Maintenance of steel liners?

solphilos

solphilos

Joined
Oct 17, 2009
Messages
1,076
Hey gentleman, I have a few questions about steel liners and how to keep them rust free.

I have a #15 boys knife in ebony and inside the liners I'm getting spots of rust. I spray it out with wd-40 at the end of each work day and keep it lubed with mineral oil, but whatever steel is used for the liners seems way more prone to rust than the 1095 and it keeps occurring. For whatever reason though bolsters are still shiny and show no signs of patina or discoloration.

Honestly I'm kind of enjoying the weathered look its taking on, but my biggest concern is what could be developing under the covers, where I cannot reach.

Any advice fellas?
This is my first and only all steel knife so this is a new thing for me.
 
Dry it out by running a dry cloth or paper towel through it if it gets wet. Oil after use, wipe off the excess with the folded over corner of a paper towel and run the piece through the blade trough to get some oil on the liners and spring. That helps keep rust away, but if its not stainless it will patina and spotted.
 
I noticed the same thing going on a few years ago with one of my GEC boy's Knives. Since then I started using a 9mm (2"X2") gun patch that is saturated in 3-In-One oil, which I fold over the half of an old credit card, I just run this back & forth in the blade well in an attempt to coat the liners and backspring.

I remember seeing a test online about rust preventing properties of different oils, and old 3-In-One did pretty good. I have some, so that's why I've used it, and it does seem to be working. I have a couple zip lock bags that I keep with these oil-soaked patches inside. The other one has a few with mineral oil that I'll use to wipe the blades with when putting a knife away for a while.
 
My steel liner #15 had a couple rust spots forming too. I cleaned it up then sprayed the blade wells with graphite spray. It dries leaving a thin coating. It’s barely noticeable except where the rust spots had been, on those it’s pretty black as it fills in the pits and stays there. I’ve since used it in a couple other knives as necessary when any rust spots appear. So far has stopped any further rust without any reapplication or care other than making sure they’re not put away wet.

On a side note, I also spray my truck wheels with it, it lasts all summer and a decent way through winter, (Winnipeg so winter is at least 6 months of snow) before I need to clean them up and do it again. Touch ups after washing, redo if I pressure wash.
 
I clean the wells with a folded over alcohol swab and run it through there with the tip of a paper clip to scrape any stuck on spots.

I them take a sunshine cloth (rag loaded with polish compound) and use the same paper lip to polish the inside the best I can. Usually if I clean it with the rubbing alcohol on a regular basis, that is enough.
 
You can take a pipe cleaner in a loop with a small amount of metal polish on it, this will clean off the rust spots. Take another loop to clean it off and oil it or wax solvent.

However, steel liners and rust spots are a fact of life.....which is why all stainless construction gets my vote. and why not? You could have a carbon blade and all stainless liners and springs.
 
GE Jr said:
I noticed the same thing going on a few years ago with one of my GEC boy's Knives. Since then I started using a 9mm (2"X2") gun patch that is saturated in 3-In-One oil, which I fold over the half of an old credit card, I just run this back & forth in the blade well in an attempt to coat the liners and backspring.

I remember seeing a test online about rust preventing properties of different oils, and old 3-In-One did pretty good. I have some, so that's why I've used it, and it does seem to be working. I have a couple zip lock bags that I keep with these oil-soaked patches inside. The other one has a few with mineral oil that I'll use to wipe the blades with when putting a knife away for a while.
Click to expand...
I recall seeing a similar test somewhere online a few years ago. I remember that mineral oil didnt score that well, so I may have to give 3-in-1 a try.

spyderg said:
My steel liner #15 had a couple rust spots forming too. I cleaned it up then sprayed the blade wells with graphite spray. It dries leaving a thin coating. It’s barely noticeable except where the rust spots had been, on those it’s pretty black as it fills in the pits and stays there. I’ve since used it in a couple other knives as necessary when any rust spots appear. So far has stopped any further rust without any reapplication or care other than making sure they’re not put away wet.

On a side note, I also spray my truck wheels with it, it lasts all summer and a decent way through winter, (Winnipeg so winter is at least 6 months of snow) before I need to clean them up and do it again. Touch ups after washing, redo if I pressure wash.
Click to expand...

