Carbon steel slip joint maintenance

sjhong

sjhong

Joined
Jan 28, 2010
Messages
299
I'm about to receive my first slip joint (in O1) and this will be my first folder with a non-stainless steel. I'm particularly curious about the pivot area.

I imagine every time I cut something that's wet, I'd probably have to wipe the blade and I'll be alright. However, what if the pivot area gets wet? How do I keep rust away? Just keeping it oiled will do the trick?
 
When my joints get wet, I blow them out with my mouth. A couple drops of mineral oil (since it’s food safe) and open it once or twice.

If the back spring is carbon, I let the oil run down the inside of it also. Then wipe the blade down.

I prolly don’t do it every time it’s wet, especoally once a decent patina is going.
 
Light coat of mineral oil on blade and backspring, then a drop or two to oil the pivots.

I'm sure you know what it is, and you can get a good sized bottle for a couple dollars at any pharmacy.
 
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Any. I use local grocery store value brand. Works fine. I have many Carbon knives and have had 0 problems with rust. When i store them away I just lightly coat the entire knife and put it a dry place. Never have I opened one of my knives even after a year in storage and found rust on it. (which is important considering the monetary and personal value of all my knives) So yeah just lightly coat it and remember, Oil the Joints!
 
There are slip joints out there that are +100 years and counting,so unless you are pretty reckless you'll be tired of the knife long before then.....just enjoy,keep dried and oiled as can reasonably expected and your good to go....if you're interested I can send you a small bottle of foodgrade mineral oil just pm me your address,also Ikea sells them for $9 per pint,this is also used for cutting boards a pint will last you forever.
 
Just look next to the Exlax. I don't remember what the 16oz bottle I bought at Walmart cost, but it was a lot less than $9.
 
I use 3 in 1 oil on the joints of mine, carbon steel or stainless. No problems after 55 plus years. Yes, I've always used the knives for food.
For carbon steel blades, I like a nice patina.
That prevents rust, and IMHO gives the knife character. Not to mention the blade stops being a fingerprint and smudge magnet.
 
Do you have to force a patina, or does it just happen naturally?

afishhunter said:
I use 3 in 1 oil on the joints of mine, carbon steel or stainless. No problems after 55 plus years. Yes, I've always used the knives for food.
For carbon steel blades, I like a nice patina.
That prevents rust, and IMHO gives the knife character. Not to mention the blade stops being a fingerprint and smudge magnet.
Click to expand...
 
just make sure its food grade mineral oil or it will get rancid ... the food grade mineral oil should be in the pharmacy section ... its used as a laxative... and should say food grade on the bottle.
 
Y
sjhong said:
Do you have to force a patina, or does it just happen naturally?
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You can force it with vinegar based products like mustard or just hot vinegar, but I find that forced patinas wear away with use very quickly. A patina acquired naturally through use on a variety of jobs sticks around and represents an experienced blade.

I also find that the pivot point on a folder naturally polishes and keeps that part of the blade more or less rust free. But some lubricant is often called for. I use olive oil. No, it never goes rancid, never smells bad, never attracts pests.

Zieg
 
sjhong said:
Do you have to force a patina, or does it just happen naturally?
Click to expand...

It happens naturally. Patina is corrosion. Carbon steel rusts with little effort.
♦ You can speed up the process in any number of ways. Anything acidic and damp will speed it up considerably. There are any number of threads in the Maintenance Forum about forcing a patina.
♦ OR you can just let it happen at it's own pace. The blades will pepper spot with dark spots. The entire blade will slowly darken.
♦ OR you can keep after the blade with polishing compound and prevent it. Some folks wax their blades and claim good results with that.

I let mine discolor at their own pace.
 
SVTFreak said:
When my joints get wet, I blow them out with my mouth. A couple drops of mineral oil (since it’s food safe) and open it once or twice.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I do. Blow all the water out that you can, wipe dry, then apply oil. (Compressed air works well, too, but I normally just use my mouth.)

Be sure to wipe the blade off with a cloth or on your pants after using it, even if you weren't using it for something messy. Fingerprints left on a carbon blade for a couple days can sometimes oxidize and leave an unattractive mark.

