Got a question for you DIY fags here. So basically I was gifted some cheap but dependable pocket knives from my father...

Got a question for you DIY fags here. So basically I was gifted some cheap but dependable pocket knives from my father. They hold an edge, are durable, but have the flaw of being made of carbon steel and are therefore prone to rust. I removed the rust with a homemade acidic paste consisting of cream of tar tar and vinegar, which stripped the rust right off. Naturally though, the knife will now be even more prone to rust so by advice from a hardware store employee I bought pic related to seal it. I'm not sure if the employee is a moron or I'm unaware of the full extent to its uses, but I don't think this lacquer would be good to use on metal. So is it good to use or am I better off buying a metal specific lacquer?

This is good, please repost on /k for the kekles

Knifemaker here. The hardware store guy is a moron.

What would you suggest to seal the blade then?

They aren't made with the specific intent of hurting people, they're utility knives you'd see boyscouts or fishermen use.

Drink it all and next time go to the actal diy board newfriend.

go buy yourself a container of frog lube, rub it on the blade once a month or after heavy use

I figured the board would be slow, and Sup Forums needs more thread diversity, the amount of pron in recent years posted here is shameful.

>carbon steel

OP has metal knowledge, I like it

Some anyway, I'm no metalurgist but I know some metal types and their properties.

i mean the majority of steels are carbon based, even so called stainless steels will rust ( and quite easily)
the higher carbon content in a blade steel the harder it can get, meanng higher edge retention ( usually)
unless youre going to go with a nitrogen based steel like h1 you arent ever going to get something that wont rust at all

Oil it

I was thinking of doing something like that, but I'm going to give this thing to a friend who isn't always conscious of stuff like hardware and maintenance so I thought sealing it with a coating that'll last a greater duration would be better for his needs.

With what, and for how long will it last?

ive found that frog lube works better than any other type of oil, it tends to somewhat seep into the steel to help prevent rust,
there isnt really a great way of coating steels unless youre going to look into ceracoating etc,
another alternitive is to forca a patina onto it ( force a light rust) and then leave it at that and they usually wont pit or rust much further

Cant argue with that.The retards will though.

I'll look into it, thanks.

Tell me about it, some faggot I was arguing with once was like
"Hurrr yer jist an immature kid, y u no let us adultz masturbate go somewhere else if u dont liek it!!"
Meanwhile there are tons of containment porn boards but Sup Forums still somehow gets a lot.

You can't "seal" it. It's not a porous material like wood. Carbon steel requires vigilant maintenance. End of story. That's the entire reason stainless steel sells.

You can patina it, or cold blue, but you'll have to keep it dry and maybe oil it.

I don't oil my carbon blades unless I'm packing them away for a while.

That's bullshit in real life. I've got cutco made of 440a that's been through the dishwasher a thousand times and still has no rust.

So while you're correct in theory, you're wrong about what actual practice will be like.

Forgot to say, carbon content doesn't always relate directly to hardness. AEB-L has about 0.6 but will reach 65RHC with cryo. 5160 has 0.6 but will max out at 63RHC. 440c has 1.0-1.5 and will never reach 65RHC.

There's a lot more to it than carbon content.