How is the rust resistance of VG10?

[rustyrazor]

similar to this with my fallknivens. I rehandled my S1 and bead blasted it and it's gotten considerably worse as there are more divots to hold water on the steel... again. it comes off pretty easily.

to add to this... i have just noticed my EDC spyderco endura 4 is VG-10 and i have never rusted (or cleaned it) and it's been all over the world and in all environments. pretty sure the surface rust can be chalked up to the finish on the steel. further to that, I love all of the knives i have in VG-10, and hence why i've carried them EDC for so long.

 

[David Mary]

I feel it is worth posting in this old thread to pass on some new information.

I keep my Delica Wharncliffe in my left pocket, clipless. I used it at work for apple slicing on break, and gave it no more than a wipe down with a dry rag I keep in another pocket. I forgot to rinse it off and wipe it down properly that night, and didn't use it the next day (but it stayed in the same pocket until after that night at work as well), and the next time I went to use it, I found that the blade not only had a few rust spots (which did polish off easily), but the edge was chipped in multiple places! It was almost like someone had used my knife for more than a whole day of cardboard processing without my knowledge. A few sessions on the sharpmaker later, and I barely made any progress on the previously hair shaving edge, and it took power sharpening to finally smooth out the whole edge again. This came as a complete surprise to me, because I had used it like this with minimal maintenance a number of times before, but then I realized this time was different for two reasons: 1) it had been a particularly hot day and my job that day was a particularly physical one, so I sweated a lot, and 2) there was quite a bit of change in my pocket, which is usually rare, so in addition to sweat, galvanic corrosion may have also played some part.

But as I said, I was completely surprised due to VG-10's past performance for me, and I think that this must have been the result of the special combination of factors, namely apple residue on the blade for two days, plus lots of sweat from two days worth of work, and one day of multiple hours exposure to possible galvanic corrosion from a variety of Canadian coinage. I love VG-10, but given the above, I have "upgraded" my apple knife to a Salt 2, which I modded to full flat zero grind. If the knife were not intended for apples, I would have likely never had this experience, and indeed never experienced any rust on VG-10 prior to this, and would thus have stayed with the Delica.

That being said, I know the H1 will never rust in a million years, the edge retention for fruit cutting will be more than sufficient, and I touch up my knives often anyway. This Salt 2 has better lockup than my Delica, and I was simply amazed when I got it in hand to feel how much lighter it is than its VG-10 counterpart.

 

[Chronovore]

Remember that most knife steels, including stainless steels, can be corroded by prolonged contact with salts or acids. Sweat can be more dangerous than humidity for EDC knives. Pockets can already be warm and moist in hot weather, which promotes reactions in general. Folding up a knife and forgetting about it after food prep is asking for trouble. Unless you are carrying something special, like H1, it is worth being mindful. Clean your knife. Wipe it down with an appropriate non-toxic oil.

That said, corrosion resistance is a spectrum. Compared to most ordinary knife steels, VG-10 is excellent.

 

[Centermass]

I’ve carried VG10 Enduras (and other VG10 knives) swimming/boating in fresh water many, many times and used to pocket one at work everyday in the Florida humidity, rain, swamp water, and sweating all over it, and have never had a significant issue with rust with minimal to almost no maintenance. VG10 fares quite well in wet environs in my experience.

 

[22-rimfire]

.....That said, corrosion resistance is a spectrum. Compared to most ordinary knife steels, VG-10 is excellent.

That is my experience and with minimal care, there should be no rust on the blade. I generally use RemOil personally to wipe my knives down. They seldom get used for food preparation or eating.

 

[DeadboxHero]

LC200N

 

[TheEdge01]

I’ve owned several VG10 blades and never ever experienced corrosion problems. Unless the owner uses it in extremely harsh conditions and fails to at least clean the blade off as needed, rust shouldn’t be an issue.

 

[Black Oak Bladeworks]

I dont have a pocket knife in VG10 but do have a Fallkniven in it. The rust resistance is phenomenal. I have had my knife wet all day long with no rust. The only rust I ever had was a piece of meat on the blade that was left on for over 24hours. The little rust wiped right off too.

I think 8cr12MoV is similar to what kershaw puts in there blades, If so I would say VG10 is a much better steel. A touch harder to resharpen maybe but that's it. I would say its better in every category. Just my 2cents.

Congratulations on your new blade!

 

[Cosmodragoon]

That is my experience and with minimal care, there should be no rust on the blade. I generally use RemOil personally to wipe my knives down. They seldom get used for food preparation or eating.

I haven't used RemOil in decades. It's not just about food prep but what you have in your pockets, close to your body, etc. I took steps to reduce toxicity in my EDC a few years ago. I was having some other health problems and decided not to "lean into the punch" as another member here put it.

