GFA knife rusting?

[Fish Finder]

The Mrs got me a GFA knife for my birthday and I am having a heck of a time with it rusting.  I have had it only a month and its rusted all over.  I dressed a deer with it, washed the knife and set it down to dry.  By the next morning it has some rust orange spots on it so I
wiped it down again and no problem.

Today I hunted all day in the rain and by the time I got home the whole knife had rust all over it and the metal has oxidized and turned black.

What could be causing all of this?  Ive had a ton of knives and never had this problem with any.  Is there something I need to do to this knife to prevent this?  If I cant get it to stop rusting it will be going on display or getting sold...no sense in having a knife that rusts in hours.

[Zradix]

1095 steel does rust pretty easy.

Looking forward to other's comments.

[buckeyebowhunter]

Hmm, I bought my dad one for his birthday before fall deer season began. He has used it to dress a few deer, had it out in the rain for a while, with no problems. I'm not sure why yours would be doing this. Try rubbin it down with some 3 in 1 oil before you take to the woods with it next time.

[Jedimaster]

Back before stainless was all the rage every knife would do that.  The steel in your knife, generically called "carbon steel", is not stainless although many contend (including myself) that is preferable to stainless.  I'd rather have that knife than any number of stainless variations that will not sharpen readily or obtain a keen edge (althouth there are some fine stainless blades out there).  

All it takes is a little rub down with oil after use to keep it from rusting but it will definitely oxidize, tarnish, change color ... whatever over time and with use.  That is natural and I personally like it better than a bright shiny blade.

You can also give it a light rub with petroleum jelly before carrying it in wet environments.  However, be mindful to go LIGHTLY and on the blade only.  The last thing you want is a slick knife.

You have a nice knife and a very thoughtful wife.  Take care of both!

[Keefer]

I just recieved one from Mrs. Asbell myself as a free gift cause of a shippment mess up and even though I haven't used it yet and I can't complain cause it was free with my order but it's High Carbon 1095 steelblade 57-59RC! i know absolutly nothing about metals other then it's not Aluminum! I noticed it has a somewhat waxy feel to it on the blade and that may help in keeping it from rusting so maybe you can put some bee's wax or something to keep it from rusting...Also maybe they will replace it with another like it...You can also ask on the knife makers/crafter forum about that kind of steel makeup and see what the guys there would suggest to do....Me I can't complain cause mine was Free    :rolleyes:

[Zradix]

Oiling should help a lot.
Cleaning it then not oiling it asks for rust.

If you're really disliking it you could blue it or brown it.

[ron w]

Just clean it, rub a bit of oil on it and use it....a bit of rust won't hurt anything.....you take care of it and it will last you a long time.

[Ragnarok Forge]

The knife is a high carbon steel which rusts quickly when not cared for properly.  The finish on your knife is one I use on many of my field knives.  That finish tends to form rust quickly.  You need to clean the knife after use and either lightly oil it, or coat it with Renaisannce Wax.  RW is what many knife smiths use to protect all the high carbon blades they forge and use.  The high carbon steel will acquire a dark patina over time.  

Stainless steel knives in general do not hold an edge well.  If you buy one that holds an edge like a high carbon blade you will pay 4 to 5 times what you paid for the GFA knife. With a little extra effort it will last you a lifetime.

[tecum-tha]

Use some clove oil on it after cleaning and drying. Was used to preserve the japanese samurai swords for a long long time,  which are garantied to be NOT STAINLESS.

[Swamp Yankee]

Yup, most high carbon steel blades need to be oiled regulary to protect them from rust.  The upside is high carbon blades like 1095 are easier to sharpen and hold an edge better than most stainless steels.

[Keefer]

One thing I would like to ad about the Asbell knives...They are really super sharp and priced very under cost for a hand forged knife  and I have to say the Asbell's really try to make us here on the Gang Very Happy with our orders.....I was having much trouble with my order showing up after it was shipped and not sure what happened at the post office but when  I opened my box there lay a G.F.A. knife and sheath as a token of appreciation ...It really made my day when I saw the knife and it shows me that Mrs. Teresa is a true "Queen" and wants us all to be happy little boys!    

[Zradix]

KEEFER...That is so cool.

Wonder how I could get them to mess up my next order..lol

[Paul WA]

I use Ballistol on anything I want to keep rust free...PR

[Ringneck]

The best product I have found for preventing rust is Marine Tuf Cloth by Sentry Solutions.

[john gerrard]

I have a few high carbon knives and I have done the following to them to keep them from rusting.

You need to put a petina on your blade. Take your knife and clean all of the oil off of the blade. Now put regular old mustard on the blade and let it set for a few hours. Now just rinse the mustard off of the blade and oil it. The acid from the mustard will put a petina on the blade that will help retard rusting. You will still need to oil the blade afterward but it will help keep it from rusting.   John

[MikeW]

There is a product called Fastex(bullet coating) you have to heat the metal to 140 degrees then dip the knife in for a few minutes. It will stop rust,in fact the stuff is pretty amazing it would work great too for broadheads. It was all the rage about 10 years ago when I shot the benchrest circuit..

[Keefer]

John Kelly,
 Not sure how the mess up happened but it was a Happy ending and  Mrs.Teresa is super kind...Now John Gerrald if I put mustard on my knife I might as well make me a "sammich" to eat! Thanks for the petina advise and I'll make sure I use plenty of Mustard!  

[Lin Rhea]

It might sound funny, but the mustard will do just that. It's sort of like browning a gun barrel. It is actually a controlled "rust" that will slow any bad rusting down and keep it managable. In my opinion, carbon steel, rust or not, holds a more crisp, durable, and easier to sharpen edge. A knife is no different than any other pieces of equipment. They have to be maintained too. By the way, Ballistol is good stuff.

[David Yukon]

Is there a better kind of mustard than others?? I like dijon...lol
That is probably why the old Opinel french knifes are never rusted...they like there mustard!

[bornagainbowhunter]

I don't want a knife if it wont rust.  Carbon Steel all the way.


God Bless,
Nathan