Best solvent for cleaning knives?

I was going to suggest brake parts cleaner (spray can available at auto parts stores and sections) but I'm not so sure about the solvent in there. A safer alternative would be something called Gun Scrubber, spray can available at sporting goods stores and Wal Mart. This is formulated for spraying on guns' chrome plating, wood, inlay's etc., so shouldn't hurt any knife, but the final decision is yours.

My knives stay pretty clean. I oil with Magic Lube spray w/teflon and have had no problems. The Magic Lube also takes adhesive off the blade from my tactical encounters with packages and envelopes. Reminds me I had a close tactical encounter with a cardboard box that came in the mail. I came in the house and rounded the corner. There was the box on the table with the top facing me. I whipped out my big Grip and slashed. Its styrofoam guts spilled out on to the table. Close call, but I won.
Cheers!
U
 
I use White Lightning cleaner to clean the action of my knives, it seems to be the best degreaser I have used, and it even smells VERY good.
Just be carefull of the grips, it seems to leave them white, which I have to polish out.
For actually lubricating the knives, I use White Lightning knife wax.
It is wax in a solvent...You squirt some in the action and move it around some.
Let it dry and it leaves a wax coating in the action that actually keeps gunk OUT of the action...It works VERY well and is so slick you may even have to tighten up the action of the knife!
If you cannot find the White Lightning knife wax, just go to almost any bicycle shop and ask for White Lightning chain wax(Just make sure you get the regular, not the race day stuff...it is not the same stuff), it seems to be the same stuff, just in a MUCH larger bottle, for just a little more than the small bottle the knife stuff comes in...The only diference that I can tell, is that it MAY be a LITTLE less concentrated. Still works well though...
 
it's "Rusty Duck" for me. cleans well and leaves a rust preventing
film tha dosn't atract dust. and a little goes a long way.
 
Ultrastick said:
I was going to suggest brake parts cleaner (spray can available at auto parts stores and sections) but I'm not so sure about the solvent in there. A safer alternative would be something called Gun Scrubber, spray can available at sporting goods stores and Wal Mart. This is formulated for spraying on guns' chrome plating, wood, inlay's etc., so shouldn't hurt any knife, but the final decision is yours.


U
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For the love of God, do NOT get gunscrubber on wood or plastic (micarta and the better resins used by better knife companies notwithstanding) it'll damage the finish and underlying wood of a handle in an instant, and unless the plastic is resistant to the solvent it'll melt/soften/become brittle. Gunscrubber is intended to be used on metal parts only, that's it. If it's a knife with G-10, or "good" fiberglass reinforced nylon the gunscrubber shouldn't bother it, it may still dull the surface however.
 
Paratrooper said:
WD-40 is okay for use on knives, but NOT for use in items with actions.

Actions such as firearms, or even locks for that matter. It (WD-40) attracts and holds dirt, dust, etc.
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Any petroleum based product will.

Shao
 
WD40 is basically a safety solvent with mineral oil added. I have used it on natural materials with no problems, but I would avoid getting it on any porous material that dose not have a finish over it.


I use hot water/mild dish detergent on synthetic handled knives, followed by WD40 if the hot water doesn’t clean everything.


Plain mineral oil is a good rust preventive and is great for conditioning wood and bone.


For long term storage Vaseline is an excellent rust preventive…just give the steel parts a good coating and wrap in wax paper and seal it in Ziploc bag (store the sheath in a separate plastic bag).




- Frank
 
I use Breakfree CLP on my knives. I just wipe the blace occasionally and a very small drop at the pivot points (folders).
 
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Pilot1 said:
I use Breakfree CLP on my knives. I just wipe the blace occasionally and a very small drop at the pivot points (folders).
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Breakfree CLP is my favorite. Smells bad though. To be honest, RemOil is probably just as good. Picked up a couple of cans when I couldn't find Breakfree. Can't see that there's any difference, and it smells bad too. Both attract pocket lint like magnets, so wipe off the excess with dry gun patches or your knife will look dirty as soon as you put it in your pocket. Here in western Washington, fighting rust is a constant battle. :rolleyes:
 
I have an antique balisong with horn handles that my father handed down to me. I oiled the whole thing up with Miltec and put it away into a ziplock bag. Is that a bad thing to do?
 
The Last Confederate said:
Was there a point to this, or are you normally this much of a dumb***?
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Dumbass?? That is one of the most witty things I have seen on this forum!
Perhaps you just don't understand.......
Bill
 
I use G96 Gun Treatment on my EDC'ers as well as my bird guns. I've found it to be the best cleaner, lubricant, protectant that I've tried. Personally, I think it smells better than WD40, BreakFree or RemOil, too.
 
I wouldn't call it witty, more like silly. Dumbasses are known to be silly.

Shao


Bill DeShivs said:
Dumbass?? That is one of the most witty things I have seen on this forum!
Perhaps you just don't understand.......
Bill
Click to expand...
 
shao.fu.tzer said:
I wouldn't call it witty, more like silly. Dumbasses are known to be silly.

Shao
Click to expand...

Print it out and save it. If you still are interested in knives in ten years, read it. You'll realize it's hilarious.
Bill
 
Bucktool_02 said:
I have an antique balisong with horn handles that my father handed down to me. I oiled the whole thing up with Miltec and put it away into a ziplock bag. Is that a bad thing to do?
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Militec isn't a very good corrosion inhibitor but it's an excellent lubricant.

I've been something of a coin collector for a while now. I've stored very cheap coins and other things in Ziploc and other food-grade bags. The results were kind of surprising. They actually behave like PVC in that they somehow break down and coat the metal objects with a waxy film of some kind. This is probably going to happen more often in warm environments.

I'd recommend finding another storage solution because I'd guess that the knife has some sentimental value to you. I think that a Sack-Ups pouch may be a better idea.
 
Ryan,
Thanks for the warning. Advice taken. I've got some Ren Wax on order which will go on the balisong once I get the miltec off. And I'll be looking into those Sack-Ups pouches. Thanks again.
- Frank
 
Just wash the knife with a small brush and some dish soap and hot water. Toothbrushes work well. Afterwards rinse and blow dry with some compressed air. Lube it up with just a drop or two of plain old mineral oil.

Another vote for nail polish remover to clean the crap off the blade first. Packing tape adhesive and stuff like that.
 
I use 91% isopropyl alcohol as a light solvent / oil remover. The more common 70% will leave some water behind when it evaporates, but the 91% doesn't, so I always end up with a clean, dry surface; and as mentioned previously, it's inert enough that I don't worry about using it on knives with bone, stag, celluloid, micarta, G10, CF, etc.

If alcohol doesn't do the trick on the really goopy stuff, Zippo fuel usually does. Not sure I trust it on all handle materials, so I use it sparingly. But nothing cleans adhesives better, in my experience.

For metal polishing, I used to use Flitz, and sometimes still do, but it's damn expensive stuff. Nowadays I usually try Mother's Chrome Polish first, and only resort to Flitz if I'm not happy with the result from Mother's. For steel preservative, I've tried Tuff-Cloth, but hate the smell, so I only use it for long-term storage or for camping or boating knives. Keep meaning to try RennWax...

I generally oil pivots with Militec, or mineral oil for knives that I know will be used for food prep. Militec is wunnerful stuff, but smells pretty bad; I don't even want to find out how it tastes! :barf:
 
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