Not as rostfrei as one might think?

[Viper]

 Recently I've done a test involving Victorinox Classics being submerged in different liquids for three weeks (twenty-one days) without ever coming out until the end of the three weeks at the exact time of day they were submerged. I was expecting very little, if any change, as I've heard so much about how stainless the steel is. I was utterly shocked by the results.
 The three liquids were fresh water, salt water (with the same salt:water ratio as typical ocean water), and a mixture similar to acid rain (I believe it is something along the lines of Sulpher Dioxide).

   There were five closed knives in each container, the containers were filled with the same ammounts of liquid. After exactly three weeks, they were all taken out and left to dry for two hours.

The normal water had only one knife that hadn't corroded. The rest had between ten and twenty-five percent of the surface corroded or discolored.

The Sulphur Dioxide (acid rain) had three that hadn't changed, but the other two had approximately thirty percent of the surface corroded or discolored.

The salt water was dark brown, and I couldn't see anthing through it. All of the knives had between twenty and sixty percent of the surface covered in corrosion or discoloration. Two of the knives even had the bolts holding the scissors together dissolve. Woah.

Averages:
Fresh Water: 12%
Sulphur Dioxide: 12%
Salt Water: 27%

Pictures later (naturally).

[Sea Monster]

I spray all my own tools, and (and this might actually annoy customers, but it's for their own good) items for sale.

So far I have had nary a problem, though I do avoid intentional, continuous, 21 day submersion.
I rather wish the same had been done with this test. Working out that something rusts does not a nobel prize win, working out how to delay or prevent it however earns some kudos..

(Admittedly, I probably would not think to spray SAKs, they don't quite have LMs reputation for spontaneous breakouts of surface discolouration)

[WhichDawg]

wow, interesting tests! thx for doing them Viper 
(I hear Leathermans makes it's own gravy)

[Dunc]

Great job Viper , cant wait for the pics .
   Wouldnt it be great to do this with a Sog powerlock , Vic Swisstool and a LM Charge . But who's willing to do that 


Dunc

[Viper]

Well the Swisstool would probably have similar results to the Classics. The SOG would be easy, just put a couple implements in to save money.


I wouldn't bother with anything Leatherman, that's like buying a horse for the sole purpose of killing it immediately. Or in this case, buying a horse for the sole purpose of dissolving it. 

[Tom Munch]

Everything I've ever read about stainless steel says that it will rust & corrode given time & the right conditions.  I'm surprised that your SAKs corroded so much though. 

Are you going to post some pics?

[hawkchucker]

So what does everyone use to keep the tools from rusting and corroding?

[Dunc]

Just a rinse in fresh water and dryed with a hair dryer and only a very little oil .
  I will have to speak to Tim one day about getting an abused second hand swisstool cheap and doing a long salt water test .

Dunc

[hawkchucker]

Thats what I usually do. I was just woundering if anyone uses something on the line of a sentry cloth, or another type of compound.

[Swiss Man]

When you are ever going to have your SAK sumerged for 21 days straight?  Mind you if you went down with the ship and were out on a life raft the thing still wouldn't be sumerged.

Stainless means just that "Stain-Less" not stain or rust proof.  Common sense people these are tools, you wouldn't treat a Cresent wrench that way.

[J-sews]

Anxious to see the pictures Viper!

[Sea Monster]

Stainless means just that "Stain-Less"

Aww, I wanted to say that!

Spyderco obviously thinks they have tackled that problem.

So what does everyone use to keep the tools from rusting and corroding?

Regular cleaning and application of your favourite Anti Corrosive.

http://www.cheresources.com/sspasszz.shtml

You may have to scroll down.

[WhichDawg]

When you are ever going to have your SAK sumerged for 21 days straight?  Mind you if you went down with the ship and were out on a life raft the thing still wouldn't be sumerged.

Stainless means just that "Stain-Less" not stain or rust proof.  Common sense people these are tools, you wouldn't treat a Cresent wrench that way.

Rain, jumping in water with all your tools in your pockets, washing machines, dropping them in the water while fishing; their are many ways to get your tools wet and a test like that shows us what they can take under extremes. Does everybody smash their car/auto into solid walls all the time? No but it's nice to know if you did your car would save your life, their called "TESTS!"

[Leatherman123]

Usually, after I use them hard for the day I wash them off w/ dish-soap and water.. Then I use the fiances hairdryer to dry it completely ( thanks Dunc!) Then I use Tuf Glide all over the tool: I only do that once a week-and only on my the tools I carry.. The Tuf Glide makes Leathermans rustproof! I have used it with fantastic results! I went surfcasting one summer night and had my Surge on my hip and it was submerged for about 5-6 hours in salsmurfer and there was little to no rust. Only a little on the lock release! But that was becuase I didn't Tuf Glide there!

[Spoonrobot]

Stainless means just that "Stain-Less"

Aww, I wanted to say that!

Spyderco obviously thinks they have tackled that problem.

And they have! H1 is an amazing steel, there are some long-term tests a few posters did on the Spyderco forums that really show off how corrosion-proof it is.

Viper, good to see some test results. I haven't seen too many tests of Swiss products in general so it's nice to know how they stand up in different conditions.

an abused second hand swisstool

Does such a beast exist?

[WhichDawg]

my favorite steel now for corrosion resistance is INFI. I friend across the pond there
put an INFI blade in a bucket of salt water for awhile (and other steels) and the INFI
held up great, no marks, spotting, nothing; the others didn't do so well.

[toytoy]

I think a more proper test setup is to let the tool rise above water surface once in a while. Putting something in water does not greatly promote oxidation. There is very little oxygen in water. You need to let the tools contact air to finish the job.

You may keep each tool in its own glass / plastic container. If Tool A is more likely to be oxidized, it may oxidize first and leave Tool B not oxidized at all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_corrosion

"When two or more different sorts of metal come into contact in the presence of an electrolyte a galvanic couple is set up as different metals have different electrode potentials. The electrolyte provides a means for ion migration whereby metallic ions can move from the anode to the cathode. This leads to the anodic metal corroding more quickly than it otherwise would; the corrosion of the cathodic metal is retarded even to the point of stopping. The presence of electrolyte and a conducting path between the metals may cause corrosion where otherwise neither metal alone would have corroded."

[Viper]

I'll look into that, it may be what happened with the Sulphur dioxide.

And I allowed for some time (120 minutes) in the air after removing them, although I should have done it periodically.

And it was supposed to be for two weeks only, but I was out on the fourteenth day, and I wanted week intervals.

Lastly, Victorinox knives have "Rostfrei" ingraved on the blade.
I know that Stainless just means "stains-less" but rostfrei means rust-proof, as in "no rust".