Knife care - how to, what do I need and what to buy?

I

ipwn3r456

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Sep 2, 2013
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Hey guys/gals,

Recently just got my ZT 0393 as my first higher end knife, I am starting to think about how to take care of my knives. Mainly three things that pops up in my head:

Knife sharpening - What should I look for? Is sharpening hard? I heard the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker is pretty nice, are there anything better around the same price range? I really don't want to spend more than $50-60 on one.

Lubricating - Many people doesn't seem to like WD40 to lube their knives. What should I use to properly lube knives? Any good recommendations?

Cleaning - What/how should I clean my knives? I have been using hand soap and 91% isopropyl alcohol to clean my Native 5 sometimes, is that a good idea?

Any other suggestions and tips would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
Sharp maker- great idea, can’t get more for less.

Lube- there’s a million different answers. I have used CLP with a needle applicator, 3in1 oil, and have tough glide on the way lol.

For cleaning: soap and water is fine if the folder is a stainless. I dry it off and blow out the pivot. Then just sit it on a paper towel and let it dry out.

Last but not least if I get any rust spots or discoloration I always use Mother’s mag polish (In the automotive section of any store) and one of the girlfriends triangle makeup sponges. Takes rust spots off like a charm.

Happy collecting man!
 
Boker Wiha Stubby Torx Set
Leather Strop
Nano Oil

Thats what I consider the basics. You will get 10 different lube options though. Simple mineral oil works well too.
And sharpening is similar, everything from stones to expensive guided systems work, a sharpmaker isn't a wrong choice though.
 
Sharpmaker - good choice - might be a slight learning curve - buy a cheap practice knife to practice with, watch the enclosed instructions, then check out the vids on YouTube AFTER you learn what to do on the disc.. Go slow and pay attention to what you are doing. Concentrate on correct repetition. It's not a race.
Lube - If necessary use WD 40 ONLY to dissipate moisture (and on CRK, forget about that, FOR NOW) NOT for a lube - get a quality lube with a needle type applicator - Daiwa reel oil is a good choice to start out with
Get a GOOD set of Torx drivers - spend the bucks and always get good tools - WIHA recommended, sizes 10, 8, 6 maybe a 7 - check out their site for a 8 piece set in a canvas holder, usually on sale.
Keep reading this forum - lot of good stuff from a lot of good people. If you read something that sounds kinda funky, it is and move on.
The knife world is a good one. Welcome
OG
 
You don't need a guided sharpener. Buy an India stone and learn to sharpen by hand. It isn't hard.
WD 40 is both a water displacer AND a light lubricant/rust protector. Knives are the simplest of machines and don't need high-tech oils.
The screws in newer knives are there for assembly, not disassembly. There is no need to take knives apart for maintenance.
 
I agree that sharpening by hand is a method that all should learn. But I feel, that most who sharpen by hand started with another method or at least had a way to get feedback from someone while they were learning the skill. I'm not talking about the edge letting you know what's going on while it's on the stone but I am talking about someone critiquing the process.
The OP evidently doesn't have such feedback available so he is asking here.
I think the Sharpmaker is a good place to start because you learn how to maintain proper edge angle and pressure, while getting the visual feedback of keeping the spine in position during the sharpening stroke. It is easier to learn the basics on the Sharpmaker than it is by fumbling blindly around using a stone, India or not, wondering why you can't get an edge, getting frustrated and giving up before receiving the reward that obtaining a sharp edge can bring.
I agree completely that free hand is without a doubt an excellent sharpening method. But that is all that it is - one method of many, not the only.
I think that after a person has learned what to look for (how to obtain an edge), then he should try other methods, including free hand, to find out what works best for him. It might turn out to be a KME, who knows. He is just starting on the sharpening path, and he needs a firm grasp of the basics to travel it.
And, as far as I'm concerned (along with many others), the Sharpmaker is a good way to learn those basics.
And by the way, WD40 sucks...as a lube.
 
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Avoid the expensive snake oil lubes like nano oil. Don't apply too much oil. Take apart the knife with good torx bits from wiha or equivalent (they will strip less due to better quality).

Clean the internals with q tips, paper towels etc. Use something to remove the old oil. Zippo lighter fluid or acetone work really good at this. Though stay away from plastic and g10 etc with these fluids. When cleaning plastics and g10 etc, just use rubbing alcohol. Higher percentage of rubbing alcohol are idea because they contain less water. Amazon sells 99% but it's not required. Alcohol will not fully dissolve all the old oil though, but most people doing knife maintaining could care less. In any case if you don't really care about removing all old oil alcohol will clean it fine. Soap and water work fine too. But all the water must be dry before assembly.

