proper care of carbon steel

Hero

Hero

Joined
Dec 29, 2001
Messages
35
Hello,

I am interested in getting a small fixed blade for every day carry. I would say I take decent care of my blades, but I don't baby them and have no desire to have to. I really like Steve Corkum's blades. My problem is that I have never had a straight carbon steel blade, so I really don't know how to care for it or what to expect. This knife will be carried in my waist band so it will experience some extra moisture.

What do I have to do to keep this blade from rusting? I am sure I will hear some responces regarding tuf-cloth. How long does one sheet (12x12)last, and how often to reapply? Is this all I would have to do or is there more? Would I be better off just getting a stainless?

I've heard of carbon steel gettng a patina which I have understood to be a form of corrosion, but not as bad as the orange stuff, and in fact helps to prevent the orange stuff. I know that there was a previous thread about putting a patina on a blade, but is there an easy way for a common idiot to do this? Would I want to?

Bottom line: Is a carbon steel blade really worth all this trouble, or am I making it out to be more trouble than it is?

Thank you for all your forthcoming help!

Drew
:)
 
Well thats a good question, some makers will tell you yes some will tell you no. Depends on what that maker gets use to using and makes most. I would say that you could carry it with no proplems and tuf-cloth will work, but you dont want to constantly have to do that ither. I would get some wax it works better than any oil and it stays with a knife prity well. Good luck with it anyway.
 
I am fortunate, I have oily skin, all I have to do is rub the side of my nose, then the blade and no problem. I rarely do that simply because the blade that I carry every day has never had any rust on it in seven years. Just don't wash it in soap and water then leave it wet. Any oil, even off of the dipstick of the engine of my pick up will work I used that trick after spending half a day wet to my waist cutting a stray board out of an irrigation headgate. Your blade won't selfdestruct, a small spot of rust won't ruin it, use it, sharpen it and enjoy it. Vaseline, olive oil, or fat from the animal you dress out all work well. The mountain men were famous for using their knife to cut meat from a roast, wipe the blade off on the grass and replace it in its sheath.

Some leathers are bad, a waxed leather had proved better in my experience. Neatsfoot oil does not hurt your knife and can negate some of the bad influence of some tanning methods. Some makers wax their sheaths, ask them when you purchase the knife.
 
I agree with Ed. A good carbon steel knife is no more work to maintain than a good firearm or any other tool.
 
I recommend Tuf-Cloth, it is simple and straight forward. I have also used clove oil without any problems. May be the better way to go if that blade comes in contact with food. I could be wrong, I'm not a toxicologist. Non-stainless is easier to take care of than people think. Its been done successfully for many hundreds of years. It's really no big deal.

-Jason
 
same remarks as the others But
I would say, get it mirror polished though, it
will be much easier to keep clean.
I still have my first one I made over 25 years ago
it's a little darker but no rust and I hunt with it every year.
and worn it every day for years too.
deer fat works great.
OMC makes a fogging oil that is Great
it will last you years on one or two knives.
about $7.00 a can
 
Years ago I received a call from a man who stated that he worked in a liposuction clinic and had found the absolute perfect anti rust substance. He stated he could not reveal his name or where it was, but talk about recycling! When you think about it, the higher up the evolutionary tree, like the marvelous sperm whale oil we used to be able to buy, the better the properties of the fat or available oil.

As an experiment I placed some human fat (from a cyst) on a blade that was in a leather scabbard that rusted blades instantly. The blade has not rusted in 4 years.
 
Jason: I know, but it works. I just looked at the blade with the rust problem, 4 years and still no rust and the blade has been in the sheath that eats blades.
 
I've found the best way to keep rust off is to keep using the blade and then just wipe it off when done. A little oil never hurts though - even if it's residue from the sharpening stone...

Ed,
I'm getting visions of you in a scene from "Fight Club". :) Good tip though. I found another trick by accident. I left a 1084 monosteel blade in Ferric Chloride until it corroded a pretty uniform dark grey surface on the knife. That seemed to work pretty well for keeping the rust off. I did oil it though and I think the ferric finish traps and holds oil better. I guess you could say it's kind of like the brown finish they used to do on gun barrels when blueing was too expensive.

BTW - I wonder how black bear fat would work...

Tim
 
This year I got my first hand made blade that I ordered, a MEUk from Allen Blade. It is in O1 steel, and I have ahd NO problems. It does have a laquer on it, which helps. But the edge, where rust can "easily" form, has had NO problems.

I am readign Bo bergman's knfie makign book right now, adn I agree with what he says. Tales of how easy carbon steel rusts are overrated. Keep the knife dry, and you'll have NO problems. Go ahead and cut veggies or meat in the kitchen with it, but don't let it sit out wet. All you haev to do is wipe the blade dry, and you're fine!
 
You are correct, the rust ussue has been highly over stated and many worry about what a little care will prevent. I still use my grndfathers hatchet, no rust on it, the other grandfathers Mod. 95 Winchester and no rust on it either, that is about 80 years use out of carbon steel, rust free.

From what I hear, and its true I'm sure, Liver Eating Johnson never had any problems with rust on his blades. Wonder what he used?
 
I agree that this rust thing with carbon blades is way overstated. I use carbon blades and when I finish using one I just wipe it off. If I store it for longer that a month or so, I just put any oil on it to prevent rust. I have never had a carbon blade to rust one speck!
I have observed a couple of hunting buddies who wipe down their stainless steel blades more than I do.
 
Hello folks ,I made carbon steel knives for several years but quit because of the rust factor ,I have a friend that turned me on to this stuff and it works if applyed right it's called Sweet Shooter mainly for Guns but Bill the fellow who owns the site showed me how to apply it to Knives you must heat with a hair dryer then apply and do this 3 to 4 times and it leaves an invisible film on it I have a 1095 knife I made and stored in the sheath in my show bag since july 2001 Just to test it every so often I pull it out cut a little with it and wipe it off with an old rag and put it up ,I have yet to have it rust , http://www.tecrolan.com/ is the site , I dont get nothing for telling you this and it's not an add ,I am just telling you it has worked for me ,I will say it is not as great of a anti friction Lube as I have found but it does work great for Knives ;)
 
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