Rusty sugimoto cleaver

[IndoorOutdoorCook]

Hey guys I'm not new to carbon steel, but this is getting out of control. My sugimoto rusts all the time! I use this thing a couple times a week. It's between this and a suien vc as my daily drivers. None of my other carbon steels rust. I keep em clean and dry. Baking soda slurry, even tsubaki oil for the ones not in the rotation.

I store my cleavers in this here block, so it should be plenty breathable. Is it just summer time humidity that's killing it?

I have a suien vc with natural patina, no problems. There is Keith's custom suien I got off BST looks like forced patina also no problems. Gyutos all on the mag bar, no problems. Only this sugimoto is causing me grief. My usual 'cut lots of meat' isn't doing it this time.

I'm thinking one of these:
1) Warm vinegar patina
2) Mustard patina
3) Etch with ferric chloride ( I own this already for a damascus etching thing I was doing)

 

[RDalman]

Maybe it have a coarse finish not helping as well? Maybe consider a couple rubdowns with metal polish before patina if so... I like autosol on a rag.

 

[IndoorOutdoorCook]

Thanks Robin, that could very well be it! The rough surface would have more surface area to rust (and places to hide water when I wipe it down). I use a fine grit sand paper to remove rust, but I haven't really tried to smooth it out yet.

 

[jessf]

Is the inside of the knife slots finished or treated in some way? If not, maybe some oil in there might help.

 

[IndoorOutdoorCook]

It is finished with flax seed oil. I MIGHT have another theory...

The slots are not open at the bottom, it's solid on the bottom. Maybe I will have to modify my design so the slots are open for airflow. It's not like anyone has blueprints for all cleaver blocks

4/5 cleavers are fine though. I'm gonna try smoothing out the finish before drilling holes into the bottom of my block.

 

[Nick_Hall]

It is finished with flax seed oil. I MIGHT have another theory...

The slots are not open at the bottom, it's solid on the bottom. Maybe I will have to modify my design so the slots are open for airflow. It's not like anyone has blueprints for all cleaver blocks

4/5 cleavers are fine though. I'm gonna try smoothing out the finish before drilling holes into the bottom of my block.

I bet three 1/4" inch holes will solve the problem. That should significantly increase the airflow through the block. If you don't want to drill, and you don't want a hot vinegar patina, and you've got enough slot depth you can drop a VCI (vapor corrosion inhibitor) tab in the Sugimoto slot and it will most likely solve the problem as well. It will basically put an invisible patina on the cleaver. VCI paper is the paper that Hitachi wraps they're steel blanks (blue VCI paper for blue steel #1 or #2, white VCI paper for white steel #1,#2 etc). These one's are 1"x3"x1/8". Yes they are FDA approved etc. You'll have to drop a new one in once a year though. It comes in a 10 pack, so it should last you a decade or so. It's only six bucks to find out.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003R7DYR4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Nick_Hall]

To give you a sense of how effective these things are, I stored my $1,500 Iwasaki Tamahagane Western straight razor in a humid bathroom for over a decade with just the original slip of VCI paper in it's wooden box to protect it. It still looks like the day it was given to me as a gift brand new and unused. It looks like polished chrome from tip to handle without even a single blemish. It was given to me when I was young and stupid and had no idea how valuable it was; thank god it came wrapped in a slip of VCI paper. My other straight razors are all carbon steel Dovo's, and all have been stored in that same plastic box. Every razor but the Iwasaki hads rust and a dark patina.

Now I use one of these tabs to protect all of my carbon steel straight razors. I wish I had known about VCI from the start. Those poor little Dovo's deserved better...

 

[Cheeks1989]

You are not alone my Sugimoto #6 is the most reactive knife I have ever seen.

 

[natto]

I get rust only when the heating is off, if running the air becomes dry. I got problems on stored knives that need some work, hope VCI paper being available here around. Thanks Nick:thumbsup:

 

[IndoorOutdoorCook]

I dunno if VCI tabs work in open air, maybe only in a box. The VCI paper is pretty expensive. Gonna try vinegar patina tonight and see what happens.