RC knives and rust.

S

SDD

Joined
Feb 19, 2009
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164
I wanted to share this with you guys so you have a real life experance to show how RC knives handle rust.

I live in Hawaii so rust is a constant problem that I battle with every day. One day my brother and I decided to pratice with our knives on a old stirafoam bodyboard. We used our usual EDC knives and praticed deploying them and cutting/stabbing the old bodyboard. Among the knives we used were 2 RC-3s. The next day I pull my RC3 out to look at it and I am shocked at what I see. The edge had rust covering the entire legth of the blade. I quickly grabbed my bros RC and the same thing had happened to it. I thought for a bit then quickly busted out my sharpener and tried to sharpen the rust out. It didn't really appear to work at first but by the 3rd time resharpening it I finaly had a edge that would cut. After use while hiking and camping all of the rust came off and my RC3 is one of my blades that I can now get scary sharp.

Incase you were woundering the reason our blades got rusty was the bodyboard had been in the ocean and the salt was still in the stirafoum. Also the rat logo always rusts on my knifes because it's always wet here and there isn't much I can do about it but I don't care cuz most of my knifes are users and they went to look like they were used!

Sorry if so words are misspelled cuz i'm typing this on a itouch.


I hope this helps in some way or form.

Thanks,
SDD
 
Seriously, a used knife is a loved knife. Think of all those beautiful knives sitting in cases without any "love marks" on them! :D
 
It is what it is. 1095 rusts--especially around salt water. That is why the coating is so important on the RC knives.

If it bothers you you need to keep it cleaned and oiled after use.
 
The only time I really worry about rust is when I'm cutting up food. I get off as much as I can and then tell people it's peprika.

Paprika_powder.jpg
 
I too live in an area heavy with moisture. I have yet to get rust on my 1095 blades, I sit down over beers and oil all my knives nightly with gun oil or mineral oil
 
shotgunner11 said:
I think that's pretty much every mans lifes goal.

Least it should be.
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Sorry, couldnt resist posting my dumb ass comment when I read your post.

I never saw any rust on my RC knives, I have 9 and use 2 as EDCs, no rust on any. I have quite a few knives in the safe and I never noticed any rust on them, I never use them. I dont live near the beach, but I also dont spray them w/oil (but I do wipe them down before storing).
 
After doing the RAT challenge yesterday in the rain, today I drew my RC-6 and noticed rust spots. I quickly threw some REM oil on and "messaged" it ALL over the blade and handle. :)

Thinking about using some steel wool to "gently" scape off the rust.

Suggestions?


P.S. Think I am going to start keeping an thin film of mineral oil on all my blades from now on, I don't think that would hurt.
 
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PastorMarko said:
After doing the RAT challenge yesterday in the rain, today I drew my RC-6 and noticed rust spots. I quickly threw some REM oil on and "messaged" it ALL over the blade and handle. :)

Thinking about using some steel wool to "gently" scape off the rust.

Suggestions?


P.S. Think I am going to start keeping an thin film of mineral oil on all my blades from now on, I don't think that would hurt.
Click to expand...

mineral oil is super cheap, 2 bucks and will last you a loooong long time. the other 2 dollars you should spend is on 3m green scrounge pads. they take the rust off without touching the metal or the finish.
 
3m green pads, will do it right now, thanks Payette Rucker.


P.S. Did not even take 2 minutes, worked GREAT, looks good as new, thanks again :)
 
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PayetteRucker said:
mineral oil is super cheap, 2 bucks and will last you a loooong long time. the other 2 dollars you should spend is on 3m green scrounge pads. they take the rust off without touching the metal or the finish.
Click to expand...

green scotchbrite pads WILL affect the finish on knives--it's just pretty fine grit. Don't try using it on mirror finishes, as it WILL scratch it up. On satin finish its fine.

When I worked polishing yacht components the green scotchbrite grinding disc was the last step before we went to 400 and 600 grit sandpaper. Then it was up to the polishing wheel.
 
I had a rust issue just this last weekend, SCUBA certification, I used Break-free gun cleaning solvent and a brass brush twice, then remington 40-X bore cleaning solvent and a brass brush twice, after letting it set for 5-8min each. now I just need to sharpen the deep "spots" out and hit it with some oil and it should be good.
 
Knives rust when you don't take proper care of them! Just throw a lil mineral oil on your blade after usage, and you will never have a rust problem. Of course, this is just my experience with 1095...
 
Use Sentry Marine Tuf Cloth to prevent rust - rub it on the etchings and the edge if necessary.

Use Eagle One Nevr-Dull Wadding Polish for removing rust. It does the trick every single time without effort or fail. (I buy this stuff at Wal-Mart in the automotive section.)

If you use the former, you won't need the latter. But having it never hurts.
 

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I have a little tin with a small peice of cloth in it that's saturated with olive oil. I wipe my blades down at the end of the day or anytime I get them wet.

I grew up on the east coast, on the atlantic and now I'm on the gulf coast so I've always lived in semi-tropical locales and always used carbon steel. Never had a rust problem. I've had some rust on my blades, but it's never been a problem.
 
I've had my rat knives a few weeks now and I haven't seen any rust on them. and I haven't oiled them or anything just washed them and wiped them dry when they get dirty and/or wet. I will probably get some rust eventually but i want to see how long it takes before I see any signs of it.

edit: it has come in contact with oil during sharpening but that is of course wiped off after the sharpening to get any filings off, but that might have helped a little. (plus it's fairly dry up here)
 
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Location is huge, the weather and ammount of salt in your environment has everything to do with the rate of rust, or if your knife will even rust at all. If I were still in florida I'd soak everything in vinnegar and patina it.
 
I see recommendations/"swear-bys" for various oils to protect knife steel--mineral oil, olive oil, rem oil, and in another subforum even a few thumbs-up for camellia oil. Even a few shoulder shrugs of approval for WD-40 or 3-in-1 here and there. When it comes down to it, does it make that much objective difference, or is it personal preference? Has anybody encountered a common type of oil that has NOT protected their knives?
 
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