How To Protect stored blades from rust

milesofalaska

milesofalaska

Joined
Dec 4, 2010
Messages
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I creat nice custom knives with matching sheath. I 'used to' keep knife out of the sheath, but now make enough it is easy to mix up blades and sheaths. Leather sheaths have acids in leather and this tends to rust carbon steel over a month or more. Is there a product other professionals use to protect the steel and srill have it showable or easy to wipe off? I've used a Jantz spray that helps but maybe the blades that rust are ones I forgot to spray, but think not. I might try heating blade a little and bees wax. (?) This might be hard to remove. Issue is to go to a show, get knives out and have rust issues to deal with when the show is busy enough without knives to clean up! No buffer at the show. I like 1084 and 1095, but know carbon steels like to rust. I'm in hopes there is a 'Oh yea you use...(**) No more problem!" Thanks!
 
camelia oil
 
Blade wax…I’ve got a neighbor with a beehive who owes me some honey and beeswax so I’m gonna make my own.
 
I have pure bees wax I was considering. One concern is how easy it comes off and how much might it effect the looks if I pull out a high end knife from the sheath to show a customer and the blade is visibly coated. I suspect a petroleum podcut removes - dissolves wax.... so maybe lighter fluid when I show the knife..... but as one response suggests, "try camellia oil." I bet it's less visible? Another thought would be to somehow treat my leather sheaths to the tanning acid is not so active on the steel. For sure sheath has to be dry! I do wet form the sheath to each blade and it does take time for the sheath to dry. I wonder if anyone wet forms the sheath with an acid neutralizer (backing soda might leave a chalky look) Just want to hear what other knife guys do! (Not just google it! Have you used pure bees wax successfully yet?
 
milesofalaska said:
I have pure bees wax I was considering. One concern is how easy it comes off and how much might it effect the looks if I pull out a high end knife from the sheath to show a customer and the blade is visibly coated. I suspect a petroleum podcut removes - dissolves wax.... so maybe lighter fluid when I show the knife..... but as one response suggests, "try camellia oil." I bet it's less visible? Another thought would be to somehow treat my leather sheaths to the tanning acid is not so active on the steel. For sure sheath has to be dry! I do wet form the sheath to each blade and it does take time for the sheath to dry. I wonder if anyone wet forms the sheath with an acid neutralizer (backing soda might leave a chalky look) Just want to hear what other knife guys do! (Not just google it! Have you used pure bees wax successfully yet?
Click to expand...
Yes I have used pure beeswax. I melt it in a spoon then while it is still soft, I dab some on a blade and rub it all over the blade. I’ll take the blade and run it over the open flame of a lighter or such to smooth it out.
 
I seal my leather sheaths with SnowSeal, inside and out, which is basically beeswax, to prevent them from absorbing moisture. Vaseline is an effective rust preventive, is nontoxic and easy to wipe off.
 
I was a S&W revolver and Case knife collector for several years. I ruined a mint USA green bone Congress handling it and getting a thumb print on it. After that I started using Eezox and Flitz and never had another problem. I kept a Smith 629 I bear hunted with wiped off with Eezox and never had any issues. This gun stayed in a wet leather holster a lot of the time and never had any problems with rust.
 
Household ammonia is a very good base to neutralize acids.
There is sheath leather available that is not acid-tanned.
Camphor blocks have been used by toolmakers for years to prevent rust in their tool boxes.
Neutral paste shoe polish works well-as does car wax.
 
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