knife in camp

[Outlaw_Dogboy]

I thought I drop in and write about the usefulness of the Axis 710 during a recent camping trip, and some observations.

I went with some of the youth from my church to the Creation Festival in PA last week/end, and the Axis went along as the main/sole utility knife for the trip. During the trip, it was used to cut hamburgers and hotdogs, slice bread, veggies, and fruit, cut string, open various food packaging (from plastic to cardboard), and it was used as an icepick a couple of times. Overall, the knife worked wonderfully (as one would expect I suppose), and held an excellent edge. It was shaving sharp when the trip started, and will still justshave the hair off my arm.

The one thing that surprised me a little (even after reading of it here in the forums) is how quickly the ATS-34 would pick up little rust spots!

After slicing a little fruit, I wiped the blade veryclean, and even rinsed it a bit with water. Yet, about 25 minutes later when I pulled it out again to cut something else, there was little rust spots starting to show. I looked for any oil to try to protect the blade, but to no avail. After rubbing it vigorously with heavy shirt cloth for a while, most of it faded. But, before the trip was over, the blade had enough little spots on it to cause a noticeable roughness as you rub the blade with your finger. I expect polishing compound and the dremel will take care of it, but I was a little bummed.

I was very pleased with the knife, though, even though it was very light duty. I always felt very confident that the lock would not let go.

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Work hard, play hard, live long.
Outlaw_Dogboy

 

[Doc4570]

Outlaw
It may sound a bit "Beverly Hillbillyish" but a little oil from your
nose/forehead will give you some short term protection.
Especially after rinsing the knife with water.
Doc
P.S. Retrieve the oil with your fingers, not the knifeblade

 

[Chiro75]

That nose oil is good for the lips, too, when in a desperate situation! I have only one knife with ATS-34, but a friend has a bead blasted BM CQC-7 and it rusts very easily. He carries it rarely, but whenever he does he has to clean the rust off it. ATS-34 has a pretty high carbon content, I guess.

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My Custom Kydex Sheath pagehttp://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/knifehome.html
Palmer College of Chiropractic
On Two Wheels

 

[Outlaw_Dogboy]

I forgot to mention it in my first post, but I also had my new BF Native with me in the same camp, for the more light duty chores. Ya know, that CPM440V will rust (or at least tarnish?) a bit, too! I happened to use it to cut through a hot-dog that already had the ketchup and mustard on it, but with my hands full, I didn't wipe the blade off very well, just kinda swiped it over my clothes until later. Well, later came about 45 minutes later, when I remembered that I still needed to give it a good wipe-down/clean. Well, it had some rust spots forming, although they were very tiny, and wiped off more easily than those on the ATS-34.

Back to the ATS-34... I use some jewelers rouge on the polishing wheel of the dremel last night, and got all of the rust off the blade. It it MUCH shinier now, and smoother. Hopefully it will be harder for rust to take hold now. If not, well, in a few more cycles, it will be as shiny as the Moran

.

So, all you BF Native owners out there be sure to take care of that blade

.

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Work hard, play hard, live long.
Outlaw_Dogboy

 

[Big1]

As we all know most stainless will rust to some degree

You said hamburgers. Once the knife had been used taking a bit of hamburger fat and rubbing the blade would have helped. Any cooking oil? Olive oil works very well as does vegetable oil.

Doesn't have to be petroleum.

Were there any cars or other motorized equipment around? A couple of drops off a dipstick?

Just thoughts from many years of knives in less civilized situations.