Spydiechef Rusted After First Use

[Sharkfisher51]

I waited 5 months for this knife to arrive from KnifeCenter and took it surf fishing in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of FL this past weekend. After all the reviews and tests I saw on Youtube I thought this knife would be a perfect fit for saltwater surf fishing. Apparently it's not. Rusted after my first trip in the saltwater with it clipped to my pocket in the surf during the first day. I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to do this based on other claims and reviews. LC200N steel I thought was very corrosion resistant. Has anyone seen this happen before?

[sal]

Hi Sharkfisher,

Welcome to our forum and I'm sorry for your disappointment. The model you are using is not designated as a "Salt" model. It is only using LC200N steel for the blade. For your activity, I would suggest an actual Salt model like the Pacific Salt, and I would suggest a serrated version. I would also suggest that you do not believe everything you see/hear from Youtube testers.

Where are you located?

sal

[Sharkfisher51]

Hi Sal, I'm located in central Florida. I was excited about this knife and I really thought this was the best of both worlds being both corrosion resistant while maintaining other great blade characteristics like sharpening and ruggedness. It's still a beautiful knife for sure, but I think maybe I had it built up in my mind this was the piece de resistance of saltwater knives. Those guys at Knife HQ did that test out in the great salt lake and I was sold immediately. I think maybe I'll try one of the H1 steel knives in the future for fishing.

[Sharkfisher51]

Right from Spyderco's website... "Salt Series"

"Designed by renowned Polish custom knifemaker Marcin Slysz, the Spydiechef is an extremely refined folding knife that takes the user-friendly ergonomics and balance of a world-class chef’s knife and translates them into an all-purpose, everyday-carry folder that is impervious to the elements. A proud member of Spyderco’s Salt Series™ of ultra-corrosion-resistant knives, the Spydiechef features a gracefully curved blade crafted from LC200N. This state-of-the-art nitrogen-based alloy is extremely corrosion resistant and is actually used by NASA for the ball bearings used in aerospace applications. The blade’s broad profile and full-flat grind create exceptional edge geometry that ensures precise, low-friction cutting performance.

To reduce weight, optimize balance, and simplify cleaning, the Spydiechef features an open-backed handle constructed with two precision-machined solid titanium scales. The reverse-side scale houses a stout Reeve Integral Lock (R.I.L.) mechanism that locks the blade firmly open when in use. For additional security when working around water, the handle also includes a lined lanyard hole for easy attachment of safety lines and lanyards and a reversible deep-pocket wire clip for convenient, ambidextrous carry and quick tip-up access.

An impressive synthesis of custom-quality craftsmanship and advanced corrosion-resistant materials, the Spydiechef offers extreme cutting performance in a package that is immune to even the harshest environments."

[vivi]

I haven't seen LC200N rust that badly. Surprising experience. My Waterway has been exposed to salt water with no issues, but fixed blades are a little less complex than folders to be fair.

[BG-ThatsMe]

Description From web:

https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details/C211TI/1004

[sal]

Hi Sharkfisher, BG-ThatsMe,

Thanx for calling that to my attention. I will alert management to the issue.

sal

[Sharkfisher51]

It's not only a member but a "Proud Member of Spyderco's Salt Series" If by Proud that means it's not able to go in the saltwater then I'm not sure how else it can be proud?

[Liquid Cobra]

Forgive me if I’m wrong but I thought the first wave of spydiechefs had a steel detent ball (which can rust). Later a ceramic detent ball was used to avoid this problem. Your photo and where the rust is located leads me to believe the detent ball is what’s rusting, not your blade (LC200N).

Maybe you can return it for one with a ceramic detent ball? If it was mine I’d replace the ball myself.

[mb1]

That’s just the photo making the hardware look black right? Silver pivot screw?

[archangel]

There's rust on the blade, too. Not heavy rust, but still. What's most confusing is that other forum members using the Chef in salt water areas seem not have the problem. How can this be?

[mb1]

Hey Sal, could you clear up the questions and confusion on the hardware too? A bunch of us were speculating and wondering what the black coating was about on the latest CQI version.

[Sharkfisher51]

This Spydiechef is from the latest and "greatest" batch of knives from Taichung factory. I placed the order with KnifeCenter in April 2019 and I received it the first week of October 2019. I was told this was one of about 80 freshly made knives and would be the last order shipping this year. I was assured that this has the ceramic detent ball in it as well. I feel deceived as this was listed as being a Proud Member of the Salt Series. This is nothing to be proud of as it rusts when it goes in the saltwater. NFG...

[prndltech]

Seems weird... I wonder if somehow the storm (nester) changed something in the water?

I was in Orlando this past weekend, got rained on for bout 2 straight days

[sal]

Hey Sal, could you clear up the questions and confusion on the hardware too? A bunch of us were speculating and wondering what the black coating was about on the latest CQI version.

