rusting blade?

[mach11]

I just got my first foil about a month ago and went to my first competition last weekend. When i got back i took out my foil and it is covered in rust! What do i do to fix this (i assume some sandpaper) and also how do i prevent this in the future. I do have a hard case for my foil to keep my sweaty clothes and blade spereated but it still rusted? It may also be the humid climate of florida.

[Purple Fencer]

I just got my first foil about a month ago and went to my first competition last weekend. When i got back i took out my foil and it is covered in rust! What do i do to fix this (i assume some sandpaper) and also how do i prevent this in the future. I do have a hard case for my foil to keep my sweaty clothes and blade spereated but it still rusted? It may also be the humid climate of florida.

Yep...humidity will do that....steel rusts.

Sandpaper or a sanding block is good....even better is the deburring wheel on a bench grinder.

[mach11]

is there anything i can do to help prevent it from rusting more/again after i sand it. Or even things i can do to prevent it on my future foils

[Mergs]

After you remove the rust, a little light machine oil or silicone wax will help keep the rust under some semblence of control.

Be sure to not store your blades with wet clothes.

[mach11]

Okay thanks. Where would i get light machine oil/silicone wax ? are there any brands you would suggest? Also, would gun oil work?

[YellowSocks]

I would also recommend buying the colored STM blades. The coating they have on them makes them rust-retardant. Additionally, do you have your foils in a sheath/case of some kind? I find a thin PVC pipe (with a cap on the end) helps make a slightly better barrier between my uniform and my blades.

[EldRick]

Try ScotchBrite pads - a green-colored version is available in grocery stores, or a grey coarser version can be found at hardware stores. They make quick work of rusty blades.

While you are at it, use the sandpaper to chamfer the edges of the foil a bit (per the rule book) and they will get fewer deep nicks in the future.

Then oil the blade - gun oil or Hoppe's works well to avoid rust.

[Purple Fencer]

I would also recommend buying the colored STM blades. The coating they have on them makes them rust-retardant.

Not ENTIRELY correct. The color coating DOES act as a rust inhibitor....but it's designed for a controlled warehouse environment between manufacture and initial sale.

Once the blade gets out in the field, the anti-corrosion coating works less effectively.

[EldRick]

Per the USFA rulebook re. foil blades, "The edges must be smoothed off so that they will not cut, and must be chamfered at an angle of 45° (± 5°), 0.5 mm on each side (± 0.1 mm), so that they will neither cut nor become capable of cutting."

I've seen a lot of blades that wouldn't meet this spec. Not that they would cut anything, but which aren't chamfered to spec. as delivered from the manufacturer.

[Purple Fencer]

Per the USFA rulebook re. foil blades, "The edges must be smoothed off so that they will not cut, and must be chamfered at an angle of 45° (± 5°), 0.5 mm on each side (± 0.1 mm), so that they will neither cut nor become capable of cutting."

I've seen a lot of blades that wouldn't meet this spec. Not that they would cut anything, but which aren't chamfered to spec. as delivered from the manufacturer.

You might be referring to the BG blades that are oval-ish....but remember that the rules are written for FIE tournaments...so the non-FIE blades like that BG are not a consideration.

Look at FIE blades and see if they meet the rules....those are the ones written for.

[SJCFU#2]

is there anything i can do to help prevent it from rusting more/again after i sand it. Or even things i can do to prevent it on my future foils

In the future you might consider FIE blades made of maraging steel (and last time I checked the FIE has yet to approve any non-maraging steel foil blade).

Maraging steel tends to resist rust better than regular carbon steel (I believe it has something to do with the nickle content).

[Purple Fencer]

In the future you might consider FIE blades made of maraging steel (and last time I checked the FIE has yet to approve any non-maraging steel foil blade).

True, although there ARE non-maraging epee blades...I would imagine the nature and size of a foil blade might make it a bit more difficult for a non-maraging blade to pass the destruction tests (18,000 bending cycles for foil....only 7,000 for epee). Epee's greater mass probably helps that.

