Recommendation? Preventing Rust in Shipping?

David Mary

David Mary

pass the mustard - after you cut it
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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I send out a significant number of 8670 and 15N20 blades that I belt satin finish on fine Scotchbrite belts. I typically ship them in their Boltaron, Holstex, or Kydex sheaths, after coating them with mineral oil. Recently I was notified that one arrived with a very noticeable spot of rust on it. Now it is getting colder out, so the knife likely experienced a few temperature changes on its journey, which maybe had sometime to do with it, i.e. drawing moisture and condensation? My thoughts at this time are to continue coating with mineral oil, and also maybe include some kind of desiccant in the box as well, though I don't know what those would be necessarily, how exactly I would use them, or where I would find them. So I am looking for suggestions on that, and in general how you ship your carbon steel blades to prevent rust. Thanks!
 
I prefer CLP paste. I do wonder if applying a coat of oil, inserting into the sheath to coat the sheath, unsheathing and reapplying then resheathing, would help consistancy.

I know for leather, storing outaide of the leather sheath is advised. For kydex, I've seen it both ways. Shipping outside of the sheath is probay the next besr step.
 
Not a maker, just a potential customer.

The other day I received two sheaths in a box that our lovely postman just dropped on the ground while it rained (too large for our mailbox), the box was completely soaked. Luckily, the maker (Harry) had put the sheaths in plastic bags.

So I suggest a coat of oil and then sealing in air tight plastic (like a freezer vacuum bag), after adding a fresh desiccant bag or two (you can buy on ebay).
 
something I have to do when dealing with meteorite is sometimes dry pieces with something like a hair dryer after etching to evaporate and moisture on pieces before oiling so moisture does not remain under a fresh coat of oil adding this step may help as for how much help it would be is difficult to say.
 
Seedy Lot said:
I used Frog Lube on my test and lipbalm and oil beeswax salve both out performed it for corrosion resistance.
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Back in the early 90's i went though a greaser/punk/industrial phase.
My dad was a preboomer.
I asked him what they did with their hair in the 50's..... he said they used vaseoline or the Real hardcore one's used motor oil.....

I used vasoline in my hair for many years. used as lip balm then, too. I bet your idea works well. I'd be willing ot try/test it out.

Just that I imagine Vasoline might spread easier. and would be less expensive. I think?
 
The top two products in my testing and others are wd40 specialist with long term corrosion in inhibition, and frog lube (for a food safe choice).
 
Wow for some reason I missed my notifications for this thread. Thank you very much everyone, I truly appreciate it.
 
ferider said:
The other day I received two sheaths in a box that our lovely postman just dropped on the ground while it rained (too large for our mailbox), the box was completely soaked. Luckily, the maker (Harry) had put the sheaths in plastic bags.
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Good to know. FWIW, I always completely seal my boxes with tape so that there is no cardboard surface area exposed. I do this for two reasons, first because it's the best way I can think of to seal a package against moisture, and second, because outer face of the tape is grippier than the cardboard, and I want my mail handlers to have the best possible grip on my packages.
 
REK Knives said:
How thick did you leave the lip balm and beeswax?
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I treated all products the same and applied them according to what Renaissance wax recomend so applied product to clean steel let sit for 10 minutes then lightly buffed.

Not beeswax alone but beeswax melted with oil, salve style.

Did you try lip balm?

Crag the Brewer said:
Just that I imagine Vasoline might spread easier. and would be less expensive. I think?
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Vaseline alone would probaly work as it is pretty thick. What I found to work best is when the product is an oil and wax combined.
 
Boeshield T-9 is a spray wax that Boeing developed in house for corrosion protection. Probably overkill for this use, but it'll protect your blades.
 
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