Hi Mb1,

We're still testing.

sal

[VooDooChild]

I was able to get staining on a lc200n muleteam, worse than any reports of lc200n knives ive seen. The mule teams may have had some issues though. Ive also seen rust looking spots on a caribbean but most scraped off with the fingernail. The other spots came off with a bit more elbow grease.
Theres alot of random evidence thats hard to piece together. My native salt has been going through the ringer lately and has no issues whatsoever. I had it in the gulf on Sunday, the day after Nestor, it was wet all day in my boardshort pocket and on the boat. It did not recieve cleaning and is still holding up to the level of rustproofness that my h1 salts exhibit. So I dont think the water chemistry has changed.
Im sure Lance will chime in but through random threads and evidence it seems as though lc200n can stain through external contamination with other materials that its in contact with.
I really want to do a torture test in the future of several of my lc200n knives to see if I can begin to pinpoint certain variables that might contribute to how lc200n reacts to this type of stuff.
Is the datecode on your box DR (?) or later. If its before this then its a non cqi version that has a steel detent ball. This can rust.
The other issue. How was ot carried? Was it in contact with other metal? Was there a way the blade could have been contaminated?
Have you tried cleaning it yet? There is a big difference between surface contamination and pitting. How is the edge on it? Any knife that truly rust should have rust forming on the edge as well.
If it is a cqi version then I would say it looks like contamination to me. Possibly from the factory, or being carried not sure. Any of the tooling used in the assembly process could have just been used on a tool steel and left trace amounts of iron and carbon on the surface of the blade. I would say clean it and see if it comes back.
If it comes back then there is a bigger issue.

[Sharkfisher51]

I was able to get staining on a lc200n muleteam, worse than any reports of lc200n knives ive seen. The mule teams may have had some issues though. Ive also seen rust looking spots on a caribbean but most scraped off with the fingernail. The other spots came off with a bit more elbow grease.
Theres alot of random evidence thats hard to piece together. My native salt has been going through the ringer lately and has no issues whatsoever. I had it in the gulf on Sunday, the day after Nestor, it was wet all day in my boardshort pocket and on the boat. It did not recieve cleaning and is still holding up to the level of rustproofness that my h1 salts exhibit. So I dont think the water chemistry has changed.
Im sure Lance will chime in but through random threads and evidence it seems as though lc200n can stain through external contamination with other materials that its in contact with.
I really want to do a torture test in the future of several of my lc200n knives to see if I can begin to pinpoint certain variables that might contribute to how lc200n reacts to this type of stuff.
Is the datecode on your box DR (?) or later. If its before this then its a non cqi version that has a steel detent ball. This can rust.
The other issue. How was ot carried? Was it in contact with other metal? Was there a way the blade could have been contaminated?
Have you tried cleaning it yet? There is a big difference between surface contamination and pitting. How is the edge on it? Any knife that truly rust should have rust forming on the edge as well.
If it is a cqi version then I would say it looks like contamination to me. Possibly from the factory, or being carried not sure. Any of the tooling used in the assembly process could have just been used on a tool steel and left trace amounts of iron and carbon on the surface of the blade. I would say clean it and see if it comes back.
If it comes back then there is a bigger issue.

VoodooChild,
This knife was about a week old when I put into the Gulf. I used it to open some boxes and washed the blade in warm soapy water before I headed out fishing, which by the was was during Nestor as well down in St. Pete Beach. I too had it clipped on the inside pocket of my board shorts and had it with me every time I walked out to the sandbar to cast. I was in about 5 feet of water and all the goodness that comes with 85deg gulf water in the middle of October. I'll have to check the box later and get back to you on the datecode. There is a little rust on the backside of the edge of the blade not shown, but it's not along the feather edge, just like a continuation of the rust on one part of the blade down to the edge. I haven't sharpened it yet as it comes with a sick edge to begin with and hasn't see much cutting other than mullet and 65lb braid. Maybe the mullet guts got the best of it? I saw on some of the H1 blades online that the laser etch can show rusting but it's not present on my knife.

[Sumdumguy]

I'm putting my money on surface contamination from manufacturing. Take some sandpaper to the blade and clean it up, then take it out in the brine again and see what happens.

After a year of neglect, my Caribbean had zero rust on the blade and a little on the liners. I have since cleaned it all off and will report back next year when I take it apart again. You could probably give us some insight fairly quickly

[Coffeetron]

I'm putting my money on surface contamination from manufacturing. Take some sandpaper to the blade and clean it up, then take it out in the brine again and see what happens.

After a year of neglect, my Caribbean had zero rust on the blade and a little on the liners. I have since cleaned it all off and will report back next year when I take it apart again. You could probably give us some insight fairly quickly

+1

Could very likely be contamination.

[VashHash]

I put my autonomy 2 in the gulf in Louisiana with no issues. Left it wet and sandy for a few hours too. No rust on anything. I rinsed it off later that day.