Tang Rust Prevention

M

MtnHawk1

Joined
May 22, 2019
Messages
337
I'd like to get recommendations for a quality, long-lasting protectant or sealant that could be put between the scales and tang of high-carbon knives, or on the crack between the scales and tang, that would prevent moisture getting in and causing rust, pitting, and corrosion. I live in an area with a lot of winter rain and snow, which can create a big rust problem for outdoor knives. Most of my handles are micarta or G10 scales so of course I wouldn't want a product that might damage them in some way. Also, since they are removable, I wouldn't want a permanent seal in case I want to switch scales.

I did a search on this subject and saw several suggestions but didn't find one product that most people agree works the best. I am hoping to find some kind of consensus about which product is the best, preferably based on your experience.

Thank you....
 
Google Balistol. I have used it on knives, guns, fishing gear and plenty of other things. Repels moisture and does not gum up. Is also food safe for knife blades.Good Luck.
 
FrogLube is another food-safe gun maintenance product that works for blades. I think it's mostly coconut oil with a wintergreen scent, and I think it comes in a spray version.

You can immerse your knife in 90% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) without harming micarta or G-10. Then, after drying (which occurs quickly), immerse the entire knife in food-grade mineral oil for lubrication and corrosion prevention. You'll want to swab off the oil from the scales with the rubbing alcohol afterwards before carrying or using. Rubbing alcohol and mineral oil can be found cheaply at your local pharmacy.

If corrosion is a big problem, you might be best off periodically disassembling your knife then applying grease in inaccessible areas after cleaning and before reassembling.
 
What brand knives are they? What are you using them for?

Mineral oil if the knives are used around food. For general use I like slip 2000. It is non toxic too but I wouldn’t trust it around food.

I work outdoors and my fixed blade knives get wet and dirty. Moisture under the handle scales in wet or sweaty conditions is inevitable. Applying a light coat of oil with a rag to the tang should help prevent rust underneath the scales. I have found that nothing is full proof. I just periodically remove the scales clean and oil the tang. My main fixed blade is black coated from the factory, it seems to help keep the tang rust free.
 
cudgee, thanks for the Ballistol recommendation. I've heard of it regarding firearm lubrication and protection and will look into it for knife protection. I like that it is food safe.

Pteronarcyd, thanks for your suggestions. I've also heard of FrogLube regarding firearms, and food safe is always a good quality. Regarding soaking the scales in mineral oil, will the oil penetrate to the tang and provide rust protection there?

Your suggestion of applying grease was interesting. I was thinking a solid product might be better for the high level of protection I'm looking for than one in liquid form. Renaissance Wax and Kiwi Neutral Shoe Polish were two products I found in my research that got good recommendations for long-term metal protection.

115Italian, I see we have similar experiences. I mostly have Esee and Swamp Rat knives primarily for outdoor use, from wood chopping to more delicate chores. Even though the tangs are coated, I am a believer in maximizing protection from moisture to prevent its destructive effects on metal. I agree with you that nothing is foolproof but want to use the best product I can for expensive knives that might be used in a survival or emergency situation.

I prefer a long-lasting product so I don't have to remove the scales anymore than I have to. I figure that the less fasteners are removed and reinstalled the longer they'll stay tight. Since whatever product I decide to use will be on the tang and not the blade I'm not so concerned about toxicity, but of course would prefer little or none, just to be on the safe side. I also like and use mineral oil, but thought there might be something better for long-term metal protection.

I recently did a lot of research on the best products for long-term firearm protection and storage and thought M-Pro 7 Gun Oil LPX is the best (as well as being a great lubricant), so that is a possibility as long as it won't harm micarta or G10 in the long-term. Thanks!
 
Last edited:
MtnHawk1 said:
cudgee, thanks for the Ballistol recommendation. I've heard of it regarding firearm lubrication and protection and will look into it for knife protection. I like that it is food safe.

Pteronarcyd, thanks for your suggestions. I've also heard of FrogLube regarding firearms, and food safe is always a good quality. Regarding soaking the scales in mineral oil, will the oil penetrate to the tang and provide rust protection there?

Your suggestion of applying grease was interesting. I was thinking a solid product might be better for the high level of protection I'm looking for than one in liquid form. Renaissance Wax and Kiwi Neutral Shoe Polish were two products I found in my research that got good recommendations for long-term metal protection.

115Italian, I see we have similar experiences. I mostly have Esee and Swamp Rat knives primarily for outdoor use, from wood chopping to more delicate chores. Even though the tangs are coated, I am a believer in maximizing protection from moisture to prevent its destructive effects on metal. I agree with you that nothing is foolproof but want to use the best product I can for expensive knives that might be used in a survival or emergency situation.

