Traditional issue - rust!

wolfeknives said:
I have collected knives for at least 40 years. Some of these are relatively costly antiques with sensitive finishes. I have also gathered up several hundred slipjoints, so maintenance has become an issue. I have tried oil in the early years and found it less than ideal. It evaporates and leaves a film. When wet, it attracts dust. Dust combined with oil can form an acid, causing corrosion. Oil will also soak into the natural materials used for covers, and can cause discolouration and other problems.
I now store my knives in glass topped storage boxes lined with archival padding. All knives are coated with Renwax. It leaves a a dry, invisible and protective film. This has worked very well for several decades on the antiques, and I am confident it will work well on my carbon steel slipjoints.

Here are a couple of the antiques, they receive a coat of Renwax on a yearly basis. The finishes, and carbon steel blades have not changed in any way in many years of storage:






Here is an example of the display boxes I use. They have hinged glass lids, and protect from dust. I have a number of these stored in my safe. I rotate one box out for display on my coffee table every week. It allows me to enjoy the knives, but also regular inspection for rust or corrosion.

Click to expand...

What is the white mat under the knives? .. anything of rust inhibiting properties? It seems a bit more porous than felt...
 
Thankfully, the above poster mentioned an issue with oils, greases and petroleum-based products: They attract and retain dust.

I come to the "knife side" from the "gun side," where forums and volumes are written and debated about lubricants and preservatives. I'll skip all that and go directly to "Eezox." It is a synthetic which actually bonds with the ferrous material, leaving behind only a thin film which is to be wiped away. No fingerprints, no dust. A quick interweb search will produce the tests performed for anti-rust, anti-corrosion and lubrication properties.

However, one unexplored issue, as far as my reading on the product is concerned, might be using the product with utensils which come into contact with food. I do not do so.

I'm in no way connected with the mentioned product except that I've happily used it on firearms, and now knives, for years.
 
cbr1000 said:
What is the white mat under the knives? .. anything of rust inhibiting properties? It seems a bit more porous than felt...
Click to expand...

The backing material is 100% polyester fleece. It does not attract moisture, and is inert. Museums use it for archival storage. It is not very expensive and available at sewing shops. I believe it is used to provide padding in quilts and clothing.

Wolfe
 
The Burgh said:
Thankfully, the above poster mentioned an issue with oils, greases and petroleum-based products: They attract and retain dust.

I come to the "knife side" from the "gun side," where forums and volumes are written and debated about lubricants and preservatives. I'll skip all that and go directly to "Eezox." It is a synthetic which actually bonds with the ferrous material, leaving behind only a thin film which is to be wiped away. No fingerprints, no dust. A quick interweb search will produce the tests performed for anti-rust, anti-corrosion and lubrication properties.

However, one unexplored issue, as far as my reading on the product is concerned, might be using the product with utensils which come into contact with food. I do not do so.

I'm in no way connected with the mentioned product except that I've happily used it on firearms, and now knives, for years.
Click to expand...

I did a search as suggested, and it sounds like a great product. I will give it a try, should work well on my flintlock rifles as well.

Wolfe
 
I've used Eezox on some knives with no ill effects. Goes on wet, then dries to a film. I use Ren Wax too. I like it. Makes bone and stag handles look great.
 
BTW

An interweb search for "anti-corrosion bags" will yield a variety of manufacturors of sealable (some also resealable) bags which are treated with chemicals to deter rust and corrosion for years. They come in a wide variety of sizes.

I use them to store metal gun parts, but have hesitated to use them with knives which contain non-metallic scales, washers, etc. I cannot determine the possible chemical action on those non-metallic substances.

Renwax: Started using it on wooden gunstocks with stunning visual impact. Wife now uses it on all woods in the house. Expensive but a can, when correctly applied in small doses, lasts a very long time.
 
VCI products generally discolor brass and nickel silver.....something to keep in mind.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
VCI products generally discolor brass and nickel silver.....something to keep in mind.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
Click to expand...

Certainly worth noting, Steven, and something I did not know as I have not experienced this. Could that be because my knives only come in contact with the vapor and not the solid product?
 
