rust proof knife

[aidank]

Im buying a present for someone and want to get them a knife, as this knife will be exposed to the elements I want to get them a knife with a v rust proof blade

and preferably a folder and self opening even

what does everyone recommend for such a task ? any good deals going

new or SH considered

 

[rlitman]

How rustproof do you need? Titanium blades are sometimes used by scuba divers. It will NEVER rust, though it takes a lousy edge and dulls easily. Ceramic blades will not rust either.

 

[aidank]

thought titanium was hard and would hold an edge ?

 

[wild cowboy]

Stainless knives do not tend to ever rust unless used in a salt water environment or around acids.

this knife might be just what you are looking for

 

[mikehaugen]

Stainless knives do not tend to ever rust unless used in a salt water environment or around acids.

this knife might be just what you are looking for

Stainless is a very vague term, really depends on what kind of stainless, some are definitely more corrosion resistant than others. I can't tell you which ones off the top of my head.

 

[yowzer]

Spyderco Salt.

 

[OutsideMachinist]

Spyderco Salt.

Yep. http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/list.php?blade=H-1

 

[Kaasdief]

Opinel won't do!

 

[Jure]

just go with N680 blade and you'll be fine,but IMHO carbon blade is best you can get if you want a easy sharpening knife,easy to resharpen and make it shaving sharp,but it will rust overnight,but you can put a thin coat of oil over the blade and you'll be fine.

 

[wild cowboy]

the only steels that are truly rust proof are H1 and TN15X

here is a great guide to understanding knife blade steel

 

[rlitman]

thought titanium was hard and would hold an edge ?

Some titanium alloys can. I had some Boker kitchen knives made from it. It was ok, but not spectacular. Good quality steel knives are much better, though all stainless can still rust, given the right conditions.

My question would be to clarify "exposed to the elements".

Is this a person who just works outdoors? Then, a good stainless is ideal. The Spyderco Salt looks like a good option to me (this alloy is new to me, but the description sounds promising).

Is this a person who works at a Clorox plant, or a salt water scuba diver who takes a knife in a wet sheath off his belt, and tosses it wet into a gear bag for the next use? Then no knife grade stainless will stand up to those tests (superaustenitic steels that can handle the most corrosive environments won't hold an edge).

Another pretty much rustproof class of alloys that do hold an edge well are cobalt based. They're a matrix of cobalt (relatively soft, but quite strong), and harder carbides. Stellite is one version, Talonite is another. These will hold an edge for about as long as ceramic, and are just as difficult to sharpen, but are not brittle like ceramic.

 

[Jure]

Some titanium alloys can. I had some Boker kitchen knives made from it. It was ok, but not spectacular. Good quality steel knives are much better, though all stainless can still rust, given the right conditions.

My question would be to clarify "exposed to the elements".

Is this a person who just works outdoors? Then, a good stainless is ideal. The Spyderco Salt looks like a good option to me (this alloy is new to me, but the description sounds promising).

Is this a person who works at a Clorox plant, or a salt water scuba diver who takes a knife in a wet sheath off his belt, and tosses it wet into a gear bag for the next use? Then no knife grade stainless will stand up to those tests (superaustenitic steels that can handle the most corrosive environments won't hold an edge).

Another pretty much rustproof class of alloys that do hold an edge well are cobalt based. They're a matrix of cobalt (relatively soft, but quite strong), and harder carbides. Stellite is one version, Talonite is another. These will hold an edge for about as long as ceramic, and are just as difficult to sharpen, but are not brittle like ceramic.

i was pretty sure carbide is brittle

 

[justme-]

I wouldn't take a carbide or ceramic knife outside the kitchen - you're gonna have a bad day when trying to do anything and drop it.

Unless the knife is for a marine environment or will be left exposed outdoors all the time (in which case there are several marine specific knives, and in the latter - just don't)
get good steel and take care of it. Titanium and stainless steels have their place, but you sacrifice edge holding and edge quality.

 

[Fcvapor05]

i was pretty sure carbide is brittle

Solid carbide != carbide in a base matrix. One is very brittle, the other may not be depending on specifics.

