Spyderco Forums

I think the obvious most common rust issue is from body sweat, but are there any other things you encounter with your knife that you've found to be a sure way of rusting your blade?

Specifically not looking for ways to prevent rust...quite the opposite.

One of the few times I've had surface rust issues on the edge of a blade was from using my 52100 manix for yard work - mostly cutting back honeysuckle vines and shoots on cherry trees - and forgetting to wash it after. So to answer your question: plant goo??

i use my gb2 for food prep and keep getting small dots from fruit and veggies and meat.

could use your project Caribbean to cut food scraps for weeks on end without rinsing it?!?!

As far as rust goes, plain "water water" will rust 52100 and K390 quickly enough in my experience. Patina oxidation will happen virtually instantaneously on 52100 with Tabasco sauce (yes, I've tried it).

Hi David,

Interesting question.

I'd add "chemicals". When I was mfg aerospace parts back in another life-time, I learned that acids, alkaline, salts,etc. can be very hard on steels and other materials. I had to make a solid Teflon ring as the chemicals would even eat gold. Chlorine is hard on steels in any form; salt is Sodium Chloride (Chlorine), saltwater. Many foods can affect steel in many ways.

sal

Yup, plant goo. That is my main source of corrosion.

Holland wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 04, 2020 1:34 pm

could use your project Caribbean to cut food scraps for weeks on end without rinsing it?!?!

Oh I'm gonna do far more ridiculous than that :D

I have a hard time to ever rust my knives: I carry them IWB when trailrunning (and sweating of course) or sometimes for days in wet pockets or packs, cut food,don´t "baby" the blades at all, but still almost no signs of corrosion on VG10, S30V, XHP, BD1 and BD1N, N690, D2.... , even HAP 40 shows though a nice patina actually no real rust in my use

My Rex 45 Manix LW though has developed some tiny specs already. Hard to be seen though, and I did cut meat and fruits already with this knife and carried it a lot in sweaty and humid conditions as well.

On one occasion I left an O1 blade (very rustprone anyway of course) accidently in dissolved denture cleaner (yes, I luckily DO still have all my natural teeth , but denture cleaner is great for cleaning bike bottles or the like) for an hour or so. This really caused a lot of corrosion in a short period of time - no wonder, just looked up what ingredients that stuff can have: Citric acid, sodium bicarbonate, sodium perborate, sodium polyphosphate.. sounds pretty aggressive...

Lack of proper care!

CG

Sweat; juice / residue (citric acid) from cutting lemons, limes, or oranges for cocktails.

I've never found anything that rusts knives like my sweat.

Vinegar, mustard and tomato also do a number on steel pretty quick.

In the past I've had some trouble with various food acids and especially on ZDP-189. I've also had stains from food acids on VG-10, 440V and S30V just to name a few.

Another corrosive villian I've had to deal with is chlorine bleach ( Clorox). Times I've done cleaning jobs and when I've gotten bleach on my blade I've had some bad results as well. I've gotten to where I'm now very careful to rinse all my knives after using them with just about any corrosive substances.

ugaarguy wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 04, 2020 2:43 pm

Sweat; juice / residue (citric acid) from cutting lemons, limes, or oranges for cocktails.

Yeah, lemons.

Climate and humidity.

I've taken good care of my months-old GB2...making sure to oil it lightly before putting in into my watertight knife case. Never cut food or done food prep with it. Only dry cutting applications and I really made sure to wipe it down on my pants or shirt after use. Checked it and now it has developed about three or four very small spots on the blade edge and one near the spine.

I'm betting it was because it has been quite humid and rainy the past month here.

Entropy.

I think blood runs a close second to saltwater. :eek:

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 04, 2020 2:25 pm

On one occasion I left an O1 blade (very rustprone anyway of course) accidently in dissolved denture cleaner (yes, I luckily DO still have all my natural teeth , but denture cleaner is great for cleaning bike bottles or the like) for an hour or so. This really caused a lot of corrosion in a short period of time - no wonder, just looked up what ingredients that stuff can have: Citric acid, sodium bicarbonate, sodium perborate, sodium polyphosphate.. sounds pretty aggressive...

Off topic, but how is denture cleaner for water bladders? I have an Osprey hydration pack that's developed a funk because it's hard to clean the flexible bladder and hose unit...

VooDooChild wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 04, 2020 6:13 pm

Entropy.

LOL, that’ll do it! :D

On a more minor time scale, yep green plant sap, blood, salty pickle vinegar, and other foodstuffs like citrus all do it pretty strongly for me.

nerdlock wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 04, 2020 5:40 pm

Climate and humidity.

I've taken good care of my months-old GB2...making sure to oil it lightly before putting in into my watertight knife case. Never cut food or done food prep with it. Only dry cutting applications and I really made sure to wipe it down on my pants or shirt after use. Checked it and now it has developed about three or four very small spots on the blade edge and one near the spine.

I'm betting it was because it has been quite humid and rainy the past month here.

If I were still living in Taipei, Taiwan, I’d be carrying a linerless Salt. Especially during the summer months, but all year, really.

Jim

nerdlock wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 04, 2020 6:34 pm

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 04, 2020 2:25 pm

On one occasion I left an O1 blade (very rustprone anyway of course) accidently in dissolved denture cleaner (yes, I luckily DO still have all my natural teeth , but denture cleaner is great for cleaning bike bottles or the like) for an hour or so. This really caused a lot of corrosion in a short period of time - no wonder, just looked up what ingredients that stuff can have: Citric acid, sodium bicarbonate, sodium perborate, sodium polyphosphate.. sounds pretty aggressive...

Off topic, but how is denture cleaner for water bladders? I have an Osprey hydration pack that's developed a funk because it's hard to clean the flexible bladder and hose unit...

I think you need a hose brush. That has made a big difference for my hydration bladder hygiene. Disassemble as much as possible and scrub out. Osprey makes good stuff.

I have had good luck with baking soda as a cleaner too.