YIKES! My knife rusted in my pocket O.o

[stvpourciau]

The entire top half of My Svord Peasant, part that wasn't inside the handle, rusted pretty badly from being in my sweaty pocket today.

Not patina, not discoloration, active red aggressive rust that left behind slight pitting after polishing it off with some colgate.

Looks like I may have to make another choice for work knife on days like this. It began to rust/orange over nearly as soon as I unpackaged it in my humid Louisiana air but that was just. Light film of discoloration, nothing I can't deal with.

Then again I may have to just keep polishing it as I rather like the way the blade flexed today, it took a bend and sprung back to what is, for the most part, factory straight.

Besides, I like the knife, it calls out fir me to be rough with it

 

[comis]

I did a quick looking up, looks up most of the Svord products(if not the entire line) is made of carbon steel which is prone to easy rusting. If the knife is to be kept humid or especially working in a wet environment, it is probably best made of other kind of steel or powered steel that has higher corrosion resistance.

 

[dkb45]

As far as I know, the Peasant is made of L6, which rusts if you look at it funny. You pretty much have to put a heavy patina on it if you want any hope of it to not always be rusty.

 

[stvpourciau]

I did a quick looking up, looks up most of the Svord products(if not the entire line) is made of carbon steel which is prone to easy rusting. If the knife is to be kept humid or especially working in a wet environment, it is probably best made of other kind of steel or powered steel that has higher corrosion resistance.

Yup yup, I'm not new to carbon. Most knives are OK here but the Svord doesn't like it,den then it's the fact that sweat is basically salt water, I've never had a knife rust in the pocket before with just a day of use, I didn't leave it in there or anything but I do sweat A LOT and man it's just so hot here, so so hot..

As far as I know, the Peasant is made of L6, which rusts if you look at it funny. You pretty much have to put a heavy patina on it if you want any hope of it to not always be rusty.

I'd like to think it's L6, that was incentive for me buying it, wanted to experience the steel, and that would explain why it films up a rust just siting out regardless of oiling.

I really like that factory heat treat look though, ima keep it that way as long as possible.

 

[Bigfatts]

Pick up some Rennaisance Wax. A light coating of that every now and then should help greatly.

 

[parbajtor]

Your other choice is to let it get a light film of red rust (not so deep it starts pitting or you get spider rust) sand it back a bit but not to bare metal and then dip it in rust converter/kurust one of those proprietary rust converters that changes it from ferrous to ferric (or whichever is the more stable (black) rust compound). It can take on a slight purplish tinge depending on the other alloying elements in the steel. It's an acidic product so you probably want to consider neutralising after with baking soda or other alkaline substance. I've had knives where the forge scale had holes in it and red rust comes through. The kurust rust converter helped me make invisible mends to those parts. No reports of the rust coming back in over a year since the repair.

Edit: Exerpt from Wiki;
Commercial rust converters are water-based and contain two primary active ingredients: Tannic acid [1] and an organic polymer. Tannic acid chemically converts the reddish iron oxides into bluish-black ferric tannate, a more stable material.[2] The second active ingredient is an organic solvent such as 2-Butoxyethanol (ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, trade name butyl cellosolve) that acts as a wetting agent and provides a protective primer layer in conjunction with an organic polymer emulsion[citation needed]. Some rust converters may contain additional acids to speed up the chemical reaction by lowering the pH of the solution. A common example is phosphoric acid, which additionally converts some iron oxide into an inert layer of ferric phosphate.

 

[comis]

Actually, it's kinda bummer that it would rust by sweat. I was hoping to get one of the Svords in woodern handle, mainly for collection purposes, but also for some occasional outdoor uses. Now I am not too even sure if it's a good idea to to get one. :indecisiveness:

 

[nopyo]

The first thing I do with any non-stainless blade is rub over it with a paper towel wet with vinegar until I see a distinct color change. I don't know if this is what people call a "forced patina".

 

[jbmonkey]

odd, as i live in florida swamplands. i sue my svord for yardwork and other gritty messy tasks. i keep it in my backpocket and a few hours in the heat my jeans are wet like i went into the spring swimming with sweat. normally i sweat acid and will put rust spots on about any stainless that is bead blasted. even on some that are stonewashed or satin finished.

my svord keeps getting an uglier patina on it, but it doesn't red rust. course when i got it i started cutting nasty potato and other types of vines in the backyard and those turned it to a purple hue stain, all over the l6 blade. i washed it off after wards and it's kept red rust from happening.

