Corrosion-Resistant Knives

To borrow a phrase from the firearms side of the house, knives have two enemies: rust and politicians. The latter is more complicated to deal with, but you can sometimes defeat the former by choosing a different blade material or treatment.

A knife’s edge is composed of millions of microscopic serrations made of chemical compounds known as carbides. In blade steel, the carbide is composed of iron and carbon. The size and amount of these carbides affect how sharp a blade edge can be made as well as its wear resistance. However, because of the iron, they’re prone to rust and corrosion.

For many knife users, extreme corrosion resistance is a necessity. You might need to do work in an extremely humid environment, or maybe you find yourself on the deck of a boat showered with salt water for long periods of time. Either way, you don’t want to find that your latest and greatest carry knife has rusted and pitted.

Another vein indirectly related to corrosion resistance is whether the blade has a metallic signature. Some of the pieces we’ll look at have none; these would be