Knie problems...weirdness inside.

Fireshaker

Fireshaker

Joined
Jun 29, 2002
Messages
337
Hi guys. I've had my Vaquero Grande for a week or so now, and I love it. Yesterday I got my Scimitar as well. But something has been bothering me...

My VG doesn't shine like the Scimitar. They're both AUS8A steel but the VG has these weird darkish sploges that come out of nowhere.

They're not finger prints. I've tested this on both knives. The Scimitar barely even shows prints, while the VG shows them very clearly and very dark.

I now have what seems to be rust already forming on the underside of the thumbstud, and the blade has only been in water once, for a brief second to get this black stuff off.

Another weird thing is the Scimitar is easy to wipe off. The blade steel feels very smooth. The VG is hard to whipe off and the steel feels really rough sort of.

The only difference is that I got the VG from New Graham Knives, and the Scimitar from Cold Steel.

IS there something wrong with my blade? Could the finishing layer of protection (im assuming they even do this) have not been added to the VG? Or is the perfectly normal?

Im hopping Eezox and Flitz will fix this up, but I haven't bought them yet. Help!
 
Some blades are polished, some are bead blasted, and some are satin finished. A polished finish is easy to wipe off and less prone to rust, but it shows scratches pretty badly. It also costs more to manufacture.

You can polish a blade yourself. How much work it'll take depends on how rough the factory finish is and how hard the steel is....
 
One of my two Voyagers has darkened slightly over the years. the hollow grind on the tanto blade is just a tiny bit mottled. I think it looks neat. I carry it often jogging, and occasionally use it for food prep (soft tomatoes, etc.) when I want a really, really keen edge. The blade on my other Voyager, the 4" clip, shows some scratches from use but hasn't darkened at all. They both cut like a screaming witch, to quote Ethan Becker, and the coloration doesn't affect their function at all.:D
 
Well guys, both are AUS8A steel. I think the Scimitar is more highly polished though. I hope flitz can get this rust out. :/

What Im asking is, has anyone else had this "problem", or is this normal?

WHo else has a VG and another CS knife they could compare to?
 
Aus-8 generally does not rust unless you soak it in seawater or some sort of highly acidic solution. Are the marks water stains? is your sweat Ph level low? or maybe you live in an area with hard water... most metals are magnetic to a certain degree and metals in hard water could collect. Also, is your water treated with chlorine? Chlorinated water will discolor or rust a blade pretty fast... there are so many possibilities that it's impossible to tell unless we have a better idea of what the discoloration looks like, and what the knife goes through during the day.
 
The knife goes through nothing during the day. I don't cut at all with it and I never touch the blade.

Its not discolored persay. Its just hard to rub out finger prints. One has to "scrub" them out. Im not sure of th pH of my sweat, sorry.

I will try to scan a picture of it vs. the Scimitar soon.
 
It's starting to get humid over here on the East Coast (though it's nothing compared to the daily 100% humidity in Hong Kong). I bet it's pretty dang nasty down there in Georgia, isn't it?

Summer is Tuf-Cloth season. :) It's worked rather well for me in the past, but this year I might try Renaissance Wax (perhaps on top of a coat of Tuf-Glide) on any knives I don't plan on using.
 
You bet Alpha. And I have to rake leaves tommorow in it! Blech!

I heard Tuff Glide wasn't good for knives? Or people didn't prefer it?

Im really taken with Eezox myself. I like the idea of having an "all-in-wonder" product. It cleans, protects, and lubricates!

I think Im even starting to rub off the "Cold Steel" and "Vaquero Grande" words on my VG!! I hope this isn't a bad sign. I don't really care about them, I just want to make sure my knife is ok, and if its something I can fix!
 
Originally posted by Fireshaker
\Its just hard to rub out finger prints. One has to "scrub" them out.
Click to expand...

Fingerprints are essentially oils, so any petroleum based lube or protectant will take them off, or an emulsifier like soap and water. scrubbing dry or with just water never takes oil off completely.
 
I have had my VG for about 6 months now and have cut everything with it, meat, wood , paper, rope, me, etc. And the blade has not stained at all. I don't know what's up with yours. Have you contacted CS about this?
 
No. The blade is not stained at all. Its just harder to get the fingerprints out of it. It doesn't feel or look as polished as the Scimitar.

The steel near the handle of the VG behind the thumbstud is a little black. At first I thought that this could be some sort of oil or lubricant of some kind.

I dont think I can send the knife back after this period of time, and I don't think NGK would change it out with another. Although I haven't cut anything with it.

Im not really sure what to do. :/
 
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