1095 steel and rust

after i clean if off, i just give the edge and laser etching a once over with a tube of chapstick....a single tube lasts a long time, its cheap, available just about anywhere, and preparing food with it is not a problem.
 
Spray a light coat of WD 40, let it dry, then wipe it clean. I do this with all of my hand tools. (Remember when knives used to be tools?)
 
Hi... I am knew here... my RC6 is on its way so I am trying to learn as much as i can...

I read through most of this thread and was wondering if any of you have considered a light coat of clear nail polish on the laser engraving???
 
Boats said:
A one pound block of totally edible beeswax runs about $5.00

Use a wire cheese cutter to cut off small section and you can rub it on the entirety of an uncoated blade or just draw the edge across the section for a coated blade. I fill a travel soap case with molten beeswax and take it camping.

It's stable and doesn't re-melt too easily.
It's non-toxic.
It's dye free.
It can coat exposed steel and preserves the patina.
It can lubricate screw threads, shock pole fittings, etc.
It can waterproof leather.
It can be smeared onto chapped skin, though reapplication will be more frequent than with a proper balm.
It can be pinched, worked into a ball to soften up, and patch a pinhole leak in a shell, rainfly or poncho, or seal a tent seam to get you through the night.
It can be smeared onto glass as an anti-fogging or anti glare shield for your compass or sunglasses without harming coatings.
With some natural cordage, you can produce a makeshift candle if needed.
You can use it to whip frayed ends of line back into some semblance of normal.
You can seal all of the pores of an eggshell and keep an uncooled egg from rotting for up to three months, though this trick works better using petroleum jelly.
In a severe pinch, you can eat it and at least shut up your stomach for a moment.

Beeswax rocks.
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This is some of the best advice I've seen here, I'm definitely going to try using this!
 
jvthor said:
Spray a light coat of WD 40, let it dry, then wipe it clean. I do this with all of my hand tools. (Remember when knives used to be tools?)
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WD-40 is alright if that's all you got handy, but its protective coat is really thin and evaporates right away so it won't have any long term protection effect.
 
Should be able to use cider vinegar to put a patina on raw 1095 to help inhibit rust. You can also use car wax, or gun wax or other waxes (someone suggested bees wax). I'm just trying to decide what method I want to use, as my inbound Izula has been stripped, so it will need something to help prevent the rust-beast in a good Midwest humid summer.
 
Rust. I have commented on this ancient scourge that afflicts those of us who allowed our O-1 blades and convexed Dogfathers too much access to moisture. With a bit of haphazard administering of the lowly olive oil, you'll sequester those pesky oxidizing imps...at least for a short while until the positive valence continues.
 
Vic303 said:
Should be able to use cider vinegar to put a patina on raw 1095 to help inhibit rust. You can also use car wax, or gun wax or other waxes (someone suggested bees wax). I'm just trying to decide what method I want to use, as my inbound Izula has been stripped, so it will need something to help prevent the rust-beast in a good Midwest humid summer.
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I picked up a stripped/patina'd izula on the exchange and have had no issues with rust, even doing pocket carry.
I use it, wipe/wash it depending on what I was doing, then wipe it dry before dropping back in the sheath and back in pocket.
 
Shotgun Shogun said:
WD-40 is alright if that's all you got handy, but its protective coat is really thin and evaporates right away so it won't have any long term protection effect.
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This is very true. I typically use this method after rust has developed. WD is cheap, and penetrates and eliminates rust very well. It keeps my side cutters clean and well lubed.
 
I own two rc-6 blades and my wife uses the rc-4. One tuf-cloth wipe down after each sharpening and not one speck of rust used in all conditions. The best combo 1095 and tuf-cloth.
 
so lets do a hypothetical situation here.

Let's say I am doing my yearly 10 day journey into the rockies packing as light as i can, and bring my 1095 knife without oil or something to sharpen it with.
Let's say my knife gets wet some, if not most days when i use it. It sort of drys at the end of the day, but no special care has been used because I am beat from travelling and worried more about eating than cleaning.

how long until rust starts to show up? would it do anything other than look bad?
how much work would i need to do once i got home to get it back to normal?

hopefully this isnt redundant as i have read most of these posts and am only unclear on the time frame of the rust appearing, sort of.

hope that made sense lol
 
it's gonna take a while for rust to do anything more than cosmetic damage.

a 10-day trip in the rockies, and your knife should have some stories to tell, even if there isn't any rust... the edge may need touched up, the rust would dull it a little.
 
I used a RAT 3 in my kayak for awhile. Needless to say it stayed pretty wet and as a side note I kayak only in fresh water. None-the-less it never really rusted much. I never oiled it; I just wiped it down after use. There was some staining but nothing major.

It does not seem to pit like the 52100/SR101 or whatever the steel is in the Swamp Rat line of knives.
 
I hardly ever get rust on my rat cutlery knives i aply a coat of oil about once a month regardless of degree of use
 
i use something that is calles "ballistol".
though i am not sure whether it is known in the usa or not.

i so to say "dipped" my knife into that, once the pores begin absorbing it, the steel gets a nice touch.
 
I like the bees wax idea as well.

*Sidenote* Coconut oil comes in a white gelatin form, which can be used to keep blades oiled up.
It is also a healthier alternative to deep fry fish in.:thumbup:
 
I can't say as I own a knife with any rust build-up on it. If I ever did it would mean that I am spending too much time indoors (probably on bladeforums).
Just keep 'em wiped down and don't store them in the sheath if you can help it.
 
tomzta said:
i use something that is calles "ballistol".
though i am not sure whether it is known in the usa or not.

i so to say "dipped" my knife into that, once the pores begin absorbing it, the steel gets a nice touch.
Click to expand...

+1 on ballistol. Great stuff. It seems to be picking up traction here and there. Seeing it on the forums and youtube.
 
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