 

[Tronyadorable]

Once again. Ask for advice on the right forum. Blade forums. comm
Yeah. We're all rednecks. We all have knives and guns and flashlights and hiking boots but most of us are not"expert" or stay up to date like those guys do.... day in and day out.

 

[rlitman]

i was pretty sure carbide is brittle

Carbide IS brittle. Imagine taking a blob of silicone caulk, mixing it up with a bunch of sand, and forming it into a knife. At the cutting edge, the silicone wears back exposing just teeth of sand. It's a good analogy for Stellite.
Diamond is also brittle, and yet when embedded in nickel, makes for a saw that can cut concrete.

As I said, Stellite is a matrix, not truly an alloy. The cobalt base metal is too soft to take an edge, but is very tough. The carbides are brittle, but are separated by the base alloy. That leaves you with a knife than can be bent in half without breaking, but with a cutting edge that can be seriously difficult to wear out, even in abrasive use.

I'm not saying it is a miracle knife alloy, just explaining how it works.

 

[rlitman]

I wouldn't take a carbide or ceramic knife outside the kitchen - you're gonna have a bad day when trying to do anything and drop it.

White ceramic knives are zirconium oxide. Quite brittle. Definitely not made to leave the kitchen.

Black ceramic knives are zirconium carbide. It is also brittle, but is measurably stronger. Perhaps that's why that's what's used in commercially made ceramic pocket knives. I know that Boker makes ceramic folders with this. Many of these have a stainless steel locking spring. Generally, locking springs are made from austenitic stainless (while with the exception of H1, most blades are martensitic), so corrosion is really not likely, except in the awful examples I listed above.

In doing a google search, I found a Boker with a ceramic blade and titanium scales with an integral frame lock in one scale. I do not know if any stainless is used in the pivot bolt, clip, or clip screws (it probably is). If so, I wouldn't drop it in a vat of acid, but I'll bet it will still handle most any corrosive environment you skin won't melt in.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XA3CZE/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[theoldwizard1]

Stainless is a very vague term, really depends on what kind of stainless, some are definitely more corrosion resistant than others.

Your statement is true, but likely not relevant. It is a reasonable assumption that any knife maker, making an all stainless steel knife, would choose an alloy that polishes well and has good anti-corrosion properties.

As someone else mentioned, SS knife blades are difficult to sharpen on a typical hand held honing stone (good chefs never use SS blades), but they do hold their edge well.

 

[LB-1911]

Im buying a present for someone and want to get them a knife, as this knife will be exposed to the elements I want to get them a knife with a v rust proof blade

and preferably a folder and self opening even

what does everyone recommend for such a task ? any good deals going

new or SH considered

Spyderco Salt.

Yep. http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/list.php?blade=H-1

The End.......

 

[bonneyman]

the only steels that are truly rust proof are H1 and TN15X

here is a great guide to understanding knife blade steel

Yeah, I was taught that stainless steel isn't really stainless - it just stains less.

 

[SantaAna12]

+1 on the Spyderco Salt.

 

[wild cowboy]

the Spyderco Salt is one of those knives that uses the H1 steel I mentioned, you could swim in the ocean with that knife!

 

[Fcvapor05]

Your statement is true, but likely not relevant. It is a reasonable assumption that any knife maker, making an all stainless steel knife, would choose an alloy that polishes well and has good anti-corrosion properties.

As someone else mentioned, SS knife blades are difficult to sharpen on a typical hand held honing stone (good chefs never use SS blades), but they do hold their edge well.

'An alloy that polishes well and has good anti-corrosion properties' applies to about a gazillion materials.

Knife blade material IS important. Simply saying 'buy one that's stainless steel' is exactly zero help.

 

[ajchien]

Opinel won't do!

Opinel does have an INOX (Stainless) blade with a composite handle now. Not rust proof, but probably deals with the elements better than their Carbone blade with wood handles.

I think I'd also suggest the Spyerco Salt. Not self opening, but one handed opening is pretty good.