Carbon steel folding knife as EDC in real world use.

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I am thinking of buying a traditional carbon steel slipjoint for EDC. Since all I know is stainless, I am a bit worried about rust so I would like to know your opinions on it. I have an office job and the knife would be carried in my right front pocket mostly. I am generally careful but do not was this to become an exercise in maintenance to avoid rust. I know guys in the 'old days' used to carry their stock man's and barlows with them all the time without much problems. Yet still... What should I expect?
 
Carried since Dec 2012!!
Old Boiley Apr 16.jpg I find that rinsing the blade after cutting fruit or the like, slowly letting the blade gray itself, and an occasional wipe of mineral oil when putting a drop in the joints keeps it from rusting, and never seems to add "flavor" to food! The gray oxide layer prevents rusting!!
 
What Charlie just said. It is the old use it or lose it theory. If you carry and use it, all you have to do is keep dry[wiping after use] and clean, with an occasional rub with oil when you oil the joints, if you do this, you will not have a problem with rust.
 
It will definitely need maintenance and upkeep. It’s not tough though, just find a routine and it becomes second nature.

I have always been a stainless guy. I work outdoors a lot, I sweat a lot, and I live in 100% humidity most of the time.

That said, if I let them go, they will absolutely rust. But if I keep using them, rub some oil on them after I clean and put them away, I have no problems at all.

It’s not like stainless where you can just forget about it. But it’s not so much upkeep that you’d need to be worried about it. It really is pretty easy, and once you get a patina developed it becomes “yours” even more. :thumbsup:
 
I have a bunch of carbon steel traditional knives and some modern folders too in carbon/tool steel.

The only ones that developed any marks were ones I had forced a patina on. The general opinion on patina is that some people feel it's unsightly it will act like a protective coat as it's already reacted and won't spread further. It can also just be polished out if it's not to your taste.
 
Something else to remember: Even if rust does start to form on the blade, it isn't the end of the world (or knife). Take some 0000 steel wool and knock the rust off, then rub a tiny bit of oil on and you're good to go.
The steel will pit if rust is allowed to progress for a long time, but since you're going to carry and use it often, this shouldn't be a problem.
 
Expect it to stain with use and handling and maybe the occasional specs of rust that are inconsequential and easily wiped off with oil, which adds to the character. As long as the blade is not neglected or in a wet and/or humid environment is should be pretty low maintenance.

I carry carbon blades all the time. The only issues I have with rust are during the summer when you are drenched in sweat all day.
 
I was in that exact situation a few years back. Everything that people have already written is absolutely correct.

One thing I will say that you should expect is how much you will enjoy watching the blade age with use. I pretty much only use my traditional for food during my lunch. It is so cool watching the blade change colors over time. Just keep the blade dry and you will be fine.
 
I live in NYC and I use mine regularly without issue. I like patina and aside from the occasional polish with simichrome after a few months, I just use the knife, wipe clean and throw in pocket and keep it moving.

But if you want to keep it looking minty fresh, it’ll take effort and time on your part. Not hours on end, but just know it’ll be an ongoing battle against corrosion.
 
I have a 2-bladed GEC, the moose, and use one blade for food and one for everything else. Clean blade/ dirty blade principle. The food blade is plenty stained and I have to make sure I dry it off after using it. The"dirty" blade is still nearly as shiny as new after several years and only occasional oiling.

Just keeping it dry goes a long way. If you sweat a lot in the summer, just check it at the end of the day and wipe it if it has condensation.

My usual maintenance is usually to wipe it off after rinsing it when using it for food prep and then letting it air dry for 5-10 minutes on my office desk or just while I finish my apple or orange I used the knife on.
 
I live in the Deep South; very hot summers with humidity in the 90’s. My knives bounce around in my sweaty pockets all day long and are always moist when I take them out to use them.
At worst I’ve gotten occasional pepper spots, which I usually remove with a sharpened pencil. Highly polished blades are mostly unaffected. a bigger concern is steel springs and liners, which more readily rust since they aren’t “in use”. Oil takes care of the issue.

The patina on this Lambsfoot is all from pocket carry:

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I have carried the same two carbon steel blades since 2017. A drop of oil on the blade pivots every few weeks when I remember, wiping the blade with an oily rag at the same time if I feel like it, and a touch of 0000 steel wool with a drop of oil on the blade, if I open it up one morning to discover a little rust on there. In a normal climate (very humid in the summer, dry in the winter) that’s all that’s necessary. I do treat the knife like a tool I value, and don’t leave it outside overnight, nor do I casually submerge it in the creek on a regular basis.

Nothing to it really. Don’t let people scare you into thinking you need an elaborate regimen or some kind of rigorous maintenance schedule.
 
You have gotten good advice and perspective. I switched from stainless to carbon 6 years ago and only a few times had some stains I didnt like because i forgot to wipe the blade off after use. But as r8shell r8shell said, I just rubbed it off and all is well. The blades get character and I like it. I don’t try to keep them shiny.

I did make the mistake of not oiling a knife after use before putting in the drawer. Because I tend to carry the same knife for long periods, that knife was left in the drawer a long time a rusted and pitted. It scrubbed clean but the pits remain and it irritates me because it reminds me of my stupidity. Some might call that character too, and I’m sure I’ll get there but it’s still fresh and annoys me.

In 2020 I have been carrying a stainless SAK. It doesn’t take the keen edge a good 1095 will hold, but my ability to ignore it without worry is a nice change. I may go back carbon in 2021 but I do understand those who like stainless traditionals. A carbon steel traditional takes only the slightest additional care, nothing rigorous and worth it for most.
 
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I live in the humid hot south, these knives were built in 2011 and have been carried a lot, I ride a bicycle a lot and my sweat is very corrosive. I don't baby my knives, I just carry and use them, when the carbon blades get rusty, I just sand them gently with some 400 grit paper to knock of the red stuff, then oil them. Maybe a couple times a year. The pepper spots don't bother me, because they are not on the edge, the part of the blade that needs to be shiny. The rest of the blade is there to carry the edge, and tell a story...
 
All I can do is echo much of what has already been posted. I have carried a knife in my pocket since I was about 5 and even hot sweat filled days if I take it out at night and wipe it off I've never had any problems.

As mentioned already a patina forms that will help protect the blade and give it character. Unless you get bad steel it won't rust nearly as fast or bad as some people think either.

I have carried old carbon blades through new so called super steels and find myself gravitating back towards traditionals and simple steels more and more. Buy yourself an early Christmas present and enjoy carrying and using it.
 
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I'm in line with all of the advice you've already gotten, here's a side by side picture of my 2 Douk Douks... The one on the right has been in my pocket almost every day for a year and a half, the left one is my brand new spare. I work outside all year, the worst I've had is a bit of spotting after being sweat all over after a long day, and it rubbed right off. I even use it to open bags of rock salt while plowing snow all winter. A few minutes in the evening takes care of most any concern you might have.

And if you should decide that carbon isn't your thing, then there's still plenty of stainless offerings to choose from out there. Good luck!!! And welcome to the rabbit hole that is traditional knives.
 
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