How long does steel last?

[aikon2014]

Is there any shelf life of steel? Lets say for an example that we have a Leatherman multi tool and a Victorinox knife. How long would they last without any noticable change in the steel? If we speak about about sharpening ability, corrosions resistance, strenght and so on. Is there such a thing as steel shelf life? Or will I probably die before the steel gets any weaker?

[magentus]

Is there any shelf life of steel? Lets say for an example that we have a Leatherman multi tool and a Victorinox knife. How long would they last without any noticable change in the steel? If we speak about about sharpening ability, corrosions resistance, strenght and so on. Is there such a thing as steel shelf life? Or will I probably die before the steel gets any weaker?

The LM would rust as soon as you turn your back on it     but the Vic would still be usable in 100 years time. 

Seriously, I don't know figures but they would both be in great shape long after you've gone, provided they weren't in a corrosive atmosphere.

[aikon2014]

Is there any shelf life of steel? Lets say for an example that we have a Leatherman multi tool and a Victorinox knife. How long would they last without any noticable change in the steel? If we speak about about sharpening ability, corrosions resistance, strenght and so on. Is there such a thing as steel shelf life? Or will I probably die before the steel gets any weaker?

The LM would rust as soon as you turn your back on it     but the Vic would still be usable in 100 years time. 

Seriously, I don't know figures but they would both be in great shape long after you've gone, provided they weren't in a corrosive atmosphere.

I'm just getting a bit paranoid about my collection, I want to be able to use it for the rest of my life 

They are kept in a dry environment!

[Don Pablo]

Here’s an interesting answer for Victorinox:
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,27030.0.html
Long story short, the Victorinox steel will outlive you, even if you live by the sea.

[aikon2014]

Rust isn't my biggest fear so to speak, its relatively easy to get rid of, I think I'm more paranoid about the steel loosing it's strenght or something along those lines. But on the other hand, there are old buildings that are over 100 years old in New York that are made with steel, long before the quality of steel was as good as today, so it should hold it's strenght longer than my life?

[hiraethus]

If it's unstressed and corrosion free it'll last forever(-ish).  There are instances of springs breaking on older knives, even when not in use.

[Mechanickal]

Why would steel degrade over time?

It's not a natural material.
As long as you keep it clean, dry and oiled, it should last EXTREMELY long.

Speaking of natural materials:
Wood...

Keep it clean, dry and oiled/protected, it will last EXTREMELY long.

Maintenance is key; always.

[Don Pablo]

If it's unstressed and corrosion free it'll last forever(-ish).  There are instances of springs breaking on older knives, even when not in use.

Probably due to flaws that would be less common in the modern steel?

[hiraethus]

Probably due to flaws that would be less common in the modern steel?

Maybe.  It's a known issue on the Leatherman Squirt and Style PS small scissors, probably due to exceeding the material stress/fatigue limits.

[aikon2014]

Probably due to flaws that would be less common in the modern steel?

Maybe.  It's a known issue on the Leatherman Squirt and Style PS small scissors, probably due to exceeding the material stress/fatigue limits.

If my smaller tools die one me, it's not a big deal though 

[ThePeacent]

quality sourced, tempered and manufactured steel will last centuries if just stored in a dry, heat controlled and corrosion (acids, alkali, degradation products like resins, wood vapors, etc.) environment

Absolutely no worries there   

[Top-Gear-24]

Is there any shelf life of steel? Lets say for an example that we have a Leatherman multi tool and a Victorinox knife. How long would they last without any noticable change in the steel? If we speak about about sharpening ability, corrosions resistance, strenght and so on. Is there such a thing as steel shelf life? Or will I probably die before the steel gets any weaker?

The LM would rust as soon as you turn your back on it     but the Vic would still be usable in 100 years time. 

Seriously, I don't know figures but they would both be in great shape long after you've gone, provided they weren't in a corrosive atmosphere.

I'm just getting a bit paranoid about my collection, I want to be able to use it for the rest of my life 

They are kept in a dry environment!

By coincidence, I checked my sons tool collections, which they keep in their room, just last week.   And guess what ... 

Their Leatherman tools all had small spots of (beginning) rust.  My sons both have a Style PS and a Leatherman Charge AL, and both the Styles had a lot of spots on the entire tool, while their Charges had rust lines on the sides (the piece between the locks and the plier-head).  After some TLC most of it got removed, but at a certain angle you can still see some of the spots a tiny bit ...  I oiled them up (a lot) and stored them right next to my own collection downstairs.

Meanwhile, all their Victorinox and Wenger stuff (SilverTech Swisschamps, Explorer, camo Huntsman, My first Victorinox's, Signature Lite SilverTech, Wenger Snow Ranger, Matterhorn Climber, their 100th Anniversary Edition Spartan's, a couple of different scale Classics...) had no problems whatsoever.  Oh, after checking all their stuff I suddenly realized what a nice collection they both have ...   .

