Advice on handle care

Rookie82

Rookie82

Gold Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2014
Messages
2,413
I'd like to hear some opinions on the best way to maintain knives in a collection/display. These are not knives to be carried, just to store/display, and at some point sell again. So far I know about oiling the joints, etc. And I usually rub the whole knife down with a little Remington gun oil after I handle it, since my hands tend to leave tarnish marks.

But are there more specific things I should be doing? And how frequently? And different things for different handles?

I'm aware of the chance of celluloid outgassing. What is the best method for bone, stag, horn, ivory, wood, pearl, etc.?

Thanks in advance to all your opinions and expertise.
 
I'm not a collector and as such have never applied anything to my knives other than oil for maintenance. But I would think Ren Wax would be a good choice for most any material to help preserve the finish. Museums use it often for similar applications.
 
Just a guess, but maybe store them in some of the type of paper that comes in the GEC tubes.
 
I have several displays with unused knives in them. I also use a small amount of Ren Wax to coat both blades and handles. So far never had any problems but have never displayed anything with celluloid handles I'm afraid they would get gassy and affect other knives around them. Also IMO they don't look good enough to display.
 
There are more and more new flippers than collectors. Some buy every run and resell. I suppose it is a more sustainable hobby to fiddle with the knives and then resell for profit to fund the purchase of the next run. But if I'm buying a knife from someone, I want it to be as close to original as possible. Anything they've done to mess with it reduces its value to me. Even handling wear. And a buffed or polished knife is no longer original.

Since you are buying to resell, I'd recommend concentrating on storage rather than fluffing and buffing. But I realize that for some folks the tampering before resell is their hobby. If you do want to handle, wax, polish the knives then I'd recommend full disclosure in your for sale ads.
 
I know you'll get good advice here more like the stuff above which is all great. For myself I'm a user so I when I muck a knife up I soak it mild dish soap dry completely oil and back in the pocket.
 
I use either mineral oil or lemon oil on wood, bone, and stag. I don't use anything on the ivory knives that I have.
 
Like others have mentioned, I find a light buffing with Renaissance Wax on a soft cloth brings out the beauty of natural handles and is something of a protectant.

If you have any knives with light-colored bone I would be careful about getting too much oil on them, especially near the bolsters where the bone ends were cut. The bone can darken a bit from absorbing the oil. No big deal on a user but if you are planning to resell you want them to look like new.
 
supratentorial said:
There are more and more new flippers than collectors. Some buy every run and resell. I suppose it is a more sustainable hobby to fiddle with the knives and then resell for profit to fund the purchase of the next run. But if I'm buying a knife from someone, I want it to be as close to original as possible. Anything they've done to mess with it reduces its value to me. Even handling wear. And a buffed or polished knife is no longer original.

Since you are buying to resell, I'd recommend concentrating on storage rather than fluffing and buffing. But I realize that for some folks the tampering before resell is their hobby. If you do want to handle, wax, polish the knives then I'd recommend full disclosure in your for sale ads.
Click to expand...

I subscribe to this philosophy myself. I have lots of knives I carry and use, and I don't believe they'll have any real cash value to them by the time I'm done with them. But the ones I am buying for a collection, I want to buy in original factory condition. I'm not buying these to flip for profit, they are for me. But I can't say for sure that 20 years from now I won't want to sell them and get into something new. If that day comes, I want the knives to still be in the same condition that I bought them in. My biggest fear is bone/stag/ivory cracking, or blades/bolsters tarnishing during that 20+ years.

If I go the Ren Wax route, is that something that can be gently rubbed off with a soft cloth if the day ever comes where I need to sell a knife?

Thanks again to everyone for the expertise and advise.
 
At the American Military Edged Weapon Museum in Intercourse PA, they have lots of knives, almost all carbon steel, on display. I asked the owner about maintenance. He said he applies a coat of bowling lane wax, Butcher Brand. He gets asked this question so much by tourists, he said the local hardware store sometimes stocks it.

I don't have that many knives and use Renaissance Wax or mineral oil. Right now, the wax seems to hold up better for every day carry.
 
Rookie82 said:
If I go the Ren Wax route, is that something that can be gently rubbed off with a soft cloth if the day ever comes where I need to sell a knife?
Click to expand...

There won't be anything to rub off. Ren Wax is used the same way car wax is used. Apply and buff off with a clean, soft cloth. Leaves an invisible protective layer.
 
Railsplitter said:
There won't be anything to rub off. Ren Wax is used the same way car wax is used. Apply and buff off with a clean, soft cloth. Leaves an invisible protective layer.
Click to expand...

I see. And would it provide a benefit to coating the jigged bone, or stag handles with it also? Or would that not serve any purpose? I never used this stuff before, I'll have to order some.
 
Rookie82 said:
I see. And would it provide a benefit to coating the jigged bone, or stag handles with it also? Or would that not serve any purpose? I never used this stuff before, I'll have to order some.
Click to expand...

I only use it on the metal surfaces of a knife as I'm mostly concerned about corrosion protection. I think it would be fine to use on handle materials but I cannot speak from experience.

It may have been mentioned already but museums apparently use it to preserve many types of artifacts. Should be good for most knife related materials.
 
I use it on all my handle materials, wood, jigged bone, stag, mammoth and it isn't a problem. Also use it on my firearms, both the stocks and the metal. Use it sparingly and it goes a long way.
 
billsch8 said:
Use it sparingly and it goes a long way.
Click to expand...

This is absolutely true. Use a lot less than you think you need and add more if necessary. It really doesn't take much at all and it hardens very quickly if you over apply.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top