I recommend the following article by Grant Cunningham about firearm lubrication. It's a great general read and is fairly comprehensive. The non-toxic grease and oil he eventually recommends has gotten a lot easier to get since he wrote it. Relevant to this topic, a company called Lubrikit sells SFL-0 in much handier sizes. I use it on revolvers, knife pivots and detent paths, and random things around the house. I know a few other guys here use SFL-0 on knives. It's worth checking out.

Lubrikit's Website: http://lubrikit.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhczUirzo5AIVjrbICh1QYQgxEAAYASAAEgLaLvD_BwE

"Lubrication 101" article: https://www.grantcunningham.com/2006/05/lubrication-101

 

[22-rimfire]

Pretty good article ^^ on oils/lubrication if your interested and easy to read.

What is the purpose of using oil on a knife? Lubrication of course to start with. Oil helps parts slide past each other with less friction. Some have better pH protection..... might be important for an edc in your pocket all the time. Some reduce oxidation.... probably important to knives and guns.... oxidation = rust formation. I am no expert. many seem to have their "magic oil" that they like.

I honestly don't worry about what oil I choose for knife lubrication as long as it is not WD-40 or any of the similar sprays and is a thin oil. As referenced above, I often use RemOil..... why? Generally because it is sitting on my desk and handy. I would probably use 3 in 1 too if it was handy. May not be the best choices as mentioned in the article.

 

[Chronovore]

... What is the purpose of using oil on a knife? Lubrication of course to start with. Oil helps parts slide past each other with less friction. Some have better pH protection..... might be important for an edc in your pocket all the time. Some reduce oxidation.... probably important to knives and guns.... oxidation = rust formation. I am no expert. many seem to have their "magic oil" that they like.

I honestly don't worry about what oil I choose for knife lubrication as long as it is not WD-40 or any of the similar sprays and is a thin oil. As referenced above, I often use RemOil..... why? Generally because it is sitting on my desk and handy. I would probably use 3 in 1 too if it was handy. May not be the best choices as mentioned in the article.

Oil serves two distinct roles on a folder. The first is lubrication for the moving parts. The second is surface protection.

I'm another one who uses Lubriplate FMO 350-AW on the moving parts. I also got turned on to it by Grant Cunningham's article a while back. It worked well so I kept using it. I started using it on knives because, like you, I had it sitting on my desk. I found that it worked well there too and being non-toxic, I've been putting it in knife actions for a few years now. It is a relatively thin oil. While great on washers or bearings, I know some people prefer a thicker/heavier oil along the detent path. Honestly, I haven't had any issues and haven't seen the need to go heavier.

One thing I specifically like about Lubriplate FMO 350-AW is that it easily works itself into where it needs to be. With a needle tip applicator, it makes touch-ups a breeze. It also does a nice job on things that you can't or don't want to take fully apart. For instance, I have a Bestech Spike. It came with invincible thread-locker and the pivot screw stripped on my first attempt. So I flushed out the factory lube with 91% alcohol. After drying completely, the FMO 350-AW was quick and easy. It got to where it needed and stayed there. In fact, I just took it out of my desk drawer and the action is still buttery-smooth.

As far as surfaces go, I use plain ol' mineral oil from the drug store. The FMO 350-AW would be fine for this but mineral oil is about as cheap and non-toxic as it gets.

 

[Chronovore]

I haven't used RemOil in decades. It's not just about food prep but what you have in your pockets, close to your body, etc. I took steps to reduce toxicity in my EDC a few years ago. I was having some other health problems and decided not to "lean into the punch" as another member here put it.

I recommend the following article by Grant Cunningham about firearm lubrication. It's a great general read and is fairly comprehensive. The non-toxic grease and oil he eventually recommends has gotten a lot easier to get since he wrote it. Relevant to this topic, a company called Lubrikit sells SFL-0 in much handier sizes. I use it on revolvers, knife pivots and detent paths, and random things around the house. I know a few other guys here use SFL-0 on knives. It's worth checking out.

Lubrikit's Website: http://lubrikit.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhczUirzo5AIVjrbICh1QYQgxEAAYASAAEgLaLvD_BwE

"Lubrication 101" article: https://www.grantcunningham.com/2006/05/lubrication-101

Hey, the oil is Lubriplate FMO 350-AW. SFL-0 is their grease. I use both for different things and I keep the oil in an unmarked bottle with a needle applicator. Reading this post a couple months back got me twisted up. I've been recommending SFL-0 to people for knives ever since!

http://lubrikit.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=54

 

[AntDog]

Most VG10 blades I’ve had have not rusted, but my Sere 2K has. A couple of times when I’ve gone to put it back in my pocket it was covered in little rust speckles. A little dish soap and fine steel wool took care of it.