Valkyrie Steel

What is rust?

Rust is an iron oxide, a usually reddish-brown oxide formed by the reaction if iron and oxygen in the presence of water or air moisture. Rust is typically associated with the corrosion of refined iron or steels with high percentages of iron.

Why do blades rust?

Remember that knife steel is primarily constructed with iron. While it is nearly impossible to eliminate the possibility of rust forming on your knife blade, there are certain measures that you can take to lower the possibility of it happening. Those measures include consistent cleaning and preventative maintenance.

After using your knife, do not just put it away and forget about it, leaving grime and moisture in contact on the blade. The best way to keep your knife from rusting is a good old-fashioned cleaning. It might be a little time consuming, but it is worth it. Additionally, a simple wipe down with vegetable oil is helpful for culinary knives, and a petroleum-based lubrication for utility knives, for example WD-40.

How to store knives

Rusting on your blade is inevitable. We discussed proper daily maintenance to prevent rust from forming, however, if it is not stored properly while not in use, most of that work will have been a waste of time. If you store your knife in a place that promotes rust, it will. When you are not using your knife the best place to store it is in a clean and dry area. To prevent potential scratching of the blade, I like to store it lightly wrapped it in a clean and dry terry cloth kitchen towel.

What type of edge is best for my knife?

Polished Edge

Polished, or mirror edges create cleaner cuts in delicate foods like fish and fresh produce. Polished edges are less prone to crush or tear the food, producing better tasting meals and more visually appetizing dishes. An edge with a very high polish will experience less friction when cutting. Because the bevel is smooth, it will glide through the object being cut, with little resistance. Studies have shown a significant reduction in oxidation to food surfaces when they are cut with a highly polished blade versus a toothy blade with micro-serrations. Highly refined, polished edges outperform toothy edges at tasks which involve cutting through food like tomatoes and bread. Additionally, the refined edge is excellent at push-cutting. Some examples of push-cutting include shaving, chopping, carving (poultry, wood or other media). Furthermore, a polished, mirror-like edge is simply more aesthetically pleasing.

(INSERT PHOTO OF POLISHED EDGE)

To obtain a polished, mirror edge, it’s helpful to use small incremental grit progressions. I start the process with my 2”x72” belt grinder and choose the initial belt grit based on condition of the blade. For example, if the blade is chipped or tip is broken, I might use grits ranging from about #60 to #80. After this is completed, I will continue with the first of six buffing wheels. My buffing wheels include #100, #220, #240, and #320. Wheels five and six are treated with polishing compounds, #6000 and approximately #10,000), respectively. Finally, I’ll use a leather strop resulting in a razor sharp condition.

Toothy Edge

Toothy edges have micro-serrations (teeth) providing a “bite” which makes for easier cutting through objects with a hard, smooth exterior surface such as tomatoes and breads. Additionally, blades with toothy edges are more appropriate for utilitarian, everyday use, for objects more resistant to highly-refined edges. A less refined finish is better at cutting these objects because of the micro-serrations on the edge of the blade that will bite into the object being cut. 

There are many schools of thought on creating a toothy edge on a blade. As discussed in the polished edge above, I will start out with my 2”x72” belt grinder, choosing the apprprite belt based on initial condition pof the blade. I’ll either Sharpen to a low grit (say 600) then skip several stones, and go to a higher grit or strop. Or, based on my mood, I will sharpen the blade to about grit #2000, then back down to #600 or #800, then strop.(LEGALLY BORROW A PICTURE OF A MAGNIFIED TOOTHY EDGE)