My delica in ATS 55.. help

onojoe

onojoe

Joined
Aug 4, 2013
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I have had several delicas over the years, I have lost a couple. I recently gave one of my old users to my son. He works on a fishing boat. Very harsh environment. He brought the knife home for sharpening and there was some surface rust. I thought the steel was VG10 and could handle the salt water, but when I looked at it again, it was ATS 55. I know one of my former Delicas was vg10 and I assumed this one was as well.

Don't know much about ATS 55. Can anyone give me some info on it. I don't see it mentioned much.
 
Google ATS 55 stainless steel, there is a "Brief but Interesting" link about the steel. It had 14% chromium so should be OK around salt water with a minimum of care, like washing it off in fresh water, then drying it. John
 
Seems like it might be a perfect time to get him a Salt! Don't know if you celebrate Christmas but what a great gift for someone who actually needs the H1 attributes.
 
You are absolutely right, problem is he has lost 2 salts already( they are actually sitting in the water under the dock, they are probably still in perfect condition). I gave him the Delica to use until he gets another one. Or I might break down and get him another for Christmas.
craytab said:
Seems like it might be a perfect time to get him a Salt! Don't know if you celebrate Christmas but what a great gift for someone who actually needs the H1 attributes.
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onojoe said:
He brought the knife home for sharpening and there was some surface rust.
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Scratch it off. Seriously.

Years ago, when I was still living in south Florida, I carried an ATS-55 Endura. I'd take it to the beach, fishing, bait-casting, camping ...... all over the place. It would sometimes get tiny rust spots. I'd scratch them off with my thumbnail. Or not.
 
ATS-55 is a stainless steel just like VG-10 but neither will hold up to salt water.

To remove surface rust, first try some automotive metal polish then a scotchbrite pad then some fine steel wool then fine sandpaper as needed.
 
onojoe said:
You are absolutely right, problem is he has lost 2 salts already( they are actually sitting in the water under the dock, they are probably still in perfect condition). I gave him the Delica to use until he gets another one. Or I might break down and get him another for Christmas.
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Well damn! Tis the gift giving season! Lanyard up!
 
I expected some rust, like you said, that could be rubbed or buffed off. Most of it was like that, but there was a spot that definitely had some pitting. Maybe it is just a bad area in the steel. I polished it all off and applied a little oil. We will see what that does.
mnblade said:
Scratch it off. Seriously.

Years ago, when I was still living in south Florida, I carried an ATS-55 Endura. I'd take it to the beach, fishing, bait-casting, camping ...... all over the place. It would sometimes get tiny rust spots. I'd scratch them off with my thumbnail. Or not.
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What does your son do and what does the knife get used for? Perhaps there's a better option that's less likely to go for a swim.
 
The ATS-55 knives I had--a Delica and a Merlin--were both rust magnets. I live about 30 minutes from the coast. I got rid of them as soon as VG-10 became a regular production steel for Spyderco. Haven't had a problem since. For regular salt water use, though, you need a Salt.
 
He works on a 105 ft. sportfishing boat out of San Diego. He is a deckhand/second captain, which means he helps customers catch fish and makes sure the boat is cleaned/maintained. They go out for between 4-16 days but he lost both at the dock. He uses it mostly for EDC type of tasks, cutting line, opening boxes. No filleting or bait cutting, they have dedicated knives for that. I think he just dropped one and it landed on the dock and bounced into the water, I think the second got pulled out of his pocket by something and ended up in the water as well. He has done pretty well with the Delica so far.
ATwistedStaple said:
What does your son do and what does the knife get used for? Perhaps there's a better option that's less likely to go for a swim.
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