Bone Care

Trout Hound

Trout Hound

Joined
Sep 28, 2014
Messages
693
Hey Guys,
I'm probably gonna spend some Christmas $ on a new knife tomorrow, and it will be my first with bone scales. I'm not planning to be overly gentle with it, but I just wanted to check and see if there was anything special I needed to know so that I don't completely wreck it. I know not to drop it on hard surfaces. Will mild solvents, such as WD-40 hurt it? Thanks!
 
I'll suggest not to leave it on the dash in the blazing sun- might not be so bad in NC but here the sun is very strong at this time of year.
I have had a quick look at the summer temps-I think its hotter here.
cheers.

Who would do that anyway?:eek:
 
I'm no expert but oil based solvents haven't damaged my bone handles, I've used mineral turpentine and WD40 on a few and they are none the worse for wear. I know makers use dye in denatured alcohol to dye bone so I'd say you're pretty safe whatever you do except as meako just said. Here on the west coast it's scorchin'!
 
I've never treated the handles of my bone scaled knives - I do clean old ones I buy if they are nasty. I use a synthetic knife lubrication product named "Coon-P" to oil the joints of my knives - the instruction label claims it is made for all knife steels and knife handles - won't hurt any of them (so I've never worried if any got on the handles). I bought it about three years ago at SMKW in TN - it has performed well for those years and I see no problems developing. OH
 
Very small amount of USP food grade mineral oil from the pharmacy in the joints and a little on the scales. I rub off the excess with a rag. I don't do this very often.
 
I coat my carbon blade folders with straight mineral oil, especially if they will come into contact with food. I then take the residual on my fingers and massage it into the bone/stag/wood scales. Has worked very well for me to date.
 
Trout Hound said:
Do you mean that I should or shouldn't use it? Thanks.
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you should, its like feeding the material. a lot of knife makers use this as well. you don't want the bone to dry up if you will.
other then me being a High pressure Pipe Welder im also a Guitar Tech and the uses for lemon oil are astounding. I also use lemon oil on my Stag Knives. apply a thin coat let it sit for a minute then wipe her down.
 
Mink said:
I coat my carbon blade folders with straight mineral oil, especially if they will come into contact with food. I then take the residual on my fingers and massage it into the bone/stag/wood scales. Has worked very well for me to date.
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Mink, that's what I do with the residual, just rub it on the blades.
 
Definitely mineral oil from the pharmacy. A drop or two on the joints, then wipe down the blades with the residual, and finally wipe down the whole knife once closed.
 
Use it daily and the oils from your hands will take care of the bone. Use a drop of mineral oil on each joint and work the joint back and forth to get it in everywhere. Do this once every couple months or so. You won't have to worry about oiling the blades because using it everyday anything you put on there will be gone within a couple days anyways. This is how I'm handling my EDC and it's working out perfectly.
 
Mink said:
I coat my carbon blade folders with straight mineral oil, especially if they will come into contact with food. ...
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Mineral oil if it comes in contact with food? Wouldn't olive oil, or one of the vegetable or corn oils be better for that? I've been using olive oil on my carbon steel blades for years.
 
afishhunter said:
Mineral oil if it comes in contact with food? Wouldn't olive oil, or one of the vegetable or corn oils be better for that? I've been using olive oil on my carbon steel blades for years.
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Corn or olive oil can go rancid. I don't know if that would hurt the bone, but it might smell funky.
 
Bone and antler are pretty tough, and shy of abusive environment, probably nothing much is necessary as a protective ointment. Lemon oil and Renaissance wax are often touted for bone and stag respectively, and that is probably good advice. As far as steel knife joints go, that is a different matter; they do require a little care. WD-40 was originally marketed to repel moisture and for that task it excels. It is a moderately good solvent for cleaning tight places. It was not originally marketed as a lubricant and is a poor one, with no staying power at all. Those products tested and sold for firearms, fishing tackle and the like are the best, and the best of all is an oil called Latama Quick Release. It is amazing. The gold standard for food-related surfaces has always been mineral oil. It can't be beat for that purpose. Vegetable oil and olive oil are not lubricants in the first place, and if left on any surface for an extended period will turn to a vile stinking gum.
 
afishhunter said:
Mineral oil if it comes in contact with food? Wouldn't olive oil, or one of the vegetable or corn oils be better for that? I've been using olive oil on my carbon steel blades for years.
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r8shell said:
Corn or olive oil can go rancid. I don't know if that would hurt the bone, but it might smell funky.
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r8shell is correct. Food oils go rancid. They get sticky and smell foul. Not recommended.

When folks around here say "mineral oil", what they are referring to is the food grade mineral oil which is sold as a laxative. It won't poison you and is an extremely pure grade of oil which makes it great for lubrication. It lubricates and forms a barrier to moisture. It won't break down over time.
 
I use mineral oil, rub the covers from time to time with some of it. I soaked my chestnut bone peanut in mineral oil once, with no ill effect.
I don't think it does anything but make the bone shine, which is the reason i use it on bone covers.
Wd 40 is good for cleaning the gunk in the pivot area, and driving out the water after washing the knife, but in my experience, wd 40 can take some of the paint out of the bone, if the contact is for prolonged time, like a few hours or more.
 
On the bone (wood too) you can use Renaissance Wax. A 200ml can will last you years even when you use it for several different things. My can is about ten years old and is still a bit more than 1/2 full. You can find it at wood working supply stores.
 
With bone- or stag-handled knives, it's important to wipe them down with mineral oil every 11.39 years, without fail.

-- Mark
 
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