Railsplitter said:
Certainly worth noting, Steven, and something I did not know as I have not experienced this. Could that be because my knives only come in contact with the vapor and not the solid product?
Click to expand...

Could be. My MarineCoat Mossberg is not stored in the safe;), but my nickel 1911 is....and honestly there is just a "touch" of discoloration which is easily removed during cleaning.

The gunpaper that I use for storing knives is carefully used so as to avoid touching the n/s parts...but that was not always so, and much laborious cleaning was required to get all shiny and new again.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Camillus, what sort of heating and air conditioning do you have? We have forced air heat in the winter and central air all summer so the house stays very dry to the point that I need to use lotion. We almost never open the windows. I never see any patina or rust with my 1095 knives and I rarely remember to wipe my knives down or use any wax or oil.

When I lived in San Diego we lived close enough to the coast that we rarely ran the heat and didn't have any air conditioning so the windows were usually open. Even though San Diego doesn't have the humidity that our Southern east coast states are known for, I did notice more patina on my coin collection and other metal items for the two years we were there (I didn't have any knives at that time).

My carbon steel axes will rust over time even when oiled because they are stored in an outdoor shed which of course does not have any AC or heat.

So perhaps it has something to do with how dry the inside of your house happens to be.
 
Last edited:
I have taken my all carbon steel GEC snow camping,, and forgot to oil them first!

I am a bad traditional knife owner.
 
I've used Ballistol for years--a couple drops in the joints and wipe down the blades and springs... always did the trick for me. Good luck--
 
I think this thread is turning me off buying more carbon steel. I've got two gecs and ive forced a patina on one, the other is developing naturally. From what I'm reading, the more I have the more of a chore it becomes making sure they don't rust. Maybe I should just stick to a couple.
 
BlockPsycho said:
I think this thread is turning me off buying more carbon steel. I've got two gecs and ive forced a patina on one, the other is developing naturally. From what I'm reading, the more I have the more of a chore it becomes making sure they don't rust. Maybe I should just stick to a couple.
Click to expand...
Same here. Just got my first one, and am now hesitant to buy more. Especially here in Hawaii, where the humidity is outrageous. I guess I'll have to see how this first one turns out, and go from there. High maintenence beauties for sure.
 
If you want to use it, just get used to it(patina/rust), but this is the reason that I generally stay away from plain carbon steel knives anymore....there is maintenance involved....and when you are talking about care and feeding of 100's of knives, it becomes exhausting!

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Railsplitter said:
I was once told by a collector that even talking around carbon knives can cause corrosion if they are not otherwise maintained. Micro particles of saliva, and goodness knows what else, exit the mouth when talking and can land on your blades.

When he told me that I thought it was a bit extreme but I suppose it could happen.:eek:
Click to expand...

This is common when handling old traditional Japanese swords, so I guess it is good for modern carbon steel as well
Mike
 
I gotta be honest, part of the reason I like having a collection is that I can, if I need to, sell a couple online for pretty much the price I paid. I also enjoy playing around with the knives I own because I am not a safe queen type of collector- I admire these as working tools, and tend to stick with patterns that I would buy if I were looking for a good user - even where I know I am not going to treat that knife as such - most of my GEC knives will not cut anything, a few are dedicated users and these are mainly the stainless versions.

So my main issue is not really maintenance, it's more not being able to pick up and handle a 1095 knife without generating fear that the next time I do, there will be a pepper spot or worse, a patch of rust. This has actually happened a couple of times. It detracts from my enjoyment of collecting knives quite considerably.

So I think, based on this thread, I might implement a 'no touch' policy with some of the rarer patterns and a more rigorous oiling policy with the ones I do handle. Hopefully my confidence in these systems will grow to the point I am more comfortable investing money in these knives.
 
Kiteman72 said:
No doubt, tons of great info!

I generally use Rustfree, which has been working very well. Love to hear about other methods and products tho!
Click to expand...
I just bought frog lube as I was told it would help me brush off what I think to be the start of rust. Damascus in that single particular situation. But has any one heard bad things about using it to protect and store assorted knifes?
supratentorial said:
It sounds like you are collecting the knives to display and eventually resell rather than to use. In this case, the following may be helpful...
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top