How to care for a Bark River Bravo 1?

M

mountainman22

Joined
Dec 11, 2010
Messages
13
Hey guys,

Just ordered a Bravo 1 in Desert Ironwood from knivesshipfree.com. I was just wondering how I should care for this knife in order to keep it sharp, clean, and lasting.

How often should the blade be oiled? How often should the handle be oiled? What oils do you recommend? What about the leather sheath, sharpening, etc.

Thanks for your help. I appreciate it.
 
I live in Venice, Italy first so a lot of salt water and humidity outside
I have several carbon steel knives and keep them ALL dry and clean, no oil needed on most

as for my BRKs I keep them in the sheath dry and clean, may get some oil but I don't feel the necessity for it

regarding sharpening, a woodblock with some leather and sandpaper is all you need, microbevel it and you'll spend even less time sharpening, if ever needed

Maxx
 
I find the A2 does hold up very, I rarely oil any of my A2 blades.


Mineral Oil is my choice when I do use oil.



If you want to keep the factory shine on the that Ironwood, buff on a little wax from time to time,

...personally, I just keep my wood handles clean and dry,

...though left that way the Iroonwod will darken over time.



Mad_Maxx said:
...regarding sharpening,


...a woodblock with some leather and sandpaper is all you need,
Click to expand...


Very true, :thumbup::cool::thumbup:


But forget that microbevel advice. :eek:
 
I use A.G. Russell's "Rust Free" on all my non-stainless steel knives and a single drop will cover one side of the blade on a good sized knife. I haven't found anything yet that I like or that works better.

Enjoy that Bravo 1!
 
Sharp- The Bravo 1 is convex, like all Bark Rivers, so by stropping on leather, high grit sandpaper.

Clean- I think some petina is going to be expected (another trade of Bark Rivers), but just wipe it down lightly with mineral oil every now and then and you should be good. After batoning and you get some tree crud on it, hot water should be able to take it off.
 
I find if I wipe my knife down at the end of the day that is all it needs. O1, A2, and 1095 all will rust if you don't care for them. For long term storage try to keep them in a dry place and like the others said a little mineral oil will do the trick. Stropping with a leather pad and some green compound will keep them razor sharp if you don't let them get too dull.
 
That Knife should have come with a leather sheath. If so do not store it in that sheath. Leather has a way of holding moisture and I have found that keeping A2 in leather for long periods of time is the fastest way to guarantee rust spots.


But definitely use the crap out of that sucker.
 
Level of care depends on where you live and how much you use the knife, so it will always vary. Just wipe the blade with a clean cloth after each use (or sometimes on the leg of your jeans if you don't carry a cloth around!) Rather than oil or grease, I prefer to use wax on my knives because they stay in place and don't rub off in your clothes, food, sheath. Wax has been used to protect blades, firearms and armor for thousands of years.

If you can use beeswax, car wax or Johnsons Paste Wax.
 
See above. Seriously, have you ever seen a kitchen knife fall apart from rust, or a table collapse due to use before?

Take it easy and stop stressing about a knife. It is a tool, not a crystal sculpture. If you are a "mountainman" you should be aware that the real ones got by with nothing more than a butcher knife.
 
Ironwood is some tough stuff. I don't think it would absorb much oil, maybe a bit. Don't over do it on the oil. If you just use the knife, your own skin oil will work into the wood.
Otherwise, lemon oil, in small amounts can nourish the wood. In some climates, my guitars have never needed extra moisture.
Too dry, the rivets/pins will start to stick out, too wet they might be sinking in.
Live life, use the knife!
 
Normally it is good advice not to store carbon steel in a leather sheath hidden away in a drawer, but if you use it regularly, leather is not a problem.

I have a carbon steel leuku and puukko set that I use in the kitchen. Periodically, I wipe them down heavily with mineral oil and put them in the sheath. I think the inside of the sheath is an oil-soaked sponge by now. :)
 
I understand it's a knife, which is obviously meant to be used.

However, I also appreciate the fact that it is a 230 dollar knife, which means its not something you just throw around. I also appreciate the aesthetic qualites of the knife, and that's why I want to make sure it stays in good condition.
 
mountainman22 said:
I understand it's a knife, which is obviously meant to be used.

However, I also appreciate the fact that it is a 230 dollar knife, which means its not something you just throw around. I also appreciate the aesthetic qualites of the knife, and that's why I want to make sure it stays in good condition.
Click to expand...

Do you own a car? How much did that cost? Do you ever drive it outdoors? Do you put wax on your car? :rolleyes:
 
Do I own a car? Yes.

Is it a lambo, mazaradi, or otherwise expensive car? No.

It is a 2004 Honda Civic, and its not even comparable to the quality of craftmanship that goes into a Bark River Knife.

However, I do appreciate your point. I am being a little over-concerned with this, but like i said, it's 230 dollars, and I want to protect my investment.
 
Big Mike said:
I find the A2 does hold up very, I rarely oil any
But forget that microbevel advice. :eek:
Click to expand...

hehe hey Big Mike! nice to see you here too :thumbup:

I call it a microbevel, should call it a convex edge maybe
knife is fullconvex with a convex edge, I rise the knife 2-3mm when sharpening as suggested by Mike and the crew on the "bark convex guide" and on the BRK forums
worsk great, saves times, cuts crazy and the edge is a bit stronger

Maxx
 
Do you treat your knives like cars? New vs. old?
I do. My expensive knives aren't used as hard as others. I'll do things with my Ontario Afghan that I wouldn't do to my Barkies. Mostly to preserve that great edge, but also the price is on my mind. So, I see where you are coming from. Keep it dry, rust free, and it'll be fine.
I forced a patina on my Bravo 1, and my Golok. I wasn't going to keep polishing them, so I thought it was for the best.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top