Kraton Preservation

[Bill McWilliams]

All of my knives have been purchased to last my lifetime and to serve my heirs when I'm finished with them.
My confidence level of this occurring is very high due to the quality of my collection.
Except for those knives with Kraton inserts.
This stuff is either "wonder stuff" or "wonder blunder".
I guess I have contempt on the longivity of any rubber based product because I have witnessed deterioration even over my lifetime. Pachmayer grips for guns loose their pliability and harden within 10 years.
No big deal because you can always purchase and install replacements.
Not so with Kraton inserts.
Is there anything I can do (or avoid) to promote longivity ?
I generally try to avoid this stuff completely.
Thanks, Bill

 

[Blues]

Say, Bill, isn't that the stuff that Superman tries to avoid as well??? ;-0

Just havin' a little fun.

Blues

 

[Alan Folts]

I have never used this on a knife bu as far as rubber goes, which should react about the same, here goes..

Rubber usually deteriorates becasue of the drying of natural oils in the structure of the rubber, these things evaporate very slowly, thus the deterioration. Some rubbers life expectancy can be lengthened with solutions that replace the moistures and oils in the rubber, Ex. silicones, waxes ect.

Another deterioration is caused byt hings that break down the structure of the rubber itself, thinners that turn the rubber to mush, and things that just react badly to rubber materials, things like petrolium jelly, lacuer thinners, acetones.

I figure if a rubber peice gets handled, taking in some of the oils from your hands, and is only cleaned with mild petrolium free cleaners it should last as long as it possibly can. Perhaps you could get some scraps, and see what you can put on them, and see what it does.. if it destroys the scraps, stay away from it to clean your knives with..

Just a couple ideas.. Alan Folts..