THE GUIDE: HOW TO REMOVE RUST FROM A KNIFE
HOW TO REMOVE RUST FROM A KNIFE?
Whether you have found a knife in one of your old toolboxes or that you have accidentally left your favorite knife out in the rain, chances are your knife is rusty. While a rusty knife is also dangerous, useless, and downright ugly.
What is rust?
If you only want to use certain methods to remove rust, skip these next two sections, but it will be helpful to know more about why your blade is rusting.
First, let's address the nature of rust.
Rust is the common name for a compound called iron oxide — that reddish-orange flaky substance you see dotted around metal. It forms when iron and oxygen react with moisture. It doesn't even have to be water exactly, it could just be the presence of water in the air.
Here is a more scientific explanation from Wikipedia
Why do my knives rust?
Here are the ingredients of rust: iron, water and air.
For those who don't know, iron is the secret ingredient in the steel found in your knife blades . So when you combine your knife with air and water, you get rust.
“But wait, my blade is stainless steel,” you might be thinking. Unfortunately, stainless steel is only stain resistant, not stain resistant. I approached the stainless steel myth there is some time, but the bottom line is that stainless steel contains at least 10.5% chromium. In the 1800s, people found that iron-chromium alloys were more resistant to corrosion because they create a protective layer.
Unfortunately, this means that the blade will still rust under certain conditions as long as it is considered steel.
How to Remove Rust from Your Knife
Each of these methods can be used in conjunction or repeated for particularly rusty blades. After removing the rust, I recommend resharpening the blade after any method to ensure a sharp and safe blade.
Method #1 – Baking Soda
Materials: Baking soda, water, toothbrush, sponge, cloth
1) Clean your knife
The first thing to do is to thoroughly clean the blade of your knife, as dirt can interfere with rust removal. Try to avoid water, as this is what mainly caused your knife to rust.
2) Create baking soda paste
Next, create some baking soda paste. You can pour a good amount of baking soda into a bowl and add water (or lemon juice). Stir until it becomes a paste.
3) Exfoliation with toothbrush
Apply the thick paste to a toothbrush and work it generously onto the blade. You can only scrub with the toothbrush if the rust is not too severe or has not set in.
4) Use steel wool or an abrasive sponge
For extremely rusty blades, you will need a little more abrasion to help remove the rust. Steel wool is generally recommended, although it can ruin your blade if you scrub too hard. Another alternative is a slightly abrasive sponge.
Be careful not to rub too hard as you may scratch the blade or damage the finish.
5) Wipe the blade clean
Finally, wipe the blade with a cloth to remove excess baking powder. If you want to be really good to your blade, you can apply mineral oil afterwards to make sure it is lubricated and protected from rust in the future.
Method #2 – Vinegar Bath
Materials: Dish or bowl, white vinegar, sponge, cloth
1) Pour the vinegar into a cup or saucepan
Be sure to use white vinegar, which contains a substance called acetic acid that will attack rust. Other types of vinegar may leave stains.
2) Soak the rusty knife
If you don't want to soak the entire blade (or knife), you can also soak a paper towel in the vinegar and wrap it around the blade. Only leave the knife in for about five minutes. Any longer and you risk damaging your blade.
3) Wipe the blade
Once the soaking is complete, you will want to wipe down the blade. At this point you can still use the baking soda or WD-40 method if there is still some rust. I would recommend mineral oil again for extra protection and cleaning.
Method #3 – WD-40
Materials: WD-40, fine sandpaper, cloth
I recommend this method for a larger knife like a machete or a knife that you won't be using for food preparation, as WD-40 can be harmful if ingested. But it is a quick and effective method of rust removal. Do not use it as a lubricant.
1) Spray WD-40 on the blade
This step requires little explanation. Spray the affected parts of the blade with a spritz of WD-40.
2) Gently sand the blade
You will want to use very fine sandpaper (think 400) to gently remove the rust from the blade. Be sure not to touch the edge or you may ruin it.
3) Wipe it off
That should be enough to do it. If the rust is heavier, you can use one of the two previous methods. Again, avoid if you are preparing food with the knife.
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