SK-5 Corrosion Resistance?

M

missin_hobo

Joined
Aug 9, 2007
Messages
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I was wondering if anybody has used an SK-5 blade in a humid environment or wilderness environment for an extended period. Does the stuff take up rust fast? What if there is citric acid or blood involved?
 
From what I understand, SK5 is roughly the Asian equivalent of American 1080, can will rust quite easily if not cared for properly (like cleaning the blade off when you're done using it).
 
That's what I was thinking. I knew that SK5 was basically 1080, but I have no experience with 1080.
It's not that I mistreat my tools, either, but I am a scatterbrained and disorganized person - if I take a carbon steel blade out into the bush, I'm worried that I might not clean it thoroughly enough, or leave it someplace where it gets rained on or otherwise exposed to corrosion.
Has anybody had some real experience with how this steel rusts?
 
take a small amount of break-free clp (or similar) in a small twist-top container (such as one issued to care for military fireams) with you..weighs virtually nothing and apply every so often.

wipe down and dry the blade as best you can before applyng a light coat and you should be OK.
 
The SK-5 blades are all coated if I'm not mistaken, so you only have to worry about the edge.

Clean the blade thoroughly after you're done and make sure its dry.

A good way to clean a blade if you don't have access to water is to chop up some dry wood.

If its stained with plant sap, wet wipes will clean it right up.
 
Buffalohump said:
The SK-5 blades are all coated if I'm not mistaken, so you only have to worry about the edge.
Click to expand...
IIRC the new blades in SK-5 from Cold Steel don't have a coating anymore. The Gurkha Kukri, the Trail Master and the Laredo Bowie are all uncoated, but I'm not sure bout the Recon Scout. The coating went, prices went up a little...
 
The mora's from Hultafors are also not coated.

Hultaforskolstlskniv.jpg


~Paul~
 
the best way to control rust build up on a plain old carbon blade is to use it every single day!
another time tested method is by sticking the blade into soft dirt a couple of times.
it is by no means a pretty sight for a brand new knife as it means having to treat the blade as a hard used tool.
it's certain to scratch up the blade's surface but when you're out in the field with no oil or metal polish, you learn to make do with natural elements like fine tightly packed soil.
and lastly, it certainly pays to hone the edge right after that.
btw, the surface of human facial skin has some oil and if one so wishes to "oil" the edge one can always try rubbing some on! <lol>
 
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