Rusted Montana Knife

[sheephunt]

My buddy recently bought a Blackfoot 2.0. He used it the first time this weekend, to breast out a turkey kill. Six hours later, it was rusted. The customer service person told him that he sometimes uses Chapstick on his knives to keep them from rusting. I have never had a knife rust like this, even my cheap China stuff. Anyone experience this? I bought the same knife ($325), but have not used it yet.

 

[taskswap]

It's common in high carbon steel knives. The additives required to make knives stainless also makes them softer. There are some really great hybrid steels out there now that strike a better balance, but if you want a cost effective "I care way more about edge retention than rust" then high-carbon-steel is an easy option. MoraKniv sells two variants of their popular inexpensive bushcraft knives for exactly this reason: you can get the exact same knife in stainless or carbon-steel versions. I have both, and used the carbon steel one to cut a pumpkin and it rusted in about 5 minutes. Who knew pumpkins were so deadly to knives?

A quick resharpen will remove that. Machinists use Boeshield T-9 and that makes a long-lasting coating, but I doubt that's food safe. Chapstick sounds like a good option to me. I don't hunt with my carbon-steel Mora, I just keep it in my truck, so I use WD-40 and just never use it on food.

 

[Maki35]

Barefoot 2.0? Or maybe Blackfoot 2.0

MKC sells two versions of the Blackfoot 2.0. A stainless steel (rust resistant) model and a black high carbon steel model. It looks like your friend has the later.
A knife made of mostly High carbon steel is prone to rust if not maintained. hence why MKC used a black coating on the high carbon steel blade.
Soon after processing an animal or when the HC blade gets wet, it needs to be cleaned and dried to prevent rusting. A coating of vegetable oil/ food grade oil helps prevent rust.

 

[sheephunt]

Barefoot 2.0? Or maybe Blackfoot 2.0

MKC sells two versions of the Blackfoot 2.0. A stainless steel (rust resistant) model and a black high carbon steel model. It looks like your friend has the later.
A knife made of mostly High carbon steel is prone to rust if not maintained. hence why MKC used a black coating on the high carbon steel blade.
Soon after processing an animal or when the blade gets wet, it needs to be cleaned and dried to prevent rusting. A coating of vegetable oil/ food grade oil helps prevent rust.

Haha…..sorry! Meant to say Blackfoot!

 

[LFC911]

@sheephunt tell your buddy I'll give him $100 for it

 

[AM3]

Food grade mineral oil

 

[fwafwow]

The MKC website has information about how to prevent, and remove, rust.

How To Keep Your Knife From Rusting: The Complete Guide

We look at what rust is, the steps we take to keep knives from rusting, and how owners can prevent rust on their knives at home and in the field.

www.montanaknifecompany.com

How to Remove Rust From Knives (On Any Type of Steel)

Learn how to remove rust from knives, preserving their sharpness and appearance with techniques ranging from gentle abrasion to intensive restoration.

www.montanaknifecompany.com

 

[Darryle]

Blade wax, vegetable oil


Tell him to not cut an apple with it, it will look like a mud fence and won't ever look original again.

Kroil and a green dish scotchbrite pad will take care of that rust for sure, I use both Kroil and their blade wax, wax when I can remember I have it.

 

[Darryle]

@sheephunt tell your buddy I'll give him $100 for it

To be fair, I'd go $125

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

You can remove the rust with 000 steel wool or a polishing cloth. Then a very light coat of oil. It's also a good idea not to leave high carbon steel knives in leather sheaths all the time. Finally, always want to get blood and other organic detritus off high carbon blades quickly. These materials will cause oxidation pretty quickly.

 

[Wrench]

Strop the edge and wipe with cold blue.

 

[Shraggs]

As mentioned decent to good carbon will rust.

Hard to tell from pics but sharp edge isn’t refined or left from bone dents maybe. Certainly adds to rust with blood on it.

Definitely resharpen. Stropping with leather and compound will refine edge. Then food grade mineral oil.

Cold blue, or coffee, onion, fruit mustard can stain the exposed edge adding sone resistance.

I try to keep an old gift card in kit and remember to scrape fat and blood off as I find it more corrosive than water.

 

[MuleDeerMike]

The MKC knives can rust like crazy. Had my Blackfoot rust like that overnight last Fall as well. The rust on the blade will sharpen off but the logo I'm not sure. They sell a wax that you apparently need to be neurotic about applying to prevent rusting. They mention knife care but IMO they need to be more clear about how important it is and how quickly the wax really needs to be applied.

 

[Nicaburns]

That is why I supply a tin of Wicked Wax with all my custom knives... high carbon steel is great but it will rust. WD40 with 0000 steel wool will get the rust off.... wicked wax, dapper blacksmith, etc will keep it off

 

[BigNate]

High carbon blades need to be cleaned. The acids in flesh and blood trigger the rust.

 

[Ultracarry]

They really do spell it out that you might need this …