Got sand in my slippie..... how to get rid of??

[surfer]

It's a traditional rigging knife, carbon steel, wood handle, carbon steel spring.
So I took it to the beach - I think that should be something normal for a rigging knife
I'm a little afraid to wash the knife in water because of the carbon steel and the wood handle, so I tried to wash out the sand with some drops of oil - but there's still a little of that cracking noise when I open the knife.

Can I wash out the slippie without damaging the wood handles or get rust in the pivot area?

are a few sand grains so bad?

thanks a lot

surfer

 

[sunnyd]

You will most likely never be able to wash out the sand with oil unless you have an unlimited supply under pressure. IE: Several cans of WD-40 or the like.

This process is as easy as 1, 2, 3

(1) Water is no problem. Just hold it in all the possible open positions under a gushing spigot with good pressure until sand is flushed out completely.

(2) Immediately dry your knife thoroughly with paper towels, cloth towels, rags, q-tips, ya-ta, ya-ta, ya-ta, etc, etc, blah, blah and anything else you have that will soak up water. Make certain knife is completely dry.

(3) Immediately lightly oil your knife making sure to coat all moving parts and blade steel.

Done:thumbup:

 

[Garonne]

You will most likely never be able to wash out the sand with oil unless you have an unlimited supply under pressure. IE: Several cans of WD-40 or the like.

This process is as easy as 1, 2, 3

(1) Water is no problem. Just hold it in all the possible open positions under a gushing spigot with good pressure until sand is flushed out completely.

(2) Immediately dry your knife thoroughly with paper towels, cloth towels, rags, q-tips, ya-ta, ya-ta, ya-ta, etc, etc, blah, blah and anything else you have that will soak up water. Make certain knife is completely dry.

(3) Immediately lightly oil your knife making sure to coat all moving parts and blade steel.

Done:thumbup:

I addition of your post, it happens to me several time, and between point 2 and 3, i blowed compressed air to be sure to remove the least sand grain.
:thumbup:

 

[GigOne]

Used compressed air or water under force, but deploy the blade(s) partially to offset the spring.

 

[waynorth]

Make sure your gushing spigot is as hot as possible. It will move oil better, and dry out much quicker! WD40 will take out the remaining water but needs to be followed by oil, as WD40 is not a good lasting lubricant. Another $0.02 worth!
P.S. a few grains of sand will grind up your knife so get them out!! The best knife on the beach, or in the desert is a fixed blade, I imagine.

 

[sunnyd]

.. The best knife on the beach, or in the desert is a fixed blade..

Most excellent advice!.

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Garonne brings up a great point as well with finishing this process off with compressed air! If you have access to it, then by all means utilize it..:thumbup:

 

[waynorth]

You can also get cans of compressed air at computer stores, and in short bursts, they are great for a job like this.
sunnyd, you are a fixed blade kind of guy! I much prefer slippies, but in sandy, gritty conditions I cannot deny the truth!

 

[flava]

You can also get cans of compressed air at computer stores, and in short bursts, they are great for a job like this.
sunnyd, you are a fixed blade kind of guy! I much prefer slippies, but in sandy, gritty conditions I cannot deny the truth!

Canned air RULES. I use this method to clean my EDC that I carry clipped in the jeans front pocket and it gathers lots of 'lint' (SP, the tiny bits of stuff detaching from the pocket fabric) and dust inside the handle. A few blows of compressed and the knife is nice and clean!

 

[longbeachguy]

Another vote for canned air.

Also, for grit in the joint, I'm a big believer in wax based lubricants, such as White Lightning. In addition to being a great lubricant, it will work grit and gunk right out of the joint.

In case you go this route, put a liberal amount of lubricant in the joint and work the blade back and forth repeatedly until the sand all comes out. it might take 50 or 60 open/closes but it will work.

Good luck!