M4 - Is it a ‘Rust Magnet’..?

S

sharkattacksw

Joined
Aug 4, 2008
Messages
620
Good morning gentlemen,

I’m interested in a PM2 with an uncoated M4 blade (the Knifeworks model). I’m concerned about rust, however. I’m a very casual user of my knives: mail, boxes, packages, and apples/oranges/etc. at lunchtime at work.

I understand that patina/stains will develop, and I’m totally fine with that. I just don’t want rust spots to start peppering the blade.

Am I overthinking it? Any advice you can offer will be appreciated.

Thx in advance.
 
Rust spots are inevitable. Albeit small ones that if regularly maintained will rub off. If rust is a concern don't go with m4.

Similar to corrosion resistance as 1095, so if you have experience with 1095 use that as a gage to judge if it will be a "rust magnet" to you.

With regular care it will get a dark patina but any neglect rust will start forming.
 
sharkattacksw said:
Good morning gentlemen,

I’m interested in a PM2 with an uncoated M4 blade (the Knifeworks model). I’m concerned about rust, however. I’m a very casual user of my knives: mail, boxes, packages, and apples/oranges/etc. at lunchtime at work.

I understand that patina/stains will develop, and I’m totally fine with that. I just don’t want rust spots to start peppering the blade.

Am I overthinking it? Any advice you can offer will be appreciated.

Thx in advance.
Click to expand...

In my experience, if you just wipe the blade dry after each use, it will be ok. It's when you put your knife away wet, or covered in fruit juice, is when it will start staining. Staining doesn't really bother me in a steel. It builds character for on my knife!

Slight staining on my M4 Millie...
lr2PQRl.jpg

qmGfrtC.jpg
 
P ponykid
As a casual user, the simple truth is that most of us don't need the fancy steels.
I remember when ATS 34 & 154CM were the latest & greatest steels; and my knives performed to my expectations... but, to answer your question, CPM M4 offers greater wear resistance than most of the commonly used blade steels. The benefit of that somebody that doesn't use a knife heavily is that it won't require sharpening often. (The downside is that, depending on one's sharpening skills and equipment, it is also more difficult to sharpen than a lot of the aforementioned steels)
 
I EDC a GB1 and don't have any corrosion issues. I wipe down the knife with BreakFree CLP after any heavy use and give a light wisk on the sharpener. Another good Cleaner-Lubricant-Protection from corrosion is Frog Lube, but it is much more expensive than BreakFree CLP.

If you want to be 100% corrosion free than get a Spyderco Pacific Salt model, the one with the yellow scales as it is easy to find if you drop it while in the wilds.

 
I’m ok with stains, your Millie looks great. I just don’t want to have it turn into an orange rusty piece of junk.

I’m looking at the M4 version for something different. I have an S35VN version already. I really like the look of a well used/stained knife blade, just like bravo’s. Plus, the KW version has some nice CF scales.
 
I just wipe mine off after use. Same as I do all my tools. No problems.
If rust were my number one concern, I probably would choose something other than M4.
My final thought. Get the knife you want, care for it, enjoy it:)
 
I find that M4 is as rust resistant as A2. With maintenance, M4 should be a great edc steel. Stay away from long swims in the ocean and all will be good.
 
M4 is my favorite steel. I have four knives in it. It will rust if you don't take care of it, but if you wipe it clean and keep it out of the ocean you will be ok. I live in Seattle and close to salt water and I don't have any problems. You will love M4 and how it sharpens, it is a fantastic steel!
 
My Spyderco Gayle Bradley has never had a spec of rust, but my Mantra got some surface rust right away,(it cleaned up o.k.). The difference was my Mantra went straight into my pocket on a hot sweaty day before any patina had a chance to develop. My GB was used a number of times before a sweaty pocket day. As long as you get a patina going and wipe after use you’ll not likely get any rust. Now if I am going to carry a carbon steel knife before it has time to get a natural patina, I’ll “rush” a patina. Not forcing one with ferric chloride or mustard or anything, I’ll just make a point of not wiping, fruit juice for example, off for a couple minutes a few times over.
 
I don't "take care" of mine (no obsessive wiping and oiling) and it rides in my pocket daily. I have the Blade HQ one from a few years ago.

If you really neglect it there may be some orange that will start to be visible in the jimping but as others have noted it's not serious.

The only caveat being if you pour buckets of acidic sweat off your body or live in a salt water marsh. Then M4 could be a bad idea.
 
spyderg said:
My Spyderco Gayle Bradley has never had a spec of rust, but my Mantra got some surface rust right away,(it cleaned up o.k.). The difference was my Mantra went straight into my pocket on a hot sweaty day before any patina had a chance to develop. My GB was used a number of times before a sweaty pocket day. As long as you get a patina going and wipe after use you’ll not likely get any rust. Now if I am going to carry a carbon steel knife before it has time to get a natural patina, I’ll “rush” a patina. Not forcing one with ferric chloride or mustard or anything, I’ll just make a point of not wiping, fruit juice for example, off for a couple minutes a few times over.
Click to expand...

Very interesting. So if I slice up a few apples for lunch, and don’t wipe the blade off until I’m finished with lunch, this will start a natural patina? What about the pivot and blade covered by the scales; anything to be concerned about there?
 
Fruit juice in your pivot will make your action terrible. That's why I make an effort to keep that stuff out of my pivot area.
 
Had some minor surface rust on the ricasso of my M4 PM2 after a while and if I don't think I'll use it for some time I coat the blade with rust prevention. But other than that there's not the tiniest bit of rust on it. So no, it definetly isn't a rust magnet. Even if it was, the performance would make up for it :D
 
91bravo said:
In my experience, if you just wipe the blade dry after each use, it will be ok. It's when you put your knife away wet, or covered in fruit juice, is when it will start staining. Staining doesn't really bother me in a steel. It builds character for on my knife!

Slight staining on my M4 Millie...
lr2PQRl.jpg

qmGfrtC.jpg
Click to expand...
This is pretty much exactly my experience with M4 as well. I personally thought it would be less rust resistant. Mine patina'd naturally quite a bit, but did not rust. Only around the start of the handle there was a tiny rust, after some fishing, but came right off. I love the natural patina that has set in from EDC use though.
If you fish a lot, or are around water for other reasons, a stainless would be better, but as long as you wipe/dry the blade after using it, should be fine.
 
sharkattacksw said:
Good morning gentlemen,

I’m interested in a PM2 with an uncoated M4 blade (the Knifeworks model). I’m concerned about rust, however. I’m a very casual user of my knives: mail, boxes, packages, and apples/oranges/etc. at lunchtime at work.

I understand that patina/stains will develop, and I’m totally fine with that. I just don’t want rust spots to start peppering the blade.

Am I overthinking it? Any advice you can offer will be appreciated.

Thx in advance.
Click to expand...
Its not a rust magnet but will patina. It's not as bad as most carbon steel though. But it will rust if not cared for. you can apply edci or other food safe rust prevention oils to the blade to prevent patina. It's a steel that's worth getting.

Edci... Not you should use a microfiber towel not paper towels.
 
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