Leather sheaths and tarnish

[pyro777]

So today I pulled out my buck 112 to put it back into carry and when I pulled it out of the leather sheath I kept it in the brass bolsters were all tarnished up. I have never had this problem with my 110 in a nylon sheath. Is it something about the leather that either tarnishes or lets the brass tarnish. Has anyone else seen this with other knives and leather?

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Acids in the tanning chemicals for the leather will react with the copper in the brass alloy. That's the 'green stuff' in tarnished brass, known as verdigris. You'll also see it on brass rivets on leather sheaths, as well.

The most-often recommended solution is to avoid storing your knives in leather sheaths. Daily use is fine, just don't leave the knife in it for too long.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verdigris

 

[GLDNDomer]

My Buck 110 did that in leather after a couple months of non-use. I just used 0000 steel wool to polish the bolsters, and it looked as good as new. I use mine for fish and game cleaning, so I don't mind if it tarnishes a little bit every once in a while. Twenty years of non-use in a leather sheath will turn a beautiful knife into a bridge troll.

 

[pyro777]

Gooddeal, thanks guys. I just used a little brasso and some pledge and polished it all up nicely. It needed cleaning anyway so now its ready for carrying around. I thought it might have been something in the leather that was causing it. now I know.