I've always been curious about graphite as a knife lube, never considered it as protection, good tip. Is the kind that you see in the auto parts stores with the spray lubricants?
Will Power said:
You can take a pipe cleaner in a loop with a small amount of metal polish on it, this will clean off the rust spots. Take another loop to clean it off and oil it or wax solvent.

However, steel liners and rust spots are a fact of life.....which is why all stainless construction gets my vote. and why not? You could have a carbon blade and all stainless liners and springs.
Click to expand...

I am a hundred percent onboard with stainless liners, bolsters and springs. I do like the uniform look of all steel construction with a good patina, but it is somewhat more troublesome than brass.
 
I find that a 1-1 1/2" natural bristle paint brush is a good tool for getting lube into tight spots on knives or guns. The natural bristles soak up the oil & one drop goes a long way.
 
I'll have to go through my "collection" to see if I have more than one with steel liners.
Off hand, I can only think of one, an Ulster #10 Barlow. I need to look at the tang stamp chart again ... I don't remember how old it is. I know it is from the 1950's or 1960's, though.
To be honest, I never paid any attention to the liners.
I just looked at them. To my vintage antique eyes that need new bifocals ... It appears they have a patina ... and maybe a couple specks of rust.
The back springs have a patina, with no rust.

Maybe I'll clean up the liners to get rid of any red rust, and wipe down with grapefruit juice or vinegar to restore the patina on the liners.
 
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I've always been curious about graphite as a knife lube, never considered it as protection, good tip. Is the kind that you see in the auto parts stores with the spray lubricants?


Yes, I get mine from Canadian tire as they have the best price here. Off the top of my head I don’t recall which brands I’ve used but I’ve tried a couple and they preform the same.
 
Qtip is my solution, and just being ok living with some patina and rust. Its a good way to overcome obsessive compulsive disorder
 
I have a container of 3in1 oil, all my folders get a bath in it for an hour or so, and then i clean drain and clean off the excess oil, If i can dissemble the knife i use a tuf-cloth on all metal as when it dry`s it`s not sticky so no dirt/dust will stick.

In a humid climate where your knife can go rusty overnight on your night stand, I read that a guy use to drop his folding knife in a container of mineral oil when he came home from work.
 
Here's a quote from Mike @knifeswapper that I found interesting:

"Over time I have tested / used many different products to prevent / remove oxidation. If you want to test some products for oxidation prevention, treat several blades with different treatments and put on a paper plate in a ziploc with a cap full of iodine. You'll know pretty quick what works and what doesn't".

I've been using a bottle of Seal1 that I got from Mike and I've had good results all summer long but I haven't actually tested it yet in any conclusive manner. I need to quit lollygaggin' around and give Mike's suggestion a try. I'd like to know if Seal1 prevents corrosion as good as I think it does.

I also use Renaissance Wax. Might as well test that too while I'm at it.
 
Railsplitter said:
Here's a quote from Mike @knifeswapper that I found interesting:

"Over time I have tested / used many different products to prevent / remove oxidation. If you want to test some products for oxidation prevention, treat several blades with different treatments and put on a paper plate in a ziploc with a cap full of iodine. You'll know pretty quick what works and what doesn't".

I've been using a bottle of Seal1 that I got from Mike and I've had good results all summer long but I haven't actually tested it yet in any conclusive manner. I need to quit lollygaggin' around and give Mike's suggestion a try. I'd like to know if Seal1 prevents corrosion as good as I think it does.

I also use Renaissance Wax. Might as well test that too while I'm at it.
Click to expand...
Interesting. I take it iodine is corrosive to carbon steels? Thanks for the tip, I'll have to give this a try. If anything should prove science experiment
 
I bought a bunch of these cheap little Hand Brand disposable knives about 15 years ago. I think I bought 250 of them for like $8 and I still have 20 or so left. They are very cheaply made but the blades are carbon steel. I plan to use these for my testing.

IMG_4318.JPG
 
I have tried many different oils and such, but nothing works better than my old faithful, Quick Release! Never had any issues with rust using QR. Just ordered 3 new bottles.
 
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