s30v rust resistance question.

[Dr sharp]

I have a sebenza with and s30v blade and its never had a hint of rust on it. They say s30v is very very rust resistant. has anyone managed to ever get their s30v a little rusty and how did it happen?

 

[JDBLADE]

Not so far - but that goes for all my SS knives as I look after them.

 

[selfinflicted]

A simple wipe down on a pant leg after use has kept my S30V blade pristine.

 

[jstewart16701]

I use my S30V Military in the kitchen all the time. There have been a couple times when I didn't clean the blade right after using it and it sat all night. It developed little specks of rust, nothing major just little brown spots. They were a PITA to get out both times. In fact you can still see the ones from the last time when the light is right. I believe I was slicing peppers the first time I got them and tomatoes the second. In any case I'm sure had I wiped the blade down right away everything would've been allright.

Jamie

 

[Myakka]

I have used my S30V blades around saltwater alot. The knives show no rust at all!

I really like S30V

 

[SteelDriver]

Susceptibility to corrosion is quite dependent on the surface finish (satin, beadblast, stonewashed, mirror, etc.) I would venture to guess that between 440C, ATS-34/154CM, BG-42, VG-10, and S30V the differences in stain resistance inherent to the steel are less important than the surface finish of the metal (assuming proper HT). Subjected to the same environment, a coarse beadblasted S30V blade will rust before a mirror-polished 440C one even though S30V resists corrosion better than 440C on paper. An improper heat treat will also result in sub-optimal stain resistance. On top of that, pH, salinity, and temperature are just some of the environmental factors involved in rust.

These factors are why you hear stories of <insert stainless here> surviving weeks tropical heat & humidity without a hint of rust and that same steel developing specks after a single day of carry. The best advice seems to be to wipe down your blade after use to keep them as dry and clean as possible, and keep it oiled. Rust very rarely occurs as you're using the knife; it's most common when you leave it wet/dirty and let it dry or stagnate in that condition.

The moral of the story: rely on the 'stainless' property of your steel as a last resort, not your frontline defense against rust.

 

[Will P.]

I agree with Steeldriver on this one. I have a beadblasted Shivworks Loco in S30V that had a hint of corrosion on it. Rust spots are also a biatch to work out of a beadblasted finish.

 

[Brian6244]

What about the "Stone Washed" finish on S30V on the Ritter Grip?

 

[martin j]

stone wash has higher smoothness and resistance to rust then bead blast, it is more expensive but it is also more effective. Chris Reeve made it popular on Sebenzas- it is better then bead blast for corrosion and it also hides scratches better.
Martin

 

[Brian6244]

Thanks for the info

 

[fulloflead]

Susceptibility to corrosion is quite dependent on the surface finish (satin, beadblast, stonewashed, mirror, etc.) I would venture to guess that between 440C, ATS-34/154CM, BG-42, VG-10, and S30V the differences in stain resistance inherent to the steel are less important than the surface finish of the metal (assuming proper HT).

Bingo! Case in point:
I had two knives I was using on a fishing trip in Alaska a while back. One was a satin AUS-6. One was high-polished ATS-34. Same boat, same environment, same water... The AUS-6 one had many rust specs. The ATS-34 one had none.