Just got the Ganga Ram, rust question

C

captlid

Joined
Feb 23, 2002
Messages
284
Hi, Any bladesmiths want to help out a forgetful gal?

There's some edge rust on this blade. The question is, is is the bad kind or the good kind? If you need a better pic let me know.

gangaram2.jpg
 
Hard to see... is it the discolouration near the cho?

If it's reddish, it's rust... if more grayish, it's patina. In either event, a good sharpening would remove it... unless there's non-edge rust I can't see from here.
 
Should go away from use or with sharpening.

Heber
 
C.S. Graves said:
Hard to see... is it the discolouration near the cho?

If it's reddish, it's rust... if more grayish, it's patina. In either event, a good sharpening would remove it... unless there's non-edge rust I can't see from here.
Click to expand...

Discoloration is one inch away from the cho along the edge about half way up the blade. The blade is plenty sharp. Just ran a piece of paper along its edge and it cuts right through. Color is dark brown.

Thanks for your help.
 
Seems that a couple of strokes with a sharpener or even some OOOO seel wool will take it off. In the future when you are finished wipe it down with some type of oil, (mineral oil, militec, something like that).
 
I normally spray the blade down with WD40, then lay the blade down on my bench top and scrub it with a fine grit sanding pad. Always be careful of cutting yourself! The edge will usually need to be touched up afterwords, though.

Andy
 
pugs75 said:
Seems that a couple of strokes with a sharpener or even some OOOO seel wool will take it off. In the future when you are finished wipe it down with some type of oil, (mineral oil, militec, something like that).
Click to expand...

Thanks thats what I figured, just wipe it down with some steel wool.
 
One good battle, charging up the hill, slashing and slicing, and it will be fine.

or,

you could do what these other guys suggest. :)
 
1500-grit sandpaper will easily buff it out. Keep the blade oiled! The edge is prone to blunting and rust due to the sweat on your hands and other residue from cutting.

My CAK will rust in ten minutes flat if exposed to moisture from cutting. It's the nature of high-carbon spring steel.

You can also try cold-bluing. Only caveat there is - the blue will rub off when the blade impacts wood, etc.

What I see in your photo is largely cosmetic. No worries.
 
Rust only makes khukuries better. Two minutes with the green scotchbrite pad will give it the respectable working satin finish it needs.

My fishing khuk rusts before I get home. Cleaning/rust removal happens at the same time with that pad.

Brightly polished knives rarely earn a living.


Mike
 
In addition to being careful to not hurt yourself, remember that a scotch-brite pad can also dull your edge if it runs against the edge. If it does dull your edge, you can use the same pad to put the edge back by moving it toward the edge on one side and then the other.

If you think this is rust and your edge is good and doesn't need sharpening right now, lay the blade flat and rub the rust areas with a pre-1982 penny to remove the rust and keep the finish.

And, by all means. use or sharpening will remove surface rust.

Congratulations on the Ganga Ram. That's a model that is on my radar, too.

Rick
 
Yes, that looks like actual rust.

I would just run a ceramic rod or sharpening steel (the chakmak may work). I wouldn't worry too much about dulling the edge right there, as that part of the blade is rarely used.
 
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