I prefer a long-lasting product so I don't have to remove the scales anymore than I have to. I figure that the less fasteners are removed and reinstalled the longer they'll stay tight. Since whatever product I decide to use will be on the tang and not the blade I'm not so concerned about toxicity, but of course would prefer little or none, just to be on the safe side. I also like and use mineral oil, but thought there might be something better for long-term metal protection.

I recently did a lot of research on the best products for long-term firearm protection and storage and thought M-Pro 7 Gun Oil LPX is the best (as well as being a great lubricant), so that is a possibility as long as it won't harm micarta or G10 in the long-term. Thanks!
Click to expand...
No worries mate. That is the great thing about the forum is the wealth of knowledge out there. The main reason i use balistol is, that it is a moisture repellant and does not gum up. It has been around for 100 years, so they must be doing something right. Another thing i love about the forum is, you can get different ideas and experiment. I have read differing ideas about things and experimented and made my own formulas, which have worked out really well. Had some failures too. Any way good luck, you will work out what is best for you.
 
I have taken leather stacked grips off my Marbles knives, treated the tangs with BreakFree CLP and reassembled, but it probably wasn't necessary. I wouldn't worry much about the tangs corroding to a point where the knife was compromised.
 
In my 50+ years of dealing with knives, I have never seen a tang ruined by rust. Pitted, yes. Ruined, not by a long shot.
If the tang is coated already, then no moisture can contact the metal.
 
MtnHawk1 said:
Pteronarcyd, thanks for your suggestions. I've also heard of FrogLube regarding firearms, and food safe is always a good quality. Regarding soaking the scales in mineral oil, will the oil penetrate to the tang and provide rust protection there?

Your suggestion of applying grease was interesting. I was thinking a solid product might be better for the high level of protection I'm looking for than one in liquid form. Renaissance Wax and Kiwi Neutral Shoe Polish were two products I found in my research that got good recommendations for long-term metal protection.
Click to expand...

Water is smaller than any molecule of oil in the mineral oil fraction, so there's always a chance that water can penetrate where mineral oil will not. But, if you degrease with rubbing alcohol first that should get rid of any residual water and immersing the knife in mineral oil should get you max penetration.

The advantage of grease is it stays where you put it. I use Shooter's Choice Synthetic All-Weather High-Tech Grease on my handguns where substantial metal-on-metal contact occurs, such as on their slide rails. I use polished car wax to lubricate my magazines, inside and out, because it works well and doesn't attract dirt and carbon.
 
cudgee, I agree, and thanks! :)

Alberta Ed and Bill DeShivs, thanks for your feedback, but I'd much rather do too much preventive maintenance than too little on knives and other tools which could possibly be used in an emergency or survival situation. If I do the best I can to keep moisture away from knife tangs, an area not usually visible, then I can keep my awareness and concern about this potential problem to a minimum and don't have to try to judge how much rust, pitting, or corrosion is too much.

Pteronarcyd, thanks for the great info! :thumbsup: Very interesting about water molecules being smaller than oil molecules. That's good to know! I've also immersed my wood kitchen knife handles in mineral oil and have been very happy with the long-lasting results.

I've read about people using car wax to protect their knife tangs. I am leaning in the direction of using some kind of wax. It doesn't attract dirt, as you mentioned, and also stays where you put it. Wax would also probably be less messy and less slippery than grease.
 
MtnHawk1 said:
I've read about people using car wax to protect their knife tangs. I am leaning in the direction of using some kind of wax. It doesn't attract dirt, as you mentioned, and also stays where you put it. Wax would also probably be less messy and less slippery than grease.
Click to expand...

Car wax works great on magazines. It lasts a long time, but I'm not dropping my mags in the dirt. To avoid attracting dirt the wax must be polished to leave only a thin protective film, which works well on a car's paint job. Leaving globs of wax will attract dirt. Disassembling a mag and polishing the inside can be a pain. Disassembling a knife will be a bit more difficult, but the tang will be easily accessible.
 
Pteronarcyd, I didn't know that car wax could be used to protect firearms magazines. I was thinking about how heat would affect the wax, but then vehicle metal gets pretty hot in the summer sun. Good advice about the wax attracting dirt and to use a thin coat to prevent that, although dirt shouldn't be a problem under the scales. Thanks....

FortyTwoBlades, I appreciate your confirmation about using paste wax to protect knife tangs. That's the way I was headed, but then liked your suggestion about using a clear spray lacquer. That would be quick and simple. Will definitely check it out! Thank you....

I ran across some firearm forum posts last night that said some kinds of paste wax are difficult to remove, so that would be a consideration. I also found some cool videos online about real-world tests to find the best products for long-term prevention of metal corrosion. Some of the best were also for firearms so that should eliminate any incompatibility with micarta or G10 scales or negative reaction with the knife metal or coating.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top