Keeping blades from rusting

[Epeecurean]

To clarify something, the colored finish on blades has nothing to do with enhancing rust resistance. It's simply a way for manufacturers to make different models & tempers of blade easily distinguishable, and sometimes (as in the case of StM) aesthetic.

I've heard that as well, but it seems to me that these maraging blades don't rust anyway. I don't think I've had any rust on my blades in years!

[Inquartata]

He's talking about regular blades which have been colored ( either blued or otherwise tinted ). Maraging blades are another animal: a different alloy entirely.

I don't know about the various colorization methods being used out there, but the sort of bluing that I assume is being done to blades at the factory DOES have a rust-inhibiting effect. Cold bluing ( with acid solutions ) doesn't, but hot bluing does, because it is a controlled oxidization ( ie rusting) of the steel. It puts a microthin layer of rust onto the surface of the steel; the rust is a pretty blue/black color, but it's still rust. It acts as a barrier to moisture and retards further rusting. ( There was a variation known as "russeting" used on armour in the Middle Ages; same thing, only without the chemical blackening. The rust layer was intentionally created and the iron oxide layer kept the rusting process from going deeper into the steel. )

[neevel]

I've heard that as well, but it seems to me that these maraging blades don't rust anyway. I don't think I've had any rust on my blades in years!

Maraging blade are rust resistant because of the high nickel content in the steel- it has nothing to do with the finish. BF uses the same finish colors to distinguish between different models of their maraging blades as they use for non-maraging blades.

-Dave

[fencinman89]

im wondering if you use any type of wax on an epee and ur opponent stickes it with enough force to depress the tip will the light go off because wax isnt a cun ductor o electricity. just a thought.
-Tre'

[CvilleFencer]

I have never had a problem. Just don't wax your guard!

[Inquartata]

I fence sabre, the entire blade of which is electrified. I've never had a weapon fail to register because of remnant wax. The wax apparently doesn't really insulate anything. ( Well, but neither does rust, for that matter. )

[OjBinge]

Has anyone ever tried using aluminum foil? My dad swears by it to keep his golf clubs from rusting. I just tried it on an old practice foil, and it took the rust off quite well. I'm not sure how well it will work as a preventitive, though.

[CvilleFencer]

Never heard of this one. Do you wrap the blades in it to prevent rust or do you rub the rusty blades with it?

[OjBinge]

I buffed the blade with it.

[Inquartata]

Aluminum is softer than either steel or iron oxide. I wonder if it doesn't just rub a thin layer of shiny aluminum onto the blade, covering the rust instead of removing it?

[MTD]

I can imagine aluminum working in a physical fashion, as a polishing agent of sorts, and breaking off loosely-attached iron oxides even though both the underlying steel and the actual pieces of iron oxide are harder than the aluminum. (In fact, I can picture iron oxide particles becoming lodged in the surface of the aluminum and themselves acting to abrade the blade.) Also, on a microscopic scale, the aluminum already has a thin surface layer of aluminum oxide, which is harder than aluminum, iron, or iron oxides. But, might there be something electrochemical involved here?

Aluminum has a greater reduction potential than iron, so, when circumstances permit, oxygen will leave iron for aluminum. Any self-respecting pyromaniac is familiar with thermite (Fe2O3 + 2Al --> 2Fe + Al2O3 and the release of sufficient energy that one ends up with molten iron). Perhaps aluminum foil rubbed over the surface of oxidized iron can reduce the iron?

Offhand, one easy way to tell would be to tag the iron (but not the oxygen) in the blade radioactively, then look for the radioactivity afterward. If the radioactivity is in dust produced, or in the aluminum foil, then there is something mechanical happening. If the radioactivity is exclusively still in the blade, then there is something electrochemical happening. Alternatively, tag only the oxygen in the blade radioactively, and see if radioactive oxygen turns up in the aluminum without accompanying iron. I suppose to do it right one needs to tag both the iron and the oxygen, then analyze the ratio of the iron radioactivity and the oxygen radioactivity in the aluminum foil and/or the dust to see how much oxygen came off without iron and how much came off still bonded to iron.

I recall a thread about an urban legend about blades made from radioactive metal from Russian tank barrels which had fired depleted uranium shells. (No connection with a true story about certain Soviet optical glass which was radioactive because metal oxide ores used to give it specific optical properties included naturally occurring radioactive elements.) We don't have to depend on urban legends for hot blades; we can make our own in the interest of scientific investigation!

[Inquartata]

Oh, my head hurts now.

[Mergs]

Oh, my head hurts now.

Amen. And metallurgy was my minor!

[The Armourer]

I have never ever come across this before - you sound as if your doing the right things already. NO RUST is acceptable rust - it does not conduct electricity and can lead to your opponents getting a valid hit from your blade! Clean off the rust regularly with fine wire wool is all I suggest.

The Armourer