It is very important to keep your damascus steel axe protected from the air and moisture. The axe head will oxidise rust if left in contact with oxygen and moisture. That is also the reason why all our axes arrive to you under a slight coating of oil. Storing your axe in a wet environment and not taking care of it well enough during and after use will eventually attract rust to your blade. While it is easier to take care of your axe in the first place, getting the rust off is also a fairly simple and quick procedure.
Our preferred and recommended rust removal method is baking soda. It is cheap and accessible, and a common household substance.
What you will need: baking soda, water, toothbrush, a rag or cloth
Step #1
Clean the axe from excessive dirt with a simple cleaning solution or water. Dry it after cleaning.
Step #2
Mix some baking soda with water to create a paste. Start adding the water little by little meanwhile stirring the mix to avoid adding too much water in the beginning.
Step #3
Apply the paste on the axe head with a toothbrush. Just keep it covered in the paste for a little while before starting to scrub, it helps the baking soda to better fight the rust.
Step #4
Start scrubbing off the rust with the toothbrush. Don’t go too hard, because it might scratch the blade and ruin the damascus finish.
Step #5
If you have removed all of the rust, wipe the axe clean with a rag of cloth and see how the procedure turned out. We recommend to apply a light layer of oil afterward to avoid rusting again in the future. Sunflower or linseed oil, 3-in-1 oil, gun oil, beeswax, candle wax will all work fine.
There are more methods of how to remove rust from your axe like vinegar bath, WD-40 and other industrial grade solutions.
Always store your axe in a dry environment after use. Avoid leaving it stored in a leather sheath for long periods of time, because the substances in leather can also lead to oxidation over time. It is also important to take good care of the wooden handle, because the moisture from the handle can eventually start rusting the blade as well.