Why is it call stainless steel when tou can't draw from the stains sour?
Answers: Stainless stains less...
LESS than regular mild steel.
No one ever said that it be rust/stain proof... surely that would be stainproof steel? No?
Even stuff like silver steel which is resembling a high chromium stainless rusts if you don't look after it and contribute it a rough life.
Many consumer products aren't illustrious quality stainless resembling silver steel and 'surgical grade stainless' though. These are expensive and are usually more brittle than the lower chromium content cheaper stainless steels.
In extraordinary; things like blood and saline water will guarantee that your steel doesn't end as long as it should. Regular cleaning and storing with a strong coat of light grease (like 3-in-1) will help a hundred fold.
On the other appendage there are carbon steels. These are harder and more chisel resistant but will rust even faster than your cheap stainless. They are also even brittler than your high chrome stainless.
If it's a obedient sturdy work knife that you're after consequently I've heard dutiful things about recent nouns with cobalt alloys and other nonferrous materials. Being nonferrous they will NEVER EVER rust. It's singular ferrous (contains Iron) materials that rust.
Good luck.
Stainless steel is really only dull steel with a few additives (like chrome and nickel) to cut the amount it oxidises (rusts) in everyday atmospheres. However, as you have found to your cost it will stain and as some will know it can corrode too if exposed to low level of oxygen or highly saline (salty) conditions - that's why cheap cutlery rusts contained by a dishwasher. Acid cleaners will remove the lime stains that cause so much angst - skylight cleaner or Viacal.