how do you clean your knives

BJ987

BJ987

Joined
Jul 21, 2020
Messages
287
I guess I'm sort of a germaphobe. I pretty much wipe down my knives (blade + handle) with a 75% ethyl alcohol wipe after every use. I don't, however, use my knives very often and so most blades get a wipe down maybe 2-3 times a week. I don't currently follow this up with any sort of oil rubdown or anything. I thought everything was fine until I got some rust spots on a D2 blade and learned (through research) that DLC blades can rust just as easily as non-coated. Now I'm scared. I know a lot of people use their EDC for cutting food occasionally. How do you guys clean your knives?
 
Slice-and-dice said:
Wipe several times to be sure they are completely dry and debris free. Regularly give a small shot of Ballistol as well, 3-4 times a week or more
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I just got a bottle of oil described as: "A perfect blend of refined mineral oil and organic camellia oil". I'm assuming that should do fine?
Guy McVer said:
...which has roughly 25% water, and whatever other negligible impurities may be in it.



Soap and hot water.
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I know, but I figured it evaporated quickly enough. I may have generously wiped a blade and then immediately stuck it in a pocket/pouch...
 
70-75% ethanol is used in labs and in the medical fields to help sterilize equipment, so it's fine to use for that. It would be better to use it on the blade before using it for food prep etc. rather that 2 or 3 days later after it has been in your pocket. Soap and hot water would be more effective if it needs a deep clean.

Cleaning it then using some sort of rust inhibitor like an oil or wax should take care of the rust spots.
 
I've been wiping down my blades for years using just a spritz of Windex on a paper towel or a clean rag. It evaporates, taking moisture away with it, and leaves nothing behind.

Lots of ways to clean a blade. Just keeping it clean & dry is 99% of the battle between uses, and the particular cleaning method isn't that important - just clean it. If you live or work in a humid climate, maybe add a little bit of mineral oil to non-stainless blades after you clean them. That will handle almost all cleaning & protection for most knives. Knives that get neglected after use, without cleaning, are the ones that'll rust more quickly. But if you're handling & using the knife regularly, you'll also have ample opportunity to notice when it's getting dirty and do something about it, before rust gets out of hand.

Alcohol, like rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol, has a chemical affinity for water. That means when it evaporates, it carries moisture away with it. It's actually a pretty good way to flush moisture out of the inner workings of a knife after it's been wet, flushing it with isopropyl alcohol (70%). I've done that with a few of mine after giving them a full hot water & dish soap bath, to flush all residual moisture out of the pivots & such.
 
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Isopropyl alcohol is available at 99% concentration, which might be better suited for knives, since there is less water. I use it routinely on mine, with a few drops of Dawn added, mostly to remove tape residue and other crap. Never saw a rust spot from that treatment.
 
I'll add too that 70-75% alcohol is used in the sterilization of lab/medical equipment because that concentration of alcohol is the best compromise for allowing enough contact time with any microbes to kill them but it evaporates a little slower. 99% alcohol is actually less effective because it evaporates too fast. It's fine for just removing residue etc. although I will say IME, isopropyl is much better that ethanol for this.
 
UncleBoots said:
Isopropyl alcohol is available at 99% concentration, which might be better suited for knives, since there is less water. I use it routinely on mine, with a few drops of Dawn added, mostly to remove tape residue and other crap. Never saw a rust spot from that treatment.
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You actually need a certain amount of water mixed with the alcohol in order for it to be effective. 70% isopropyl is ideal. The water helps the alcohol do its job as a disinfectant. A concentration of 99% is too high and doesn't allow the alcohol to penetrate germs. By diluting the alcohol, you are helping it get past the outside layer of germs.
 
chalby said:
70-75% ethanol is used in labs and in the medical fields to help sterilize equipment, so it's fine to use for that. It would be better to use it on the blade before using it for food prep etc. rather that 2 or 3 days later after it has been in your pocket. Soap and hot water would be more effective if it needs a deep clean.

Cleaning it then using some sort of rust inhibitor like an oil or wax should take care of the rust spots.
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This is actually a very good point. I mostly do the alcohol wipe thing when I'm out and about because I always have those wipes in my car or bag. I also suppose I'm hesitant to wash my blades with soap and water because I feel like I'd get it all in the action parts and screw it up (forgot to mention I'm speaking exclusively about folders).
Obsessed with Edges said:
I've been wiping down my blades for years using just a spritz of Windex on a paper towel or a clean rag. It evaporates, taking moisture away with it, and leaves nothing behind.

