I'm a newcomer to hand tools, and recently bought my first few planes from LV/Veritas. I've tried to take good care of them (they're quite an investment!) but they have already begun to tarnish (not sure if that's the right word -- see photos below). Is this rust? Some kind of pre-rust? The marks are principally fingerprint-shaped, in case that provides a clue. I've tried to rub it off with elbow grease and jojoba oil, as well as krud kutter, but with little effect. I should note that the blades are still spotless, even though they're the only part of the plane that ever touches water (during sharpening).

They live in a drawer in my garage, which is kept around 50% RH by a dehumidifier. About a month ago I added Zerust capsules to the drawers as well.

Any thoughts on (1) How this happened (2) How to prevent it (3) How to clean it?

Many thanks!


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