Say Goodbye to Decarb

Horn Dog

Horn Dog

Joined
Sep 9, 2005
Messages
4,363
I had let my Busse Sarsquatch CE rust. I buffed off the rust with Scotchbrite, but that funky dark "decarb" layer just had to go. So today I sanded it with an 80 micron belt. Not a true satin finish (after all, it is a competition model), but brighter and hopefully, less prone to rust.
Here it is along side my new SOD LE for comparison.
SOD005.jpg

It still chops as well as it ever did, of course.
SOD008.jpg
 
Turned out sweet and looks to be scary sharp, very nice.

Thanks for sharing
Helle
 
Thanks. I'm happy with it. My Scotchbrite wheels just couldn't cut all that dark decarb layer, but a bit of sanding did the trick.
 
Looks good. :thumbup: I've been meaning to do that to mine, but I usually take the HF grinder out on the back deck for knife work. Didn't get it done before winter set in. :grumpy:
 
resinguy said:
Looks good. :thumbup: I've been meaning to do that to mine, but I usually take the HF grinder out on the back deck for knife work. Didn't get it done before winter set in. :grumpy:
Click to expand...

You too? Last night was the coldest this season here on the Georgia coast, about 25F or so. Today was sunny and in the 40s, so out on the back porch I went for a little sanding session. Too nice here to stay inside. I just had to get out some.
 
hey guys:D

i feel like a moron for asking this question but why is the Decarb layer put on the knife if removing it is standard practice?

and again.....i am sorry for the NEWBish question,:o
 
From what I read on this forum, a layer of decarbonized steel forms on the blade surface during the heat treating process. It is not something they "put" on the blade, it is just a byproduct of the heat treating process. At least that is my limited understanding of it.
 
Horn Dog said:
From what I read on this forum, a layer of decarbonized steel forms on the blade surface during the heat treating process. It is not something they "put" on the blade, it is just a byproduct of the heat treating process. At least that is my limited understanding of it.
Click to expand...

Jerry couldn't have said it better!:thumbup:

.
 
Thanks, Solstice. I was hoping I got it right. In any case, none of my more polished INFI blades have had the rust problems I had with the CE model, so maybe this will help.
 
So is the 'decarb' actually iron oxides? Because 'decarb' sounds like carbon involved, and other than the carbon attracting water vapor molecules and causing rust carbon should'nt be a problem on the steel surface. Would'nt it make a 'coating' of sorts, and prevent rusting? I hear it's a B''ch to get off the surface, so that sure sounds durable to me.
 
I barely survived chemistry class. But if I remember correctly, rust is caused by iron being oxidized. If the surface layer carbon is burnt off during the heat treat, maybe it is more like iron left behind on the surface. One thing I can say for sure is that the "decarb" layer rusts very easily and INFI does not.
 
Horn Dog said:
I barely survived chemistry class. But if I remember correctly, rust is caused by iron being oxidized. If the surface layer carbon is burnt off during the heat treat, maybe it is more like iron left behind on the surface. One thing I can say for sure is that the "decarb" layer rusts very easily and INFI does not.
Click to expand...

By jove, I think he's got it!
 
The decarb layer is normally removed in the process of finishing the knife up and making it more pretty. Since these are meant to be left ugly beaters, they did not spend the extra time and expense of cleaning the blades and spiffing them up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top