Moteng Ontario 3.5 Inch Paring Knife - High Carbon 7070TC Stainless Steel Blade with Wood/Silver Handle - Perfect for Peeling, Slicing & Precision Kitchen Tasks

These knives are awesome...BUT...they are 1095 carbon steel, not stainless. 1095 is gteat steel, but it requires more TLC than a stainless blade, as carbon steel is extremely susceptible to rust.In my opinion the easiest way to protect a carbon steel blade from rust is to force a patina. Like seasoning a cast iron pan, the patina layer will help seal the carbon steel away from moisture to prevent rusting. An also like cast iron...the more you use the knife, the more the patina will be reinforced.There are several ways to force a patina. Here are the two easiest IMO.The easiest first. Just plunge the entire blade into a raw potato and leave it there for 15 minutes. The entire blade that is not in the handle must be in contact with the potato. Pull it out. The entire blade should be dark grey to black. If not, put it back through the potato in a new spot and try again. Two times should do it. Cafefully wash the knife with hot soapy water and dry completely.The downside of this method is the tang of the knife (the part under the handle) is not protected.The method I use is to fill a quart mason jar with a 50/50 mix of water and 5% cider vinegar. Submerge the paring knife point down in the jar so that only the is touching the jar and the entire blade INCLUDING that which is under the handle is below the surface. Leave it submerged for at least 1 hour. The entire blade should be dark grey to black. If not, carefully wipe down and return to jar for another hour.The downside of this method is it may darken the handle.Needless to say, you will not be returning this knife after this process...but...this would naturally occur over the course of weeks anyway...but during those weeks, you are giving the shiny silver parts an oportunity to rust if you are not absolutely diligent in completely drying the knife.Included are some pics of the knife I received today.P.S. - don't take my wors for this...research "force a patina on 1095".