Rust on a New Cold Steel Knife

G

Gypsy

Joined
Aug 9, 2000
Messages
43
I just received a Cold Steel Trail Master Carbon V Steel knife. The company I ordered it from had to back order it so it is right from Cold Steel. It has some surface rust on the blade. I wiped it with a Tuf Cloth and it removed the rust but I am left with dark stains ( and slightly ruff) whwere the rust was. Cold Steel enclosed a warning with the knife basicly saying that it will rust and that it is not covered by warranty.
I doubt that I can send it back. I have 2 questions:

1. What is a good way and what does a peson use to remove rust and the left over ruffnes?
I don't have any power tools such as buffer, sander, or grinder. It'll have to be some method by hand.

2. What do you think about rust already on a brand new knife?
 
Unfortunate about the rust, but it will not affect the utility of the blade in the least. Most of my carbon steel knives eventually darken to a smooth patina. You might try a dremel tool with a buffing wheel and a dab of chromium dioxide honing compound or rouge to lightly polish off any rust.
 
Normally orange rust comes off really easily, you can often wipe it off with a cloth and at worse a worn scotchbrite pad, however black rust is much more difficult to remove, but except for cosmetic reasons there is no reason to take that off anyway.

However if you want to, you are going to need a decent abrasive, sandpaper is a minimum in order to remove a significant amount of blade oxide. With light discolorations like waterspots sometimes a polish like Flitz can help. But if you have significant black patches and want to remove them, they must be sanded off.

The other alternative is to use an acid, HCL will take rust off quickly and there are products like Navel Jelly that contain acids as the active ingredients that will remove both types of Iron Oxide. Working with acids requires care and can damage other parts of the knife and you if you are not careful.

If you are paying full price for a blade you have the right to expect NIB condition, if you don't get it you should be entitled to a refund, or a replacement if you want. Of course, Carbon V rusts readily, if this is a using knife, keeping it spotless is not going to be trivial.

-Cliff
 
I use a product called 'Nevr-Dull.' It works on steel as well as brass and copper. Before you try 'acid etching,' try the simple stuff. BTW, I hear CS makes that knife in stainless, but I don't know if it cuts like the Carbon-V version.--OKG
 
The warranty should only come into effect once you receive the knife. You cannot be responsible for any "wear" before it reaches you. Would you keep the blade if it were already pitted?

Contact your dealer -- any respectable dealer should replace or refund it.
 
Thanks for the input everybody. I emailed them for a return authorization. I realize that this type of steel will rust eventually, but I figure if I'm paying for a new knife I want one that looks new. I don't care if it rusts later, at least it's my rust then. I am sure that if I get a refund, I'll just buy the same knife from a more reputable source. The Trail Master is one nice big knife! Thanks
 
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