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10-16-2015, 10:31 AM
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Skilled
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Northern Alabama
Posts: 396
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As a 1084 EDC knife user.....
What do I do about black corrosion? The knife I made for myself is a full tang so it gets some blackish corrosion on the tang from the oils in my hand. Also, I cut some vines and branches while I was mowing my lawn and didn't have time to wipe it off. Later, when I did go to clean it I noticed some black corrosion in spots where there was some sap/plant fluid on the blade. (all this happened a while ago I'm just asking now)
I don't mind this corrosion all that much and some of it on the blade rubs off during use. It still cuts, so in my book its still an effective knife. However, am I a bad knife owner? Does this reflect poorly on me as a knifemaker that I let this stuff get on my knife? If so, is it taboo for me to refinish it?
I just wanted to get some opinions from other knifemakers who use knives they make.
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-Hunter
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10-16-2015, 10:39 AM
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Steel Addict
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Logandale, Nevada
Posts: 221
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I say leave it as is, gives it more character.
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10-16-2015, 11:23 AM
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Founding Member / Moderator
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wauconda, WA
Posts: 9,840
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I wouldn't leave blobs of tree sap sitting on it but, other than that, I agree with MV that it creates character. Even so, if you want to refinish it that's your choice. Just remember though that the patina that gives a carbon steel blade its character is also the most effective protection it has against serious rusting....
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10-16-2015, 11:26 AM
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Skilled
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Northern Alabama
Posts: 396
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Yeah I wiped them off later, I just wanted to make sure that this was normal.
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-Hunter
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10-16-2015, 11:31 AM
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Skilled
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Northern Alabama
Posts: 396
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I guess as an additional question, why do we as knifemakers polish our knives as a finish if they're going to get a patina anyways? Wouldn't it make more sense to etch all of our knives to protect them from corrosion in a more controlled manner?
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-Hunter
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10-16-2015, 11:56 AM
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Founding Member / Moderator
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wauconda, WA
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Two things: one, polishing provides some rust protection. Etching provides more, but polishing does some. Second, not all knife makers polish everything in sight but you might take note that those who do are often beginners.
The only knives that might benefit from being properly polished are those meant for collections, IMO. A polished knife that gets used at all shows a mark from everything that touches it and looks worse for that than an etched blade that gets seriously used.
A properly polished knife will have a clear clean finish with no scratches and the corners and grindlines will still be sharp and well defined, not blurred and rounded. That takes a huge amount of work and skill to accomplish. Put that knife in a display case. Amateur polished finishes often include polished scratches (thinking they can polish out a scratch they were too lazy to sand out), rounded corners and blurred grind lines but it sure looks shiny (for a while). Don't be that guy, work on a good satin finish and solid workmanship instead ...
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10-16-2015, 03:01 PM
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Skilled
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Northern Alabama
Posts: 396
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Well I used the term polish loosely. I should've said satin finished.
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-Hunter
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10-16-2015, 03:47 PM
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Founding Member / Moderator
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wauconda, WA
Posts: 9,840
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That's OK. The word 'polish' is pretty much guaranteed to get me triggered, not your fault ...
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Tags
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1084, blade, book, carbon, display case, edc, etch, etching, full tang, hand, knife, knifemaker, knives, made, make, man, polish, sand, satin finish, sharp, steel, tang |
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