Then only apply 1 drop per side and spread it. A small drop will cover alot of surface area.

Wd40 leaves a funky layer of mineral oil... You could just use mineral oil and be better off. But Wd40 will work.

The action is dictated by the detent rolling on the blade. So you just need very light film layer of oil on the metal pivot bits like the bearing races to protect against corrosion. The bearings will take up lube from running on the races. Then a very light layer of oil along the detent path and on the detent ball. I prefer to dip a q tip in the oil and draw it along the detent path. Then dap it on the detent ball. Then just put it back together.

Too much lube will attract dust and you'll likely have to do the process more often due to that. Plus a lake of lube in your pivot gets all over the place when flipping it. That's not good. It needs to stay in the pivot. Friction also decreases with more lube. In all lube testing less is more. A knife is not a car.

To get centering right you will have to try tightening the screws up in a certain order. Some knives goto get her without any issues with centering though.

If you can't get a screw to come loose don't keep trying. You will strip a screw or your bit. Stop and think. Zt doesn't use locktite so it shouldn't be a problem but if you get another knife with the issue use heat or shock method to remove them.

For sharpening 20cv I find best results for me is to use my venev bonded diamond stones. Highly recommended. Makes it fast and crisp and they don't succumb to diamonds falling or breaking off from too much pressure. They come in all different sizes, bench stones, kme stones, edge pro and hapstone sizes and even stones for lansky. You'll also want a strop to remove the bur. I generally use diamond paste for the strop and powdered steel like 20cv.

People do some random stuff when they maintain there knives. You can be anal about it or not. It likely won't hurt your knife whatever you decide to do.
 
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KC Tools offers a really nice set of Torx tools made by Wera. They’ve assembled the set out of already existing Wera tools, and as far as I know, they’re the only ones to offer this combination of tools at a “set” price. You can find it on their site listed as the Wera Knife Maker and Maintenance set. It sells for around $66 and includes the following:

  • Wera 345276 Kraftform Micro Torx HF Precision Screwdriver Set - T5 x 40mm, T6 x 40mm, T7 x 60mm, T8 x 60mm, T9 x 60mm, T10 x 60mm, T15 x 60mm
  • Wera 134001 Rack for Kraftform Screwdrivers
  • Wera 051272 Rapidaptor 1/4" Bitholding Screwdriver Handle
  • Wera 066301 T6 x 25mm Torx Torsion Bit
  • Wera 066302 T7 x 25mm Torx Torsion Bit
  • Wera 066303 T8 x 25mm Torx Torsion Bit
  • Wera 066304 T9 x 25mm Torx Torsion Bit
  • Wera 066305 T10 x 25mm Torx Torsion Bit
  • Wera 066308 T15 x 25mm Torx Torsion Bit


I know that Wiha gets most of the love, attention, and recommendations in the knife community, but Wera tools are German designed and Czech made. In my opinion, they are every bit as high quality as Wiha, and for some tools, I find Wera to be a bit more ergonomic. I have the set described above and highly recommend it.


Also, Nick Shabazz has at least a couple of YouTube videos outlining the tools and lubricants he uses. I’d look for those if you haven’t already, because he has some good tips.

A couple of additional “tools” I’d suggest having on hand:

  • A cheap set of tool grade metal “dental” pick tools.
  • Dental pick/brush. I’m referring to small, disposable dental picks that resemble tiny bottle brushes. They’re great for cleaning and getting into tight crevices. Very handy. Get the kind with actual bristles rather than rubber “bumps” that resemble bristles. Find these in the toothbrush aisle. Grab a cheap toothbrush while you’re at it.
  • Plain old Q-tip swabs are handy. Even handier are swabs made of stiffer materials on the ends, and shaped to more of a point. You can find them in the makeup section of most grocery or department stores.
  • Cheap Plano fishing tackle box for tool/supply storage
  • You can buy various lubricants in pen/syringe style applicators. Alternatively, you can buy your chosen lubricants in larger sizes and get a refillable pen/syringe style applicators. I found some cheap but effective examples at Amazon
  • Some sort of magnetic bowl for keeping small screws from disappearing
  • Some sort of handheld or hands free lighted magnifier
 
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