As others have already suggested, the laxative section in the pharmacy is your best bet for mineral oil. The bottle I have is maybe 12 oz and cost $3 or $4. (Also, for knife oiling purposes, 12 oz is like a lifetime supply!) I would also recommend putting your mineral oil into a small bottle with a drop-dispensing cap. I've got one that holds maybe 1/2 an ounce with a plastic dropper cap; I've seen some with thin metal syringe-like droppers that would be even more precise for applying oil to the joints, but I've never had a problem with the plastic one I have.
 
If you check the sewing section of your local big box store you can usually pick up a bottle of sewing machine oil for about 5 bucks.
Its really just a thinner mineral oil which some find preferable. Easier to get into the pivot and other nooks and crannies and seems to attract gunk and lint less than the laxative variety.
 
sjhong said:
I'm about to receive my first slip joint (in O1) and this will be my first folder with a non-stainless steel. I'm particularly curious about the pivot area.

I imagine every time I cut something that's wet, I'd probably have to wipe the blade and I'll be alright. However, what if the pivot area gets wet? How do I keep rust away? Just keeping it oiled will do the trick?
Click to expand...

I’ll just use 3 in 1 oil on the joints, like afishhumter said it’s worked for 50 plus years. Then I wipe the excess oil on the blade.
WD-40 or Gunk Penetrating Oil will keep the springs from rusting.

I cut what needs to be cut, it might be anything from cardboard to manure, grub killer, oil, antifreeze, etc. There’s no telling where my knife has been so I don’t use it for food.

“Do you have to force a patina, or does it just happen naturally?”

I don’t force a patina, I don’t like the uncared for appearance of dark patinas. It takes a while but I have noticed that over time a carbon blade will pick up a light gray tint. I just let it stay that way.
If the blade gets to dark then a little Nevr Dull wadding will take it back to light gray.

I don't always carry carbon but when I do the second knife is always stainless for wet conditions.
 
For what it’s worth, I’m a fat sweaty kid that lives in the humid Midwest. I’m guessing tha average humidity in my pockets hovers at +90% year round!
With that said I’m a 3in1 oil and a light forced patina guy. As said above 3in1 on the joints now and then and the excess wiped on the blades combined with a light vinegar ( strawberry i just tried and liked) patina and good to go.
 
I'm not a fan of patina and use the 3in1 oil for the joint and just a drop and work it in it don't take much and mineral oil on the blade and just a thin layer swiped on with a cloth. If I am dealing with a storing a knife or I'm going to be in a damp/wet environment I use a light coat of Renaissance wax on the blade. If I buy an old rusty knife I will soak it in mineral oil then hand polish with a microfiber cloth and Flitz metal polish. If it's really bad I will hand sand it with 400 to 1200 grit paper.

These are two old knives I bought that were really rusty and I put them in a mineral oil bath over night to loosen up the rust.
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If you use oilstones, get a can of Norton’s honing oil. It’s mineral oil based, and is approved for commercial food preparation.
When I cut food with a pocket knife in the kitchen, which is about every day, I’ll clean it before and after. Away from the kitchen, that’s what pants legs are for.

One thing that bugs me about old vintage carbon steel knives is how often the previous owner(s) let the inside of the springs and the liners down inside get cruddy and rusty. This includes the joints. When I acquire a knife like this, I will spray it out with Brakleen, then fold over a piece of 400 or 600 grit emery cloth or crocus cloth, and get all that crud and rust out of it. Another good shot with the Brakleen to get any abrasive and dust residue out. I follow this up with a stiff brush and dish soap, a good rinse, and thoroughly dry it with my wife’s hair dryer.
Then, usually after a touch up on the stones, I drip the Norton’s into the joints and let the excess run down through the blade well. A wipe out with a cloth or kleenex, and it’s good and protected.

Some of the old ones have weak snap and/or gritty action. Getting that gunk out of there and relubing will often bring back some snap and make it open and close smoothly~ the walk ‘n talk.

I need to get some of that Quick Release oil some of the experts here have recommended.

~Jeff
 
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