Will non heat treated AEB-L rust?

[Storm W]

I have some thick scraps of AEB-L that I was going to use as guard material and I was wondering if it has to be heat treated to be stainless.

 

[Fixall]

Yes.

Someone more learned will have to post the fine details, but I believe the chromium needs to go into solution from heat treating before it’s stainless.

 

[DevinT]

It needs to be heat treated to be fully stainless. It will be more stain resistant than carbon or low alloy steels but not fully stainless without hardening and tempering.

Steels have twice the carbide volume in the annealed condition, carbides hold the carbon and alloy, like chromium, until you austenitize and that’s when the carbides dissolve putting carbon and chromium in solution.

Hoss

 

[Storm W]

It needs to be heat treated to be fully stainless. It will be more stain resistant than carbon or low alloy steels but not fully stainless without hardening and tempering.

Steels have twice the carbide volume in the annealed condition, carbides hold the carbon and alloy, like chromium, until you austenitize and that’s when the carbides dissolve putting carbon and chromium in solution.

Hoss

Thanks dude. I always know I can get a good answer from you. It's what I thought but I wasn't sure. I assume that there is enough chromium that it's going to be better than 1084 at least.

The power coming into my house is all wonky and I have to fix it so heat treatment is a problem right now.

 

[AVigil]

Yes, AEB-L will corrode.
If not careful it will corrode even after heat treating.
It is stainless steel and is rust resistant but it can and will rust in the wrong environment.

As with all blades, keep them clean and dry.