Removing rust from DLC M4?

[SchizoidHorse9]

My DLC M4 Millie is showing some light pitting after a couple of hours out in the humid weather... How do you guys pull out that rust without removing the coating? I normally keep it coated in Marine Tuffglide, but rushed out of the house this morning without an application.

[SG89]

Can you post a pic?

[Pelagic]

Maybe a plastic scraping tool of some sort? It would take some elbow grease but wouldn't hurt the DLC.

[jpm2]

First I’ve heard of dlc rusting.
I’d like to see pics too.

[SchizoidHorse9]

[Bloke]

You could try coating the blade with oil and gently rubbing it in a circular motion with Grade 0000 steel wool. Ensure you wash away any steel wool particles afterwards from the blade with plenty of oil and be extremely careful not to get any particles in the pivot area. :)

[Doeswhateveraspidercan]

Buy some Flitz in a tube and using a cloth rub it, The flitz will not hurt the DLC and will remove the rust.

[TkoK83Spy]

Buy some Flitz in a tube and using a cloth rub it, The flitz will not hurt the DLC and will remove the rust.

I taught you well grasshopper hahaha.

OP... don't forget some mineral oil to bring back the shine afterwards. Should be good as new.

[jpm2]

Not sure what I'm seeing there but have to ask, how can dlc rust and the bare edge be clean?

[PStone]

Barkeepers friend. The powder is a bit more aggressive than the liquid. Available at most grocery stores for just a couple bucks.

[SchizoidHorse9]

Not sure what I'm seeing there but have to ask, how can dlc rust and the bare edge be clean?

It's been in the upper 90s to low 100s, and it's a fairly humid region here. I work outside, so it's probably from sweat, and the spots are on the portion of the blade that sits above the grip area, on the inside against my leg, so it was probably pressing on me, not breathing. You can see some discoloration from what I assume is sweat around where the spots are. I assume that's why the bare steel doesn't have any, is because it seems like it was caused by direct prolonged contact.

[jpm2]

Not sure what I'm seeing there but have to ask, how can dlc rust and the bare edge be clean?

It's been in the upper 90s to low 100s, and it's a fairly humid region here. I work outside, so it's probably from sweat, and the spots are on the portion of the blade that sits above the grip area, on the inside against my leg, so it was probably pressing on me, not breathing. You can see some discoloration from what I assume is sweat around where the spots are. I assume that's why the bare steel doesn't have any, is because it seems like it was caused by direct prolonged contact.

Ah yeah, now that I think of it, I have seen folded knives spot above where they sit in the handle. Still surprising it happened on a coated blade. Is wore down in that area by any chance?
Can you feel those spots if you run your fingernail across them?

[Doeswhateveraspidercan]

Buy some Flitz in a tube and using a cloth rub it, The flitz will not hurt the DLC and will remove the rust.

I taught you well grasshopper hahaha.

OP... don't forget some mineral oil to bring back the shine afterwards. Should be good as new.

Indeed you did master Po https://youtu.be/W2yIkDVs0cA :D

[curlyhairedboy]

Barkeepers friend. The powder is a bit more aggressive than the liquid. Available at most grocery stores for just a couple bucks.

Seconding this.

I do have to say, however, that m4 is probably the least sweat-tolerant steel I've ever experienced. I've avoided the m4 shaman and will continue to do so until they help it out with some DLC.

[Cscottsss]

I've seen people use a rust eraser bought on Amazon.

[wrdwrght]

Could the discoloration on the DLC be something other than an iron oxide, perhaps even an adhesion failure?

[steelcity16]

Barkeepers friend. The powder is a bit more aggressive than the liquid. Available at most grocery stores for just a couple bucks.

Seconding this.

I do have to say, however, that m4 is probably the least sweat-tolerant steel I've ever experienced. I've avoided the m4 shaman and will continue to do so until they help it out with some DLC.

Have you tried 52100? That one is even worse than M4 in my experience.

[jpm2]

Barkeepers friend. The powder is a bit more aggressive than the liquid. Available at most grocery stores for just a couple bucks.

Seconding this.

I do have to say, however, that m4 is probably the least sweat-tolerant steel I've ever experienced. I've avoided the m4 shaman and will continue to do so until they help it out with some DLC.

If only there were a stainless steel that came close to having the edge stability and retention potential of m4.

[curlyhairedboy]

Barkeepers friend. The powder is a bit more aggressive than the liquid. Available at most grocery stores for just a couple bucks.

Seconding this.

I do have to say, however, that m4 is probably the least sweat-tolerant steel I've ever experienced. I've avoided the m4 shaman and will continue to do so until they help it out with some DLC.

If only there were a stainless steel that came close to having the edge stability and retention potential of m4.

cruwear ain't stainless, but it hits the sweet spot for me.

[jpm2]

Barkeepers friend. The powder is a bit more aggressive than the liquid. Available at most grocery stores for just a couple bucks.

Seconding this.

I do have to say, however, that m4 is probably the least sweat-tolerant steel I've ever experienced. I've avoided the m4 shaman and will continue to do so until they help it out with some DLC.

If only there were a stainless steel that came close to having the edge stability and retention potential of m4.

cruwear ain't stainless, but it hits the sweet spot for me.

Yeah cruwear is one of those inbetween compromise steels, not what I care for personally.