline already has a number of uses in field operations, usually equipment maintenance or as a lubricant or protectant from air exposure (oxidation). So, if we used this to coat the knife steel during storage, I thought it'd be good to find out if there is a down side (ie., damage to the steel).

So the operating objectives are that the protectant not have any lead in it, be a paste consistency, be low cost, and ideally have multiple uses (for routine work activities – that is).

That being said - - any thoughts?

TT2Toes
 
also, if you're in a survival situation or if you have to limit your gear, look into triple anti-biotic ointment where the main ingredient is petroleum jelly. You can use that stuff for anything Vaseline is used for, along with medical uses, and even for firestarting.
 
I once read a comparison test of several products to protect guns. What came out on top was another lubricant designed for marine use, called Boshield or Boeshield - can't remember the exact spelling now. Anyhow, it was a waxy grease that came in a spray can, and worked far better than any lubricant marketed specifically for use on firearms. It ought to work just as well on knives.

I think the best metal protectants are going to be the ones made specifically for marine use. Immersion in salt water is the harshest possible environment for metal, so products made for that use ought to give the best protection possible.
 
So there's this travelling vaseline saleman...
What?
Oh...

If the knives are to be stored in leather sheaths, I'd say don't use the vaseline & find something that is leather friendly.
If they'll be stored in a toolbox or something similar, the vaseline would be a decent low budget alternative.
Are there better things? Sure. But it'll do :)
 
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