Lots of ways to clean a blade. Just keeping it clean & dry is 99% of the battle between uses, and the particular cleaning method isn't that important - just clean it. If you live or work in a humid climate, maybe add a little bit of mineral oil to non-stainless blades after you clean them. That will handle almost all cleaning & protection for most knives. Knives that get neglected after use, without cleaning, are the ones that'll rust more quickly. But if you're handling & using the knife regularly, you'll also have ample opportunity to notice when it's getting dirty and do something about it, before rust gets out of hand.

Alcohol, like rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol, has a chemical affinity for water. That means when it evaporates, it carries moisture away with it. It's actually a pretty good way to flush moisture out of the inner workings of a knife after it's been wet, flushing it with isopropyl alcohol (70%). I've done that with a few of mine after giving them a full hot water & dish soap bath, to flush all residual moisture out of the pivots & such.
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Would you just add oil to non-stainless blades and not worry about it for stainless and/or coated blades? I'm asking particularly because I kinda 'discolored' the DLC on one of my blades from all the alcohol wiping and I'm trying to 'restore' it with oil.
 
I think trying to keep things sterile is futile. My immune system would feel very bored. :) The air is full of all kinds of invisible spores, wild yeasts, pollen, microscopic life forms of every kind, just floating around. I want to get rid of grime only for aesthetic reasons. :-)
So I clean G10, FRN and similar textured handles with soap, water and a toothbrush, and the internals with cotton buds.
Then coat the blade lightly with a drop of oil if the steel needs it.
Sometimes, when the action is affected, I will disassemble.
 
BJ987 said:
This is actually a very good point. I mostly do the alcohol wipe thing when I'm out and about because I always have those wipes in my car or bag. I also suppose I'm hesitant to wash my blades with soap and water because I feel like I'd get it all in the action parts and screw it up (forgot to mention I'm speaking exclusively about folders).
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Alcohol wipes are convenient if you are cutting up some food when you're out somewhere (if you are worried about cleanliness).

I wouldn't worry too much about the soap and water getting into the pivot etc. Once you've given it a good clean, flush it well with hot water and it will evaporate pretty well from the heat. Ideally you would add a small amount of oil to the pivot after it has dried to ensure smooth action.
 
Soup and Water... Rinse, Blow with compressed air, put in toaster oven (aluminum foil) on 180Deg 'F' for ten mins to dry out all residual water. Oil pivot and done...!
 
You guys are something else 😂. It’s a tool, use it, wipe it off on your pants or with a napkin if grimy, then put it in your pocket til next use. If I had to sterilize or wash, dry, and lube my knives after every use I would probably just switch to disposables, quite inconvenient to go through that routine every time.
If it’s carbon steel I will try to wipe it a bit dryer and if oil is handy maybe a quick wipe down, but if it isn’t I don’t worry about it.
 
KenCaz said:
Soup and Water... Rinse, Blow with compressed air, put in toaster oven (aluminum foil) on 180Deg 'F' for ten mins to dry out all residual water. Oil pivot and done...!
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What kind of soup? And should I turn it midway thru drying in the toaster oven??
BJE said:
You guys are something else 😂. It’s a tool, use it, wipe it off on your pants or with a napkin if grimy, then put it in your pocket til next use. If I had to sterilize or wash, dry, and lube my knives after every use I would probably just switch to disposables, quite inconvenient to go through that routine every time.
If it’s carbon steel I will try to wipe it a bit dryer and if oil is handy maybe a quick wipe down, but if it isn’t I don’t worry about it.
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Not a bad idea. I might start carrying a box cutter along with my EDC just for this purpose (to cut things).
 
BJE said:
You guys are something else 😂. It’s a tool, use it, wipe it off on your pants or with a napkin if grimy, then put it in your pocket til next use. If I had to sterilize or wash, dry, and lube my knives after every use I would probably just switch to disposables, quite inconvenient to go through that routine every time.
If it’s carbon steel I will try to wipe it a bit dryer and if oil is handy maybe a quick wipe down, but if it isn’t I don’t worry about it.
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I wonder if you would feel the same way if every food production business had that attitude. What could go wrong 😂
 
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