Rusted Montana Knife

[EdP]

With so many great steels available to make knife blades why use one that flash rusts?

 

[BigNate]

With so many great steels available to make knife blades why use one that flash rusts?

The big answer is durability. The "stainless" steels contain brittle metals like vanadium and chrome, so they tend to chip easier, or worse. Blades with higher quantities of stainless steels are also harder to use to strike a ferro rod so may not be a good choice for some.

I have an O1 blade that is stained, and has lightly rusted in spots, that gets used a lot for things an ATS34 can't, and a CPM3v might be damaged by, but I have and use them all differently. The temper and heat treat play into the useful/durability tremendously.

The term flash rust probably isn't applicable as it doesn't rust immediately upon use.

 

[Remblaster]

The big answer is durability. The "stainless" steels contain brittle metals like vanadium and chrome, so they tend to chip easier, or worse. Blades with higher quantities of stainless steels are also harder to use to strike a ferro rod so may not be a good choice for some.

I have an O1 blade that is stained, and has lightly rusted in spots, that gets used a lot for things an ATS34 can't, and a CPM3v might be damaged by, but I have and use them all differently. The temper and heat treat play into the useful/durability tremendously.

The term flash rust probably isn't applicable as it doesn't rust immediately upon use.

Exactly and well put ! I have found that 1095 & D2 metais a perfect balance of easy to sharpen and just the right balance of metallurgy . On another forum a U.S. Marine who was quite knowledgeable in knives , especially liked Kabars for example . Way too much to cover here and what the application would be - YMMV

 

[EdP]

1095 doesn't rust like that. I like 1095 a lot and have some 1095 knives and with reasonable care they don't rust. I have a dozen or more qualify knives, some SS but most CS and none rust like that. Maybe "flash rust" is a bit of an exaggeration, but that is pretty fast rusting.

 

[MarlinMark]

Use CorrosionX on everything you want to protect from corrosion.

 

[Remblaster]

1095 doesn't rust like that. I like 1095 a lot and have some 1095 knives and with reasonable care they don't rust. I have a dozen or more qualify knives, some SS but most CS and none rust like that. Maybe "flash rust" is a bit of an exaggeration, but that is pretty fast rusting.

Yes totally agree as stated above ! Personlly I have what i call my good knives . My collection and some knives I've made all have 1095 - D2 Steel - I have about 20 -

 

[BigNate]

It has to do with the amount of carbon in the steel. MKC uses a lot of 52100 steel for their blades which is very high carbon. Incredibly durable, but due to the higher carbon content, it's also susceptible to corrosion. 52100 is literally what they make ball bearings out of.
Steel like 1095 is lower carbon and is softer so easily takes an edge but also wears quicker. It's also a little slower to rust. There's a reason they recommend the blade paste.
If stainless is your baliwick their Magnacut offering is a very good stainless steel.

 

[Bubblehide]

Corrosion X is well worth what it costs.

 

[Remblaster]

It has to do with the amount of carbon in the steel. MKC uses a lot of 52100 steel for their blades which is very high carbon. Incredibly durable, but due to the higher carbon content, it's also susceptible to corrosion. 52100 is literally what they make ball bearings out of.
Steel like 1095 is lower carbon and is softer so easily takes an edge but also wears quicker. It's also a little slower to rust. There's a reason they recommend the blade paste.
If stainless is your baliwick their Magnacut offering is a very good stainless steel.

Understood of course . The only s.s. blades I used was in my show knives up in PA. Regarding my 1095 blades , they were not heavily used , just for hunting & never a problem with losing their edges . Yes Carbon blades are a catch 22 , all depending on the other elements introduced into them . I agree that any of these blades depend on exactly what they are going to be used for . Thanks for your valued information .