And it's not that their rooms are moisty, the only thing that could explain this is the fact that we leave the windows in the bedrooms open a lot of the time to get some fresh air in them (I love a bedroom filled with cold fresh outside air ...  ).  Or maybe that the fiddled with them and this is the result of sweaty hands (but this doesn't seem likely, plus they also fiddle with the Vic stuff).

[microbe]

Your knife will outlive you. The Vered Jericho Sword is the oldest found steel sword. made around 600 BC, and currently sitting in a museum.

[Sparky415]

The blade in this knife is 100 years old, not too shabby 
(also the back spring and horn scales)

You can sleep again tonight Aikon   

[SteveC]

   

[aikon2014]

The blade in this knife is 100 years old, not too shabby 
(also the back spring and horn scales)

You can sleep again tonight Aikon   

(Image removed from quote.)

 

[Sparky415]

 

 

[magentus]

The blade in this knife is 100 years old, not too shabby 
(also the back spring and horn scales)

You can sleep again tonight Aikon   

(Image removed from quote.)

And Tony should know.......

[Sparky415]

 

Hey Noah gave me that knife when I was little

[dks]

you mean when HE was little...

[Sparky415]

Dang kids you are going to ruin Aikons steel thread 

[ThePeacent]

FWIW, just from storage my Gerbers and LMs have developed spots, slight rust or dimples many times, in most models
None of my polished SOGs or Vics have suffered from that, being stored in the same place under the same conditions 

 

[Top-Gear-24]

FWIW, just from storage my Gerbers and LMs have developed spots, slight rust or dimples many times, in most models
None of my polished SOGs or Vics have suffered from that, being stored in the same place under the same conditions 

 

It might be the type of steel, but on the other hand, being high polished also helps to avoid these spots.

[Lynn LeFey]

I can say with absolute certainty that you can safely store your victorinox knives in gross oily slimy mud for a least SOME time with very minor rust issues. 

And I guess, not my personal experience but you can store your Gerber MP600 in wet soil for a year.
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,53603.0.html

As others have mentioned, unless it's being stressed, there's no metal fatigue. The only other issue is corrosion, and the modern stainless steels are VERY good at not corroding.

The long and short of it is that I am certain all of my tools will outlive me if I don't break them from stupid-user issues.

[kaput]

Oil.

Flitz.

Rust eraser.

Good.

[Lynn LeFey]

Flitz.

I just discovered Flitz. 

[sLaughterMed]

Steel doesn't expire. Assuming proper storage (dry clean environment, light oil coating to prevent rust & corrosion), an unstressed slab of steel could theoretically sit unchanged forever (in the literal sense). Steel doesn't "decompose" or de-crystallize like some materials.

Old SAKs that break their springs are likely due to the fatigue of being in a constant state of bending for 50+ years; Those springs aren't completely unloaded with the knife either open or closed, it's how the knife "snaps" open or closed. It's even worse for knives kept on display for long periods, like display knives, some of these will  break their springs just a few years after they are made, and its why you should never store your knives in this fashion.

It's only tangentially related, and probably an imperfect experiment, but the Great Gerber MP600 & Leatherman Wave Burial Experiments are pretty amusing & informative.

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,61008.msg1129331.html#msg1129331

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,53603.0.html

[gerleatherberman]

Is there any shelf life of steel? Lets say for an example that we have a Leatherman multi tool and a Victorinox knife. How long would they last without any noticable change in the steel? If we speak about about sharpening ability, corrosions resistance, strenght and so on. Is there such a thing as steel shelf life? Or will I probably die before the steel gets any weaker?

The LM would rust as soon as you turn your back on it     but the Vic would still be usable in 100 years time. 

Seriously, I don't know figures but they would both be in great shape long after you've gone, provided they weren't in a corrosive atmosphere.

As a big time LM fan, I must begrudgingly admit, LMs(particularly newer ones) require several treatments of drying silicone oil before they stop getting tiny rust specs on the pliers and satin finished tools just riding in a sheath on my belt.
The Vic Explorer I carry has almost no rust on the steel and it has been neglected in my pocket fifteen years. The liners have corrosion, but it still looks fine.

Aikon,
A light coat of drying silicone oil does wonders for my LMs, Gerbers, and other non-high-polished MTs.  I get crazy when I see little rust spots. It is an OCD issue and does not compromise the tool itself. 

[redmond]

One of my Japanese swords is about 700-800 years old (Koto era). It is is still in good shape and is VERY sharp. Japanese  swords from about 1600-1800 are considered "New Swords" (Shinto era), etc.

Steel will outlive you by many lifetimes with proper maintenance.   

[magentus]

One of my Japanese swords is about 700-800 years old (Koto era). It is is still in good shape and is VERY sharp. Japanese  swords from about 1600-1800 are considered "New Swords" (Shinto era), etc.

Steel will outlive you by many lifetimes with proper maintenance.   

Impressive! Any pics Redmond?