Opinel high-carbon blade.

[dirtycommiebastard]

Hey comrades and friends,

So I just bought a No.9 Opinel. I knew from the get-go that this is not stainless-steel and would require maintenance but it seems that no matter how hard I try, the knife will change color at the very least.

I've oiled the blade thoroughly, but after use, on fruit for example, the knife absolutely needs to be re-oiled and wiped properly. Even with such care, it still is starting to turn blackish.

Is this an inevitable trait of the knife or are there any tips for maintaining a pristine looking blade?

[dannie]

I have several of them (due to them getting lost and found), have used them for a long time and my choice of blades (cheap and durable). The carbon alloyed will turn black even with a lot of maintenance. However i found that oiling and cleaning properly after use will delay the process.
I'm not even sure if the black is such a bad thing, these things last forever. You can get the inox version if you don't want to put the work into cleaning but it will need to be sharpened more as the steel is a lot softer and goes dull faster.