A2 knife steel

[JL]

I recently picked up a knife made of A2 tool steel. First and only time I used it (sliced up an apple) the blade got stained even tho I wiped the blade down after use. How do I go about cleaning the stain off the steel and prevent the steel from staining again?

Thanks

[Jeremy]

Any of the high carbon steels will stain when you use 'em to cut fruit and flesh.  Just the nature of the beast.

You can clean those oxides off with a little metal polishing paste.  I use Flitz, but semichrome works well too.  Flitz leaves a protective film on the steel that'll help protect it against staining... until it wears off.

[el oso]

I like the stains. To me it looks good when the whole blade gets like that.