Replies to This Discussion

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Scott King on August 13, 2009 at 7:15

Doug
This is an excellent discussion on caring for and storing our knives. Sorry to say, I haven't made my way to it prior to your email.
TOP NOTCH ADVICE!
Scott

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by David Hawkins on August 13, 2009 at 17:37

I use a variety of cleaning/protecting products on my carbon, stainless, and damascus knives.
I like Tuff-Glide which contains mineral oil. The cloth is good for quick wipes and the oil is good for pivot points and a good deep cleaning and prior to storage. I also will use a pliers to squeeze Q-Tips flat to get into the cracks and crevices. Its amazing how much crud comes out of a brand new knife right out of the box. Unless you wipe it down with a clean soft cloth pretty good the Tuff-Glide may leave just a slight haze...which is what you want for protection. It comes off easy enough later. I do avoid using Tuff-Glide on knives that may come into contact with food later...like that apple for lunch.
I use Flitz for more serious work to restore luster and polish. Supposedly Flitz is supposed to keep protecting for up to 6 months. So far I haven't degraded any blade etchings. I don't use Flitz on handles.
Clenzoil is another great all purpose cleaner and it won't hurt any handle materials that I know of yet (anybody?)

I store knives in their original boxes if they came in one and store the boxes inside a 3 drawer plastic shelving unit I picked up at a Home Depot. I even put them back in the plastic bag they came in but the room I store them keeps a fairly stable temperature and humidity. If I had to store them in a less stable room I would probably roll them up in a breathable material similar to the one used to line shelves of tool chests and stuff them back in the box.
Also, right now I don't own enough knives that I can't get to them all often enough to check, shine, and polish them. My wife appreciates it when I sit out in the living room inspecting, cleaning, polishing and oiling my knives while we watch TV. The knife care activity keeps me safe from too much estrogen exposure if she wants to watch Sex in the City or Desperate Housewives.
The knives in the rotation can stay out enclosed in a cabinet shelf and I usually have two of those...one for EDC abuse, and one for storage. For the knives without boxes I have an old felt knife roll with a deep pocket for each knife.
For fixed knives I will echo what others have said, don't store any blade in a leather sheath because the chemicals used to treat the leather will volatilize over time and will damage the knife's finish. I proved it to myself with an old Shrade Deerslayer left in the sheath for a couple of years. Fortunately, a couple of hours rubbing it with Flitz saved it but I learned my lesson. I put the knives in flattened paper towel rolls to keep the blade from coming in contact with the leather sheath and then snap the handle in the to sheath or just lay it on top of the sheath in the box. I have not suffered any problems storing a knife in a Kydex sheath.
What I am looking for is a small split-top slip pouch to keep the pocket knives safe from the few pennies that also find their way into my pocket. The best one I found came with a Buck 55 buffalo horn limited edition. I have written to Buck asking for information on where I could get more but have had no response yet. Maybe someone here can point me in the right direction.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Frazer on August 28, 2009 at 12:27

I've heard vasoline works well because it stays on the blade, any truth to this?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Frazer on August 28, 2009 at 12:35

Thanks Doug, sorry for the late reply, I forgot to follow this discussion lol

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Doug Scearce on September 1, 2009 at 7:13

Hey Frazer !! I don't think I would put it on my knives due to some
of it's ingredients that may remove blade etches after some time of
staying on the blades . I've never used it so ,I could be wrong!!! It has
a petroleum base.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Frazer on September 1, 2009 at 7:28

Thanks Doug, what would be a good inexpensive oil for this use? I've also heard mineral oil which is good because I keep it on hand for my sharpening stone as a honing oil. That stuff any good? I'm sort of looking for an inexpensive option because most of my spare cash is going to pay down debt so that I'm in a better place financially....you know, live like no one else so that later you can live like no one else?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Doug Scearce on September 1, 2009 at 15:13

Hey Frazer some people use mineral oil on the bone handles ,because they can dry out!
as far as your blade a can of heavy duty silicone is one of the best all round best I still like
the DuPont Teflon Dry wax spray it coats your knives with Teflon an leaves a wax that stay's
on the blades great ! Just be sure to shake up the can real good!! You can find it at Lowe's
an most hardware stores but don't spray your jigged handles because it will dry in the jigs making it harder to remove! Hope it helps you Your friend Doug!!!!!!!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Frazer on September 1, 2009 at 20:58

Thanks, I'll hit up Home Depot in the morning :)

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Matthew Hiebert on September 14, 2009 at 15:40

Oils I Use
So far all I've used is the honing oil that came with my Lansky sharpening system. I've given all my knives in storage, a good coat of this and so far it seems to keep them well oiled.

Wrapping
I haven't chosen to wrap my knives in anything different than the cardboard sleeve that usually comes with the blades. I don't like to leave my knives in the sheath's - I've heard that a sheath won't control humidity very well and may hold moisture... I dunno though.

Over 500
I wish! :)

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jake Mortensen on September 19, 2009 at 20:46

i use rem oil since i already use it for my guns. i just put all my knives in a box and it seems to work fine

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Frank Evans on October 24, 2009 at 6:27

I have found that Mother's Billet bought at all auto parts place to be the most effective metal cleaner out there. then there is Flitz (just google for it) Stanley Tool Cleaner is about like Flits. The billet has a fine grain in it that really makes it super. As for storage, I like to see my knives so I have several displays and the 40 count Case leather case. Regarding lubrication... I used Rem Oil from Remington (Wal-Mart) I have recently tried a SMKW.COM product called Coon P. It's wonderful on old knives and rusty dammaged knives. It's great on derlin and composits... It's endorsed by the NKM in Serverville TN. I am in a dispute with them about it's discoloring light bone scales. Sadly I have about 20 damaged. But it can't be beat for viscosity and is not greasy for long. The best all around package to by is the Flitz Cleaner, Pollish and cloth combo for about $18 bucks... It will do just about all 500 if you use it conservatively. But Mother's Billet is about $15 a jar and is right around the corner at the autoparts place and works great... PS USE THE NEW MICROFIBER RAGS.... much much better than you old T-shirts.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Frank Plant on October 26, 2009 at 20:40

I've been using Simichrome polish on brass for many years. Now, I'm using it on my knives...haven't tried anything else, but I saw online that Flitz is carried by Ace Hardware...I might try that, or Mother's Billet.
frankplant

• ▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Next ›
• Page