The same characteristics that make a high-carbon steel knife blade so very good also make it rust readily. A really good knife blade rusts quickly if not properly oiled and cared for, and even then gets stained even with minimal use. A nice treatment for these blades is to blue them. That's right, just like a gun barrel, blue the knife blade! I usually take a new knife before it is ever used, clean it thoroughly with acetone to remove all traces of oil, then use a good quality cold-blue solution on the blade. Repeat the process for a deeper blue and better protection. Although you still need to use reasonable care and maintenance practices, the blade won't stain or rust nearly as easily!
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