 

[Yo Mama]

My Peasant has gone on many camping trips, in my pocket, hiking and has been exposed to alot of sweat. Never had rust, but I use Breakfree CLP religiously. They sell a really small bottle that's easy to put in a pack.

 

[eschwebach]

Normally I wipe all my blades with tuf-glide but I had a new Spyderco Dragonfly2 that I forgot to do that with. Threw it in my pocket, went for a hike, couple days later I looked and sure enough it had some light rust spots on it. That was VG-10, sweat is some bad stuff.

 

[zeroed4x]

Your new screen name is now "Rusty"
If you want to get the blade really clean use MAAS metal polish, it will remove discoloration from most blades both stainless and carbon. I think its better than tooth paste.

 

[MAKnifenut]

This happens to me all the time, even with stainless knives. No way around it other than oiling the hell out of the blade so i just clean it off at night

 

[DPris]

Many years ago I bought a nice little stockman for regular pocket carry, can't recall which but it was either Schrade or Case, not a truckstop cheapie.
Carried it for about a week & found rust.

Had to stop carrying it, acquired a now-discontinued SWAK not long after that's been with me since 1984 & still going strong.
I can't do carbon steel in the pocket.
Denis

 

[stvpourciau]

Pick up some Rennaisance Wax. A light coating of that every now and then should help greatly.

Thanks for the tip, I forget that stuff exist

Your other choice is to let it get a light film of red rust (not so deep it starts pitting or you get spider rust) sand it back a bit but not to bare metal and then dip it in rust converter/kurust one of those proprietary rust converters that changes it from ferrous to ferric (or whichever is the more stable (black) rust compound). It can take on a slight purplish tinge depending on the other alloying elements in the steel. It's an acidic product so you probably want to consider neutralising after with baking soda or other alkaline substance. I've had knives where the forge scale had holes in it and red rust comes through. The kurust rust converter helped me make invisible mends to those parts. No reports of the rust coming back in over a year since the repair.

Edit: Exerpt from Wiki;
Commercial rust converters are water-based and contain two primary active ingredients: Tannic acid [1] and an organic polymer. Tannic acid chemically converts the reddish iron oxides into bluish-black ferric tannate, a more stable material.[2] The second active ingredient is an organic solvent such as 2-Butoxyethanol (ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, trade name butyl cellosolve) that acts as a wetting agent and provides a protective primer layer in conjunction with an organic polymer emulsion[citation needed]. Some rust converters may contain additional acids to speed up the chemical reaction by lowering the pH of the solution. A common example is phosphoric acid, which additionally converts some iron oxide into an inert layer of ferric phosphate.

That was actually my 1st though, thanks fir the tip on a brand name.

Actually, it's kinda bummer that it would rust by sweat. I was hoping to get one of the Svords in woodern handle, mainly for collection purposes, but also for some occasional outdoor uses. Now I am not too even sure if it's a good idea to to get one. :indecisiveness:

It's really good at being a work/outdoors knife. It just has that kind of blade shape.

The rust came off pretty easily, I'm not Gunna let it stop me from using it and it hasn't happened to me with normal pocket carry at work before, I've just been sweating all day and t was with me all day.

The first thing I do with any non-stainless blade is rub over it with a paper towel wet with vinegar until I see a distinct color change. I don't know if this is what people call a "forced patina".

I'd call it forced, I prefer to do a hot rust blue. Let my Mora tinge from using t for food prep and neglecting it until cleanup time, I'm sure that's forced also but I like it better than my truly forced black knives.

odd, as i live in florida swamplands. i sue my svord for yardwork and other gritty messy tasks. i keep it in my backpocket and a few hours in the heat my jeans are wet like i went into the spring swimming with sweat. normally i sweat acid and will put rust spots on about any stainless that is bead blasted. even on some that are stonewashed or satin finished.

my svord keeps getting an uglier patina on it, but it doesn't red rust. course when i got it i started cutting nasty potato and other types of vines in the backyard and those turned it to a purple hue stain, all over the l6 blade. i washed it off after wards and it's kept red rust from happening.

