Rust on Stainless Steel
Many believe that Stainless Steel does not rust and some will even go to the extent to neglect the maintenance of their Stainless Steel knives because they believe those to be invincible.
The word Stainless Steel says it all, it is STAINS LESS and not NO STAIN. While Stainless Steel requires less maintenance compared to other types of steels, it still requires some of the basics.
The following image show a stainless steel blade that we have washed and didn't properly dry - we simply left it on the countertop hoping the water will evaporate. Only a few hours later, we could already see the water spots that started to convert into rust.
While the rust can be cleaned and rubbed away, it should be prevented at all cost to avoid permeant damage the chromium of your blade. If the chromium film is removed by rubbing it too hard or too often, the blade will be more prone to rust.
A basic home formula to remove rust is:
- Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda in 2 cups of water which will form a paste.
- Apply the paste by gentle rubbing it over the heavy rust spot.
- Rinse the blade as you continue to rub the stained spots.
- Be sure to fully and properly dry the blade to avoid further formation of rust.
The following image will show the same blade once the rust has been rubbed away and properly dried.
Some will also finish the process by applying a thin layer or metal compound to polish and further protect the blade.
Hope you enjoyed this little post.
Until next time!