From the list dated 2008.07.04 (edited to remove the foil part of the list, as there are no non-maraging blades on that list)

Liste des lames d’épée homologuées par la SEMI FIE – 6 new épee blades in 2007, 5 en 2008
List of épée blades approved by the SEMI FIE / Lista de hojas de ESPADA homologadas por la SEMI FIE
EPEE (mois . année)
1 LEON PAUL : (95) (97) (3.00) (2.01) (3.02) (3.04) (4.04) (2.06) (1.07) (04.08)
2 FRANCE LAMES : (2.97) (4.98) (1.99) (1.00) (2.01) sigle FL
3 BLAISE FRERES : (95)(3.96)(1.98)(11.99)(1.00)(2.01)(1.02) (4.03) (5.04) (2.05) (2.06) (2.07)(2.08) sigle BF
4 LAMMET : (95) (1.96) (9.98) (11.99) (11.00) (12.01) (12.02) (1.04) (5.06) sigle LM
5 AO VNITI : (2.97) (12.98) (12.99) (11.00) (12.01) (12.02) (12.03) (5.06)
6 ALLSTAR/UHLMANN : (97) (12.99) (2.01) (2.01 "N") (3.02) sigle FS
7 WEYERSBERG KIRSCHBAUM : (98) (3.01) sigle KW
8 SPORTSERVICE (STM) : (2.99) (4.00) (4.00 "N") (11.01) (7.03) (1.05) (1.05 "N") (6.07)
9 PRIEUR SPORT : (3.99) (9.01) (5.02) (2.04) (2.05) (1.06) (1.06 "N") (1.07) (1.08) (1.08 "N") sigle PS
10 METAL WEST : (3.03 "N") (3.05 "N") (3.06 "N")
11 CHEVALIER D’AUVERGNE : (4.03) (2.05) (1.06) (1.06 "N") (1.07) (1.08) (1.08"N") sigle CA
12 Gloria-Pro : (6.07) sigle LT

Notes : N= acier non-Maraging ; 16 homologations 2006 (9épée + 7fleuret), 11 en 2007 (6épée + 5fleuret),
9 en 2008 (5épée + 4fleuret).

[seven6ty]

Lick it!

[Mergs]

Okay thanks. Where would i get light machine oil/silicone wax ? are there any brands you would suggest? Also, would gun oil work?

A light machine oil is something like 3-in-1, which you can get at a hardware store. Silicone wax is nothing more than a good qualitiy car wax. Also check the hardware store.

[brtech]

The wax is a better idea than the oil, unless you scrupulously put your blades in a blade protector, like a length of PVC pipe, when they are in your bag. Otherwise, the oil will stain your whites. Use a LIGHT coating.

[unlikelysuspect08]

I DO NOT recommend sand paper. Although it removes the rust, it's likely to make new grooves in which new harder-to-get-rid-of rust can form.

I use non-scratch Scotch Brite pads (the wavy shaped, teal ones) to remove any oxidation and Mother's Mag and Aluminum polish and a terry cloth to polish and protect them.

My blades stay in good shape, but I have worked wonders scrubbing off heinous amounts of rust on other people's blades with the Scotch Brite pads. Depending on how bad the rust is (though in your case, it's probably pretty mild), the blade may not look like new, but it look a whole lot better, and the Mag cream really works.

For long term storage I usually warm the blade up and rub an unscented white utility candle down it. It's a cheap way to provide a thicker layer of protection and I've never had a problem with it.

[oiuyt]

and also how do i prevent this in the future.

Other than the suggestions above of storing the blades away from sweaty clothes (which you mention already doing) or buying maraging blades:

Move out of Florida.

Treat the problem, not the symptoms.

-B

[mach11]

Thanks yeah the problem is pretty mild now i just want to prevent it from getting worse. I will try these suggestions for sure. As for moving out of florida that will be a little harder than just getting some scotch brite pads and oil or wax.

[sabrefencer93]

I would also recommend buying the colored STM blades. The coating they have on them makes them rust-retardant. Additionally, do you have your foils in a sheath/case of some kind? I find a thin PVC pipe (with a cap on the end) helps make a slightly better barrier between my uniform and my blades.

I agree, I fence sabre, but i use the leon paul chamelon blade and it prevents rust for the most part. Plus colored blades look freally cool.

[JacoKierkegaard]

I don't worry about it too much. I just keep my blades in PVC when they're in my bag, try and separate them from my clothes, and take any rust off with the same Dremel wheel I use to clean out the groove when I rewire.