Simple ways to stop the rust on the knife?

O

OmegaA

Joined
Feb 13, 2004
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282
Hello, guys,
One of my knives gets rusty very easily and quickly. Could you suggest me what I could do to stop the rust? The knife was made in prison in Uzbekistan, so I do not know what steel it has.
I previously covered the steel with mustard, it did work for some time, but then the knife started getting rusty again even if I do not wipe it after washing. I am even considering to cover it with some paint, it will lose it beauty then, but become more practical. It is a tough lightweight knife (close to BA3 in weight, but chops better than many larger knives because does not get stuck in wood), it is a shame really I cannot take it to the forests because it is affraid of water.
Regards,
 
You might consider wiping it down with an oily rag every time that you use it. If you keep it stored, take it out every few weeks and wipe it down with a fresh coat.
 
Vaseline will work,coat entire blade,bet it works better than mustard.Tuf-cloth,Tuf-Glide,BreakFree or RustFree would probably work better.No experience with Mili-Tech. :)
 
If you are using it, anything you put on comes off pretty much instantly, even 10-15 minutes of cutting light grasses will take off any protectant, the most you can do is rinse and dry the blade after using and then oil it which will keep it free from rust until the next use.

-Cliff
 
An acid tanned leather sheath is a rust gremlin. A deep thorough patina is the best rust protector. Like bluing on a gun. Try mayonaise. The lemon juice will give the patina, and the vegetable oil will protect it. An like the others said, keep it oiled, resist the urge to polish it all bright and shiney. Peeling taters gives a nice patina too. I'm guessing the knife is carbon steel, though "stainless" steel only stains less.

Codger
 
If you live in a wet environment, don't store your knife in a leather sheath.
 
If WD-40 is available where you are, I would suggest buying some. It is most often available in an aerosol can. It can be found in most hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowe's, and Wal-Mart carries it as well.

wd40_big.jpg


WD-40 is, in my opinion, the best all-around rust prevention coating available. It is a clear, oily, synthetic substance that prevents corrosion by displacing water (hence the name, an abreviation for: Water Displacement) . As well as preventing rust, it also lubricates and cleans the surface it is applied to. A light application with a clean cloth after using a knife will leave an invisible residue of protective coating that lasts for a very long time. Due to it's synthetic nature, WD-40 will not readily bio-degrade like some other natural oils available.

I have used WD-40 on my blades for years, and it has never failed to protect. A sizeable can should only cost about $5, and will last a long while. At the very least, it is far better than "mustard."


TheSurvivalist
 
The problem with using the synthetic coatings like WD-40 or Hoppe's is that you really limit how much food prep you want to do with the knife.

I generally use olive oil. It's not the best blade protector, by far, but it keeps my annual consumption of peteroeulm distalletes a little bit lower.

Take Care,
Jeff
 
Survialist, the mustard was used to impart a patina via the acetic acid content (vinegar). Acid sodapop will do it too, as will straight vinegar, and many other food substances. The very reason mentioned above is why I myself use animal or vegetable based oils. Simply wiping moisture from a blade does not remove it after washing. Heat it a bit, then apply hot oil. It will protect much better. Most bladesteel is porous, and moisture can be trapped in the pores. Mild heat ( not any hotter than you can comfortably touch to your lips, or you can affect the temper) will drive out the moisture, and hot oil will replace it with a protective coating. Olive oil is great for this in moderation.

Codger
 
I suggest you do what a chef does: use it and instantly wipe it dry. Clean it and dry it. Then coat it with something safe and oily. I wouldn't use a vegetable oil because it goes rancid.

For nontoxic oils:

best is Ballistol which is pretty nontoxic (although not labeled as such)
second best is camellia oil or mineral oil
 
Cognitivefun,

If you're using it all the time how could the olive oil go rancid?

Mineral oil can't be good for your GI tract.

Take Care,
Jeff
 
gallowglass said:
If you're using it all the time how could the olive oil go rancid?
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It won't, and if this really concerns you use a more stable oil like lard, or coconut oil which can't even go rancid. Olive oil is mainly monounsaturated so it is quite stable anyway unlike poly oils which can turn very quickly especially in high heats like fish oils.

Mineral oil can't be good for your GI tract.
Click to expand...

It can act as a laxitative, but the trace amounts on a knife blade won't. The knife should not be dripping oil.

-Cliff
 
(Edited to add: the other thing I dislike about vegetable oil is when it gets on your sheaths and other materials. It may not be on the knife anymore, but it will go rancid and gum those things up. Coconut oil might be better because it is such a saturated fat, in fact any of the tropical oils would probably be a lot better, but I will stick to a non-vegetable oil for this reason.)

I will be posting soon on a science project my high school aged daughter did on corrosion and various non-toxic protectants on razor blades.

That's where I got my post from: Ballistol worked best, second to Camellia oil and mineral oil. All worked pretty well compared to nothing at all, but Ballistol beat them.

I have used Ballistol on HI khukuris that I have used for food purposes. The worst thing about Ballistol is the complaints my wife makes about the smell -- it has banana oil added to it. Ballistol is slightly alkaline, which may account for its superiority -- but whatever it is, it does work a bit better than the other oils.
 
Originally Posted by Codger_64
Survialist, the mustard was used to impart a patina via the acetic acid content (vinegar). Acid sodapop will do it too, as will straight vinegar, and many other food substances. The very reason mentioned above is why I myself use animal or vegetable based oils. Simply wiping moisture from a blade does not remove it after washing. Heat it a bit, then apply hot oil. It will protect much better. Most bladesteel is porous, and moisture can be trapped in the pores. Mild heat ( not any hotter than you can comfortably touch to your lips, or you can affect the temper) will drive out the moisture, and hot oil will replace it with a protective coating. Olive oil is great for this in moderation.
Click to expand...

I know that blade steel is porous. WD-40 excels in that it drives moisture out of those porous cavities in the blade, thus protecting at a deeper level than many oils. It is therefore a benefit, in that it protects so thoroughly, while lasting almost indefinately. WD-40 will not detract from the apperance of the blade while on display or in storage, and will not go rancid like many naturally-based oils. As for food preparation, ingesting rancid oil is much worse than ingesting a minute amount of petroleum distillates. If a person is going to use a blade for food preparation, it is advisable that he first give that blade a complete washing with dish soap, regardless of the oil used as a coating.

Know this: For personal reasons, I will stubbornly and belligerently stand my ground in defiance on this issue, and defend the beneficial qualities of WD-40 till death takes me, if that is what is necessary. All will kneel before the supreme might of WD-40! :D

By the way, though I can't speak for everyone, I personally would never use a knife that "was made in prison in Uzbekistan," for food preparation.


TheSurvivalist
 
Other options:

Cold blue it if you don't mind the color change. Someone here recommended Brownell's Oxpho-Blue.

Polish the knife as to remove all traces of rust, dry it well, and then give it a good coat of car wax. You'll have to reapply the wax after hard use, of course.
 
I wondered about camillia oil too. Thought it might be another name for canola? Rapeseed?

WD-40 has it's uses, as does duct tape.

Codger
 
Mineral oil, as sold in a drug store, is food grade. It is was used on commercial cutlery until improvements in SS largely displaced carbon steel. The small amount you will ingest off a treated knife will do you no harm.

Plus, IT'S NOT WD-40!!! :p
 
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