Rusty Ang Khola

S

Siaharok

Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
12
Howdy. :)

I was away for two weeks. When I returned, I found that my new 15" Ang Khola was spotting all over with rust. I'm pretty sure that I oiled it before leaving, but I can't be sure. In any case, I'm sure I oiled it not long before that. At most, the khukri sat for 1 month without being oiled.

I live in central Florida, which is pretty damp all year round. I'm wondering if anyone else has had similar problems in damp climates. How often should I be oiling it? And are there any special tips on removing rust from an HI Ang Khola?

Thanks in advance.
 
Wow.
I live in Northern Florida about 100 yards from the ocean and have never had a rust problem with my 7 or 8 HI blades.
Is it possible that you put it away wet?
Tree sap stuck to the blade?
Surface rust or pitted?
I'm sure someone will come by shortly to recommend a polish (Flitz, maybe) that will clean them up in no time...(or you can check the FAQ page on the HI website)

And remember the carbon steel lovers' motto; "No Rust, No Trust"... :D
 
There's no way I put it away wet. It's possible that there was tree sap on the blade, but that doesn't explain the rust on the flat. The rust is on the surface.

I did suddenly remember something, however. The last "oiling" was done with butter. I remember reading somewhere that Yangdu uses butter to oil her knives. When I found myself without any oil, I used butter instead. I suppose that could explain the rust. Maybe I read wrong?
 
I'm no expert, but butter just might be the root of the problem here.:D

I wipe down my blades with a gun cleaning rag which, by nature of cleaning a gun, has some oil on it, but I really make little conscious effort to prevent rust. After heavy use which requires cleaning, I will spray them with CLP and wipe them off.

I think it was the butter...


(By the way, I was just going through the pic thread earlier today and wondered if you got the D-Handle you asked about?)
 
It doesn't take much for rust to form. Put a khuk in a wet sheath and you can have rust in under 20 minutes. After each use I clean off my blades and oil them .

That being said oil alone cannot keep moisture at bay. When I wet form a sheath I oil the blade and wrap it with saran wrap. If the saran wrap peels away or the tip cuts through it the exposed blade can rust even though it is covered in oil.

I keep most of my knives in a drawer that has some stick on things usually used in gun cabinets to absorb moisture. They are basically silica gel canisters that have an adhesive for sticking them on a flat surface.
 
ilbruche said:
It doesn't take much for rust to form. Put a khuk in a wet sheath and you can have rust in under 20 minutes. After each use I clean off my blades and oil them .

That being said oil alone cannot keep moisture at bay. When I wet form a sheath I oil the blade and wrap it with saran wrap. If the saran wrap peels away or the tip cuts through it the exposed blade can rust even though it is covered in oil.

I keep most of my knives in a drawer that has some stick on things usually used in gun cabinets to absorb moisture. They are basically silica gel canisters that have an adhesive for sticking them on a flat surface.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah. Once I get rust on a blade the entire thing gets the scotch brite finish. Makes it easy to just scrub the blade with a pad after each use.
 
body fluids can cause rust faster than anything I know of.
were you earning a little cash on the side for the Sopranos?
 
There are actually some people who naturally have excess oxidants and acidic compounds in their skin oils and bodily secretions. Consequently they should never touch carbon steel because it would tarnish in no time at all. That would suck if you want more kukris.
 
one of the components of unclarified butter is water. i'd suspect that was the cause. clarified butter (ghee) used in indian cookery has the watery component (and solids, etc.) removed & would be better, tho i'd not use animal fats unless it was the only stuff available as it tends to go rancid. mineral oil is better, as in baby oil or the unscented laxative version. ballistol would be better.
extra virgin olive oil is another possibility, the romans used it on their weapons. note: CLP and other specialty gun/knife oils are not usually food safe where medical grade mineral oil & ballistol is. vaseline is a thicker form of mineral oil and also works. pure lanolin also works & has been used for oiling weapons for centuries (frequently via lining scabbards with hairy sheepskin with the lanolin still on)
 
I think some butter is partly an emulsion of oil and water. Also, it varies between different butters. When I cut butter (I cook a lot) I some times see tiny droplets of water inside. Mind you I live in the UK and your butter may be different!!! Also, some butter is salted here which will help corrode.
 
After cleaning and drying I coat my blade with Kiwi nuetral shoe polish.
i have never had a rust problem using that.
When i have had a water saturated wood sheath, i dried it out and filled it with mineral oil overnight.
There are food grade oils if You use Your blade for food preperation.
 
I wipe mine down with a silicone cloth seems to work well. These are carbon steel, and I've had my user start to rust only a couple hours after chopping some wood with it. My primary user, I just scrubbed with scotch brite and put a lime juice and cold blue patina on it. No problems, even if left wet, after that. Oh, and I live about 9 miles from the Atlantic ocean.
 
I usually just spray my blade with a little WD40, or CLP when that's not available.

I do a lot of AR15 shooting, and I have a lot of CLP stocked.

Any small rust spots appear, they get Flitzed.
 
Some butter has salt in it. Remember tho these blades were truck springs in another incarnation. Use it, clean it, let a patina develop & be happy.

Uplander
 
Just a reminder that the Himalayan Imports website (FAQ) recommends wiping down the blades with a Tuff-Cloth and, if you're going to put them away for awhile, waxing the whole thing (blade, handle, sheath) with Renaissance Wax. A $30 can of Renaissance Wax will last for many years. Although it contains petroleum distillates, it's apparently safe to use on almost anything, including photographs. It's amazing stuff. Both the Tuff-Cloth and the wax can be purchased on eBay.

A month or so ago I was washing off a Khukuri blade in the kitchen sink, and it started to turn slightly brownish within a few minutes of drying it off. The water probably wasn't hotter than 150 degrees F, yet it mildly affected the surface of the blade.

I've also seen a mirror-polished carbon steel blade turn dark blue from brief exposure to blood (using it to carve a rare steak). I wonder if Bruche's blood stained his khuk?
 
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