Greetings sjhong: A quick rinse in water will not hurt your knife. ANY water that REMAINS in contact with any portion of the blade or other steel components can. All water should be removed after cleaning /dunking or rust and corrosion can set in. Some steel types and finishes will oxidize much faster than others. Unless your knife is specifically made for use in or around water, full immersion is probably not a good idea. Water, depending upon the temperature, can also remove many lubricants and thereby accelerate wear. If the blade/knife is contaminated with some corrosive substance, (blood. guts, food acids, iguana snot) then washing in water is better then leaving it dirty. After cleaning, compressed air or a water displacing lubricant, can remove most, if not all, remaining water from the recesses of the knife. Pivot areas and liners can retain water even when they appear to be thoroughly dry. If an area can retain lubricant then it can retain water. Some people use a hair dryer to speed up drying. If the knife is easily disassembled this makes the process easier. Occasional disassembly, cleaning and lubricating will do no harm. Frequent disassembly can accelerate wear. There is substantial debate about what lubricant or rust inhibitor is best. Your choice, but, with few applications withstanding, just about any lubricant is better than none. Below is an excerpt from the AKTI web site. It is simplistic but a good start. OldDude1
Keep It Oiled, Store Dry
Knife blades and handles are made from a variety of materials. Some of them resist rust. Some don’t, especially if the knife gets rained on. Even ” stainless" steels can be harmed by water and some chemicals. Salt water is especially corrosive. If your knife gets a lot of use, a light oil applied to the folding mechanism will keep it operating smoothly. Take a good look at it every few months and clean any dirt out of the handle or on the blades. A toothpick works well and won’t damage the metal. Then re-apply a light coat of
oil to keep water off the metal. Body oils and moisture can also rust or stain knife blades. If you collect knives, apply a light oil when you put them in storage and wipe them down with an oily soft cloth after you hold them. Knives should also be stored in a cool, dry place. Damp basements or garages will turn your beautiful collection into a pile of pitted, rusted steel.
http://akti.org/educate.html
