second chance knives

[SuperC51]

My filework still has a mind of it's own. My respect for others great fit & finish is growing with each of these.
HELP---
The first KutMaster I did a month ago -with carbon steel blades- is popping out all over with new corrosion spots. It was very dark with pits before I sanded and polished it up. Can that be stopped or discouraged? I didn't coat the blades with anything, however I did last use simichrome on them last. Is that just the way it is with these 50 year old carbon steel knives or how can I stop it? The stainless steel KaBar seems to be no problem, but this Camillus 2 weeks after the buffer is also starting to spot. I'm going to give these as gifts, do I need to also include lifetime buffing? Thanks again Marvin

[muskrat man]

looks like you're doing good to me. Sometimes when corrosion on a blade reaches a certain point, even though it's been removed it is still in the steel and some time after the polishing process it will begin to respot where the worst areas were, this has happened on two of my schrade EDC muskrats that were badly pitted.

[orvet]

There are a number of products used in the auto body industry to stop rust. Usually they stop the progression of the rust by converting the existing rust into another compound. Obviously that wouldn’t work on a knife blade, however, if you were to sand, buff & polish the blade very well and then treat the metal, it might penetrate the pits here some rust may be hiding, and stop the rust in the pits from growing.

There is one product I am aware of that is supposed to stop rust. It is called Rust-Mort. I have used it successfully in the past, but not on a knife blade.
Another similar product that might be worth checking out is Picklex, and I am sure there are other such products.

Another idea I have had but have not had the need to use, is to sand, buff and polish the blade and then use an apple or mustard to create patina on the blade. That might stop or at least slow the rust down. Another idea would be to use cold bluing to achieve the same effect.
Has anyone tried these ideas to stop the rust?

Dale

[Hukk]

No, but I have thought along the same lines including a cold blue and using Nitre Blue Salts in 1/4 tanks (hot blue) in a seperate room as my main shop. I don't have the room, so I will stay away from the Nitre Blue Salts from Brownells. They are quite corrosive, so while saving or coloring a mosaic Damascus - everything else would suffer from rust.

I do have cold blue on hand, a couple types and it should work - in theory.

I just checked Brownell's website and saw an interesting product, a bit pricey but should last a very long time for a knifer since the quantaties are for a gun. The description is great, unlike most bluing compounds this one does not need the metal to be squeaky clean before using.

That makes it a definite plus and no mention of an expiration date.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ ... spx?p=1072

Since there is a nearly $25 shipping charge because of a Haz Mat charge, it makes me think that the small bottles are a poor value.

[Diligence]

Marvin - no info on the rust, but those are some beauties there!

Great job!

j

[Darksev]

I may have a suggestion, of sorts.

I've been working alot the last month or so on some "from scratch" knives. One of the first "finishable" blades is going to be a nice little spear/drop point fixed blade of O1 steel, which is, as most carbon steels are, prone to rusting. I've really been thinking about bluing it to add some contrast with my chosen handle material. What I've discovered so far is my "on the cheap" bluing investigations is that most cold blue's don't offer much in the way of protection, and that a blemish free polish is really the key to keeping the color stable. In your case this might not work. The Oxpho Blue Hukk linked is most likely going to be my first choice if I choose to blue at all. Everything I've read thus far about it is positive. It almost acts more like a parkerizing agent than a blue is why (Bluing is technically controlled rusting).

I've also stumbled across an older technique called "cold rust bluing" which is just downright fascinating to me. It goes against everything I know about blade care, but I really wanna try it . The premise behind CRB is to evenly rust the blade until a fine red velvet like rust forms over it, then boil it in water for an hour or two to convert the red oxide to stable black oxide. Once that's done, you card off the "fuzz" and are left with a darkened blade. Coated with a good water displacing oil, supposedly the finish is more stable and more protective than a standard hot blue, as this was the technique of choice for coloring most old muzzle loading rifles, etc.

I don't know if either of these will help, but it's a suggestion all the same. Someone more knowledgeable is free to shoot down anything I've said

[SuperC51]

Thanks for the input. For these knives I don't think I want a gun metal blue looking blade (hadn't really given it any thought until it was suggested). Would you be able to blue, then polish just leaving the blue in the tiny pits that the black rust is coming from leaving the same looking polished surface like they are now? I think I will try the rust killer, sand & polish again then renwax. It seems like the guys that clean and polish old knives would have experience over time with this. I'll pass on the results as they become apparent. Probably show off some more knives as well. Thanks Marvin