Trilobite knife has rust stains already. What am I doing wrong?

[happyharris]

I bought a Trilobite z-knife and used it for the first time last week. Already there are rust stains on the blade. I did two dives per day for five days. After the second dive on each day, I soaked everything in my sink for an hour or so, towel dried them and left them our to get bone dry.

The z-knife blade already has a lot of rust stains on it, although it seems to cut OK. What am I doing wrong? All I can think of is

1. Not doing anything wrong. Rust stains are nothing to worry about.
2. I should have completely taken the knife apart every day, removed the blade, and soaked and cleaned everything separately.
3. Trilobite knives actually suck, and I shouldn't expect a blade to last a week.
4. Something else.

 

[The Chairman]

Yes, Virginia, SS still rusts... just not as quickly. Fortunately, the blades are replaceable. Fortunately, #2, the rust probably won't interfere with the performance. Unfortunately, if you don't change those blades often, the hardware holding it together can rust.

Titanium won't rust. I carry at least 2 cutting devices on every dive.

 

[inquis]

My trilobite is ceramic, no rust. I've heard folks slather the metal blades with Vaseline.

 

[The Chairman]

Yea, and rinse the blades after each dive with fresh water.

 

[Mobulai]

i don’t know that knife, but steel is just always gonna rust up like that, maybe not as quick as you described

I use a mares line cutter (one side os ceramic and the other Titanium) after a few disappointing steel ones

 

[rjack321]

I bought a Trilobite z-knife and used it for the first time last week. Already there are rust stains on the blade. I did two dives per day for five days. After the second dive on each day, I soaked everything in my sink for an hour or so, towel dried them and left them our to get bone dry.

The z-knife blade already has a lot of rust stains on it, although it seems to cut OK. What am I doing wrong? All I can think of is

1. Not doing anything wrong. Rust stains are nothing to worry about.
2. I should have completely taken the knife apart every day, removed the blade, and soaked and cleaned everything separately.
3. Trilobite knives actually suck, and I shouldn't expect a blade to last a week.
4. Something else.

There are various grades of stainless, the ones that actually hold a knife edge ever so slowly corrode. Some of the "really won't ever corrode" alloys are too soft to make knives.

rinse it when you can, when the rust affects the sharpness replace the blade.

 

[Saboteur]

I have a Dive Rite cutter, probably very similar. Take it apart, clean it up. When dry, slather it in silicone grease and reassemble it and leave it on. On dive trips I remove the cutter from sheath, rinse it in fresh water and let it dry. I may get a tiny rust spot after a week, but it cleans right up with a vinegar or CLR soak.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

My trilobites are the DGX generic titanium version. So far I've seen zero signs of any corrosion on 3 of them with over a years worth of use so far. I do soak in freshwater after every dive trip.

DGX Titanium M-Cut Safety Tool

The DGX M-Cut is a lightweight and corrosion resistant cutting tool.

www.divegearexpress.com

 

[DCN]

We bought trilobites, and the blades that they came with rusted very quickly. We got new stainless blades from aliexpress, which have held up extremely well. No corrosion visible after 20+ dives. We've even forgot to rinse them once or twice. (salt water dives only)

 

[davehicks]

These things come with ****** disposable razer blades that rust quickly. They will last a good amount of time but degrade eventually. Just swap out the blade periodically. I would not take heroic measures or effort to "protect" the steel.

If you care enough to write about it in a post as you have, maybe replace it with a ceramic blade that will last indefinitely. Ceramic will essentially last forever and only degrade as you cut things with it.