Treet 'Blue Specal' blades - Coated or coated stainless?

[Hansel]

I shaved with a Treet blue blade (aka Blue Special aka Black Beauty etc) a while back, removed it from the razor, and put it aside. Having never seen how quickly a carbon blade rusts I was curious so I decided to experiment...

After a day, the blade showed no signs of rust at any point. I dunked it again in some hot water, pulled it out and left it (wet) to rust.

The next day, still no rust. Dunked it again. That was yesterday, and it STILL isn't rusting even on the cutting edge! Are these just stainless blades dressed up to look like blue blades? Or are they just very well coated carbon steel or what!?

 

[duderdo]

I shaved with a Treet blue blade (aka Blue Special aka Black Beauty etc) a while back, removed it from the razor, and put it aside. Having never seen how quickly a carbon blade rusts I was curious so I decided to experiment...

After a day, the blade showed no signs of rust at any point. I dunked it again in some hot water, pulled it out and left it (wet) to rust.

The next day, still no rust. Dunked it again. That was yesterday, and it STILL isn't rusting even on the cutting edge! Are these just stainless blades dressed up to look like blue blades? Or are they just very well coated carbon steel or what!?

Speaking from experience using carbon steel knives, rust is usually the result of extreme abuse. Carbon steel, when wet and allowed to dry will oxidize, and this layer of oxidization will actually prevent the steel from breaking out into full blown rust.

I'm not sure the exact steps you would need to take to get carbon steel to actually rust, probably a the procedure you mentioned over and over again (the presence of salt would help).

While not "rusty", oxidization would dull the blade, and definitely make it less smooth.

 

[jlindy]

You put your finger on it in your title... "Treet 'Blue Specal' blades". Like a gun they've been blued. Bluing was a popular anti-corrosion treatment for carbon steel blades back in the day. If you want to see that blade rust scuff it up with some steel wool... It'll rust.