There no patina on mine whatsoever, I like that factory look but I'm not stupid, if it darkened, I'd let it stay that way, hell, I've been living with the orange film..

My Peasant has gone on many camping trips, in my pocket, hiking and has been exposed to alot of sweat. Never had rust, but I use Breakfree CLP religiously. They sell a really small bottle that's easy to put in a pack.

That's some good stuff, I hear :thumbup:

Normally I wipe all my blades with tuf-glide but I had a new Spyderco Dragonfly2 that I forgot to do that with. Threw it in my pocket, went for a hike, couple days later I looked and sure enough it had some light rust spots on it. That was VG-10, sweat is some bad stuff.

Boy is itt!!

Your new screen name is now "Rusty"
If you want to get the blade really clean use MAAS metal polish, it will remove discoloration from most blades both stainless and carbon. I think its better than tooth paste.

I had some rust remover in my gun cleaning kit for years that worked amazing, came I. A cammoed metal "toothpaste" tube. Now that's it's empty, I can't find any more, not even at the local Bass Pro..

This happens to me all the time, even with stainless knives. No way around it other than oiling the hell out of the blade so i just clean it off at night

I plan to do this for awhile longer, maybe forever.

Many years ago I bought a nice little stockman for regular pocket carry, can't recall which but it was either Schrade or Case, not a truckstop cheapie.
Carried it for about a week & found rust.

Had to stop carrying it, acquired a now-discontinued SWAK not long after that's been with me since 1984 & still going strong.
I can't do carbon steel in the pocket.
Denis

Nice little story I would patina a case though for sure, I like the look of it.

 

[DPris]

I'm incredibly lazy & do take care of my equipment, but if it's something that's going to require constant care just to keep from rusting, I'll look at alternative materials.

Denis

 

[arizonaranchman]

My GEC #55 is constantly in my right front pocket. On a hot day it gets exposed to perspiration in my pocket. The exposed area of the 1095 blade has become grayish with tiny spots that are gradually expanding and will eventually become a patina with time. I don't freak out about it, that's the nature of these steels. I rub it down briefly with an oily rag and that's it. With time the red rust will probably stop once a patina has taken to the carbon steel.

Some people's sweat is more corrosive than others. Some people will rust something just from handling it briefly whereas someone else won't.

 

[DPris]

I figured if that stockman did what it did in one week, it'd require constant attention & wasn't worth it.
I think it woulda gone far beyond a patina.

Denis

 

[SaintlyBrees]

The entire top half of My Svord Peasant, part that wasn't inside the handle, rusted pretty badly from being in my sweaty pocket today.

Not patina, not discoloration, active red aggressive rust that left behind slight pitting after polishing it off with some colgate.

Looks like I may have to make another choice for work knife on days like this. It began to rust/orange over nearly as soon as I unpackaged it in my humid Louisiana air but that was just. Light film of discoloration, nothing I can't deal with.

Then again I may have to just keep polishing it as I rather like the way the blade flexed today, it took a bend and sprung back to what is, for the most part, factory straight.

Besides, I like the knife, it calls out fir me to be rough with it

I am also originally from La - St. Charles Parish. Additionally, my Dad and I shared a camp down in Cocodrie. Plenty of salt and corrosion opportunities. Growing up, my Dad taught me to keep my knives well oiled, although back then we used gun oil. Today I use a Tuf-Cloth. But keeping my knives oiled and doing some regular upkeep, I never had a problem with rust. Even the knives that we kept in the camp (cooking knives we oiled with mineral oil instead of gun oil) were rust free and of course that camp was right on the water.

My son, OTOH, brought me a high carbon steel knife that he had failed to keep oiled and it was covered in rust to ask me if I could help him get the knife clean again. I also had a very old Boy Scout hatchet that had gone through a flood in 1995 and then misplaced. It rusted up pretty badly, too.

The moral of the story is that in that kind of environment - humidity and salt - upkeep is essential if you don't want to have to deal with rust. FWIW.

 

[ericb445]

I have an black oxide coated cpm d2 Strider SnG that rusts just like yours.
I just wax it once in a while with KIT car wax it works really good.