Remember, rust is safe on a blade, but it will get on your fencing whites and it is irresponsible and bad to leave rust marks on your opponent while fencing them.
Try keeping your blades in PVC pipe tubing, capped on one end; add one of those little desiccant pouches you find in vitamin jars. Keep your blades in a separate compartment in your fencing bag and minimize touching them if your hands are sweaty. (The salt in your sweat will facilitate the rusting process.) After fencing, remove your blades and other fencing gear and lay or hang them to dry and air out, including your gloves, shoes, socks and body cords!
If possible, buy FIE maraging blades. The FIE blades are made of maraging steel and are rust resistant because of the high nickel content in the steel. (FIE blades will still rust, just not as quickly.) However, these blades tend to be more expensive. All my Foil & Epee blades are FIE maraging blades. I think the blue colour of these blades is cool!
As an alternative to maraging blades, get a coloured blade. The coloring is just a finish to the blade, but it helps prevent corrosion. This is not a permanent fix because the coating will get scratched off over time. If you don't want to spring for an FIE maraging blade, the coloured blades are usually a few dollars more than the standard blades.
Wipe the blade down with a dry clean rag after every use. The trick is consistency; otherwise they can rust overnight. If it's really caked on, use a scotch pad or a piece of carpet to remove the rust. Be very careful not to remove insulation off any wires (for foil and epee).
Every couple of weeks or so, use a light coating of wax like a furniture wax or even better, a paste wax. It keeps the moisture out and lasts longer than oiling. A decent car wax works, too.
As an alternative to waxing, I recommend wiping the blade with Gun Oil. Using Gun Oil will require less buffing compared to waxing!
If you have a subject that you would like covered or comments, please e-mail me at gord@scarboroughfencing.on.ca
"All For One And One For All"
Gordon Fong, Head Coach
Scarborough Fencing Club