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Rust!

D

DrSpine

Joined
Oct 25, 2001
Messages
112
I was looking at the blade of my AR and noticed some rust spots. The funny thing is that the spotting is only on the dark tiger-stripe portion of the blade and not on the bead blast portion. Is this because the darkened portions have a high carbon content? I keep my blades maintained with break free and tuffcloth.

Roger
 
I have never seen a spot of rust on my AR yet. I clean them the same way as you do. I did notice small spots of rust on my Buck/Strider SP though but that was after a 2 week camping trip in Florida Key West area! What type of climate are you in? What did the AR come into contact with before you saw rust spots?

J
 
Dr. Spine,

Could it have been that you have been sharpening your blade using a metal based sharperner or had been chopping up some metal with your AR? Sometimes the residual cules of metal can rust very rapidly, maying it look like it was your blade that was rusting.

2cents
Shelby
 
I have never sharpened the blade. The only thing it has ever cut is a Christmas Roast, but it was cleaned right after. I live in LA, CA and with exception to the damn smog, the weather is fine. I'm not pissed or anything, I just wanted to know if the spotting may be due to the darkened areas being "carburized" (spelling) or something like that?!?!/I remember reading somewhere that after heat treating, a layer of carburization is left on the surface of the steel. I'm guessing that this layer may be susceptible to rusting more than the other areas, which would explain only the dark areas being spotted and the bead-blasted areas clean. Guys! It's still my favorite knife! I just wanted to know about the dark tigerstripe areas.
 
I was camping in a weekend of all rain all the time along the ocean and found a few spots of orange on my MFS (stonewashed finish). I had handled and used it for about 6 months, including a couple of re-wraps of the handle. Duane recommended a product they use, LPS-3 but I didn't get any, so I cleaned it and applied Corosion X, which he said they are testing. Too soon to tell for this treatment, but be on the lookout, ATS 34 is not rust proof.

Paul
 
Dr. Spine,
In evaluating our trademarked Tiger Stripe finish, we discovered the findings that you are speaking of.
The black area you are referring as carburization is more correctly referred to as "heat tintinting". It is actually oxidation (a stage of rust). I am not trying to sound condescending, I just wish to answer your excellent question completely.
The blackening of the surface occurs in tempering when oxygen is present at high temperatures. This surface oxidation is normal and uniform. (good thing)
If surface interuption were to happen during our hardening cycle, or a non-uniform oxidizing of the tool during our tempering, this would indicate a problem known as decarburization. (bad thing)

The factors that come to play when evaluating corrosion resistance are not that many, however they are complex.
For example:
The corrosion resistance of ATS-34 is partly dependant upon the temperatures used in the tempering procedures. Higher temperatures yield lower corrosion resistance. The reason for this is that at the higher temperature, more of the Chromium is formed into carbides and less is available for corrosion reisitance.
Therefore, the decision to lower the temperature and achieve better corrosion resistance must be weighed against the desired outcome of the tool. By lowering the temperatures and affecting hardness, toughness and wear resistance, you may be making the wrong move for the intended purpose of the tool.
This is an example of just one factor of corrosion resistance and is identified here to point out STRIDER KNIVES Standard Operating Procedures. If we have to sacrifice one facet of our product in order to better accomplish another, we will choose the procedure that will give us the chest pounding, man killing, war tool useage requirements that we demand.
So, to end this horrific, long reply... yep, thats rust.
Wipe the knife down with some oil and drive on.
Duane Dwyer
 
Thanks Duane for the clrification on the terminology. Duane, I'm the person who shares our common interests in Japanese swords! I met you at the SoCal Knife Show last year.

Hope all is well!
 
By the way, The Strider folders are my favorite folding knives. I have 2 ARs, an older Gb and a new GB on the way. One of teh ARs is going to a Navy Captain very soon.
 
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