Pitting on LC200N Pacific Salt 2

[StuntZombie]

We went to the beach yesterday, so I decided to bring my Pac Salt with me.

I pulled it out of the bag and it was at that point I realized I had forgotten to clean it the last time we went out on the water.



I had used it to cut up a couple limes, swished it back and forth a few times in salt water, and that was it. This is the result of not having cleaned it in a couple of weeks. I cleaned off most of the rust with a scrubby pad, but I noticed there were a couple spots that weren't coming off. I looked at them under magnification, and realized the blade had actually pitted.





It's not particularly bad, but I was a little surprised by it. I'd seen metal contamination cause rust spots on H1 blades before, so I figured the same might happen with LC200N. I can't say I expected to see it pit, though. Perhaps I managed to find the limits of its corrosion resistance.

Anyone else experience rust or pitting on LC200N?

[curlyhairedboy]

We’ve seen that lc200n is susceptible to galvanic corrosion more so than H1.

[StuntZombie]

Ah, I remember someone posting a Caribbean that had that issue, but I thought it was due to the hardware used to hold the knife together.

I guess it goes back to the possibility there's contamination from the grinding process, causing pieces of different metals to become imbedded in the blade.

[VooDooChild]

I pitted the mule.

If h1 is 100% corrosion resistance then lc200n seems to be around 95%, or even like 98%.

Most of the "I got rust on my lc200n" threads are contamination issues. However you can end up with some small pitting spots like you got if you leave corrosion spots on the blade long enough.

[vivi]

I've pushed by LC200N knives pretty hard when it comes to corrosion resistance, and so far I haven't seen anything. It's been comparable to H1's corrosion resistance for me so far.

[StuntZombie]

I pitted the mule.

If h1 is 100% corrosion resistance then lc200n seems to be around 95%, or even like 98%.

Most of the "I got rust on my lc200n" threads are contamination issues. However you can end up with some small pitting spots like you got if you leave corrosion spots on the blade long enough.

I have a feeling it was likely the lime juice that pushed it over the edge, rather than the salt water.

I imagine it might still be possible there were contaminates in the blade as well.

[JRinFL]

I suspect that the blade is etched due to the acid of the lime.

[Kevinim82]

A week in the Gulf of Mexico on a boat and the engraved areas rusted a little... nothing but beauty marks.

[Chuck James]

LC200N is not a miracle steel.

I have a native five salt that will rust a little but is holding up very good as far as the blade is concerned.
It is a great steel none the less.

[Cambertree]

Yes, I have a few flecks of very light pitting on my SE Pac Salt 2 as well.

I assume it’s from particles of other steels being caught in the grinding striations on the blade flats when I strop the knife, and possibly causing some degree of galvanic corrosion.

I’d conjecture that a finer surface polish from the factory might help.

[Doc Dan]

I think we are finding out through experience that LC200N is not quite as rust proof as H1. I think VooDooChild (must be a Hendrix fan) is correct in saying 98%.