Quote Originally Posted by PierreR View Post
Agreed, so long as the blade is properly oiled and cared for, rust is controlled. When the oil is wiped off after repeated uses, and the blade is not quickly dried, and/or oil isn't reapplied, issues with rust will occur. Even a mirror finished blade will begin to rust.

The surface of etched blades, under magnification, show slightly uneven surfaces, and micro pitting, great places for rust to take hold. Similar with satin finished blades, or any fine scratches. It is very noticeable when grinding blades and going through grits. When grinding, the blade is dipped in water to cool. When one side ground with coarser grits, the blade gets hot, accelerating the rusting. The opposite face will often turn orange in seconds sometimes. The finer the grit, the less this happens. Nearing a mirror finish, some spotting is seen sometimes, and even less at a higher finish. This is the basis that I make my observations on. It is an extreme, accelerated result, but a measurable, noticeable result none the less. Again, these are my observations, YMMV.
Interesting. Abrasion hastens oxidation so it makes sense the higher the grit belt you use the more rust you will see during the process.
At what grit do you find this effect begins diminishing ?