edc knife...how often to take apart and clean?

harkamus

harkamus

Joined
Apr 23, 2007
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I've been making a lot of noobish threads lately. Forgive me as I'm a knew knife owner. With that out of the way, how often should I be taking my knife apart to clean it (the lint from carrying in my pocket, etc) and what's the best way to clean it?

Or do people recommend not taking their knives apart. I have a ZT 0350, and in the literature it came with, it did not say that taking the knife apart would void the warranty. The blade is s30v if that helps. The liners are steel.
 
I have pocket knives that I've carried for thirty years without ever feeling a need to take them apart. A lot of folks here seem obsessed with taking their knives apart. Some of them even manage to get them back together without damaging anything. Others...well, some people shouldn't be allowed to own tools because they think owning a tool automatically imparts the knowledge of how (and when) to use it.

I suggest flushing it out with brake cleaner, blowing it out with compressed air and putting a drop of oil on the pivot.
 
yablanowitz said:
I have pocket knives that I've carried for thirty years without ever feeling a need to take them apart. A lot of folks here seem obsessed with taking their knives apart. Some of them even manage to get them back together without damaging anything. Others...well, some people shouldn't be allowed to own tools because they think owning a tool automatically imparts the knowledge of how (and when) to use it.

I suggest flushing it out with brake cleaner, blowing it out with compressed air and putting a drop of oil on the pivot.
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Can you elaborate on what you mean by flush? Also, I'm curious, but why brake cleaner? I'm not around cars much mechanically, so I wouldn't know.

I much prefer not having to take the knife apart.
 
My sebenza is the only knife I take apart every few months. Everything else I clean with a cleaner soaked Q-tip and then I put a couple of drops of Tuf-glide on the pivot area.
 
I admit I'm one of those people who obsess about taking my knives apart. I take apart new knives just to see how they're put together.

As far as maintenance is concerned, take it apart and clean it when it starts getting dirty. You can easily feel sand in the pivot areas. You should also know if you got something gross in there.
 
They are easy to take apart and clean but don't need it that often. Usually a knife that gets used a lot I will take apart and clean when it stops opening as smooth as it was new or every 3-6 months.
 
You can easily clean almost any knife with WD40, a Q-tip, a paper towel, and a toothpick. There is no need to take them apart.
Newer knives are assembled with screws because it is easier and cheaper to make them that way. The screws are not really there to take them apart.
 
Thank you, Bill. :thumbup:

When I said "flush with brake cleaner" I was referring to an automotive cleaner/degreaser available in any parts store I've ever walked into. Stick the long tube into the nozzle on the can, stick the other end of the tube into the blade channel of the folder and push the button on the can.
You probably want to be outside when you do it, though.;) The solvent will dissolve any tar, tape adhesive, grease or oil in the way and blow out whatever dirt, lint, grime and cooties it may be holding in place. Blow it out with air to remove any remaining dirt, give it a drop of oil on the moving parts and you are good to go.

Edit to add: WD-40 won't hurt G-10. I haven't found anything yet that does much to G-10.
 
yablanowitz said:
I have pocket knives that I've carried for thirty years without ever feeling a need to take them apart. A lot of folks here seem obsessed with taking their knives apart. Some of them even manage to get them back together without damaging anything. Others...well, some people shouldn't be allowed to own tools because they think owning a tool automatically imparts the knowledge of how (and when) to use it.

I suggest flushing it out with brake cleaner, blowing it out with compressed air and putting a drop of oil on the pivot.
Click to expand...

+1
I have never felt the need to disassemble any of my knives. Some of them I have had for thirty years or more. I occasionally blow out the lint and on very rare occasions, apply a drop of mineral oil to the pivot.
 
Excellent replies. Thanks people.

Yea, I rather not take my knife apart. I just thought (assumed, I guess) that most people on bladeforums do take them apart.
 
Clean it when the pivot action is no longer as smooth, I usually don't take my knives apart, I just blow it with compressed air and re-oil.
 
I took my Sebbie apart for the first time in 6 years a couple of months ago. Cleaned and lubed and it's back to original smoothness. I might do it again in 6 years time.

My Calypso Jnr went through the washing and drying machines while clipped to my pants.

When I found it I put a couple of drops of tuff glide on it and it's better than when it came out of the factory.
 
I'm in the same boat as Yab and Bill. With all of the knives I've had over the years and all of the ones I've taken apart, none of them needed to be d/a to be cleaned. It was just a fun exercise for me.

My fav EDC is a Spyderco Caly 3. That knife has no washers, just a polished tang and liners around the pivot area. Nothing can get in there to gunk it up. I know... I took it apart last year after a year of carry & use. Nothing in there but a little lube.

Canned air works well to blow lint and dust out of the knife and WD40 will loosen and flush just about anything that's too tough for the air. The WD40 will do a nice job on cleaning G10 scales, BTW.
 
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Just do not take apart your slip joints!

Q-Tips, toothbrush and some mineral oil.
Polish them with Brasso
 
harkamus said:
Can you elaborate on what you mean by flush? Also, I'm curious, but why brake cleaner? I'm not around cars much mechanically, so I wouldn't know.

I much prefer not having to take the knife apart.
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by flush he simply means spray it down very thoroughly and get all the crap out of there (E.G pocket lint, anything else). Why brake cleaner? brake cleaner is what they use to get all the oil and everything else out of the brake discs so they work more efficiently and don't make you brakes skip and make them not work anymore, essentially cleans gunk out of of your knife, also it lubricates it just a bit because all that bad stuff is now outta your knife. for drying it as he said i would spray it out with compressed air, and if there is any brake cleaner left in small spots, i just use a Q-tip, and then of course lubricate it with, mineral oil or some other type of oil.
 
Never use Brasso on a knife!
It is too abrasive, and it is very difficult to remove the residue.

Use Simichrome, Flitz, NeverDull.
 
harkamus said:
Would wd-40 eat away at the g-10 scales on my ZT 350?
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nope, I have 10 year old g-10 scales that have seen more wd-40 than I care to admit.:eek:

to answer the OP, brake cleaner followed by miltec or blue lube or plain old mineral oil, heck, motor oil works too... I ran out of wd-40, whatcha expect?!
 
brake cleaner or simple green ,,both degreasers

some q tips

then some mineral oil

good too go ,,
 
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