Patrice Lemée;11518717 said:
DB, not sure I understand what you mean about the wrong kind of steel. I can get 1018 to a mirror finish so maybe you mean wrong in another way.
I used Birchwood Casey cold bluing solution like Page said in the past and at first it seemed to work great. Like Hobbyist said, it takes many applications with neutralizing and cleaning in between to get a nice constant finish but it did work...up to that point. The knives stood on a rack in the living room for many months and were just fine. Then I put a couple of them in knife pouches to bring to Maine (seacoast). They stayed inside in the pouches and when I opened them up after 3-4 weeks, the fittings were covered in rust.
I know that the seacoast air is not good but I did not think it would be that bad and I can't believe it's only the air but also the bluing method.
I've seem Wick's knives (beauties by the way) and I hope he chimes in as I am sure his finish is more durable.
Frank, got your email, thanks. Gotta get up early tomorrow morning so I'll respond tomorrow night.
Pat I have a heck of a week two Grandsons in the hospital and have not gotten back to this thread! What I was talking about is the carbon content in the steel basically!
I pulled this off of the net so take it for what it is worth!Chemical Properties
AISI 1018 cold-drawn steel is a simple steel, a family of steel classified by its simple chemical makeup. This steel is primarily composed of iron and carbon with trace amounts of phosphorous and sulfur. While the carbon content is quite low, at only 0.15 to 0.2 percent, the phosphorous content of 0.04 percent maximum and sulfur content of 0.05 percent maximum are low enough that they have little impact on the material's physical properties. Like other, more complex steels, 1018 contains trace elements such as chromium, tungsten and silicon, which give tool steels added corrosion resistance and toughness.
Read more: The Properties of AISI 1018 Cold Drawn Steel | eHow.com
http://www.ehow.com/list_7441937_properties-1018-cold-drawn-steel.html#ixzz2Cy9EinRb
I know Wick uses 01 for his blades nowdays more than anything but I
think when he began he used lesser steels like 1080. I don't know for sure what he is using for hardware, however I will assume it is of a quality that he doesn't have to worry about the rust!
I hate trying to quote a process
someone else is using because
I don't' want to get it wrong. Especially with Wick as he has advised me with a lot of things in the knife making process and even though I have never meant him in person I call him my adopted mentor. He is walking encyclopedia when it comes to 1800-early 1900 knowledge. Heck is pretty much knowledge to most anything about knife making as well as a host of other subjects!
I am not trying to give the process but if you contact him by email he will more than likely respond as he doesn't mind sharing most of his knowledge! Like I stated I had his process in his words but at the moment I can't find it!
The point I was trying to make about the right steel is the lesser the carbon the easier it will be too rust IMO. Even though it will take a mirror finish the steel doesn't posses the properties to retard rust. Even high carbon steel will rust! The cold bluing and then the bleach bath does two things, it takes it through a double rusting process that is then stoped and shined or buffed out to what you see. However even as with the best bluing process on a gun it will rust if exposed to the wrong conditions.
Stainless and real
quality stainless is about the only thing that resits rust with use and I have seen some conditions that will play havoc with stainless.
Remember what I said bluing or browning is a rusting process that has been stopped at a given point and then treated in some way to help the bluing retard future rust. IE oiling your gun! You can oil a gun and then put it in a closet where it is not exposed to flowing air but it does collect moisture and you will more than likely find it rusted when you retrieve it! That is probably why the knives done will exposed to the air as they were in a somewhat humidity controlled environment!
Which leads me to the other clue as too what happened.
Quote" The knives stood on a rack in the
living room for many months and were just fine. Then I put a couple of
them in knife pouches to bring to Maine (seacoast).
They stayed inside in the pouches and when I opened them up after 3-4 weeks, the fittings were covered in rust. I know that the seacoast air is not good but I did not think it would be that bad and I can't believe it's only the air but also the bluing method.
It may have been the fact that you took them from that
humidity controlled environment of the living room to a wetter environment and by staying in the pouches the knife steel could not accumulate to the changing condition. Mild or low carbon steel does better out in the open exposed to the air and even then it may need a light coat of oil to protect. Anyway just my thoughts on the subject!
One question what were the pouches made off?
In other words I am saying IMO it may not have been as much your bluing process (as they all have their advantages and disadvantages) but rather more the fact the steel was left in the pouch.
I send out this recommendation with my knives that are made from 1080 steel . This knife has been through a process that will help the steel retard rust, I recommend washing after use,
after drying thoroughly, I recommend a
light oiling.
When not in field use do not store it in the sheaths. I use only vegetable tanned leather for sheaths to prevent corrosion,
however long term storage in a sheath may promote rust.
I recommend sheaths for field use or short term storage/transportation.
