Oil for kukri = bad for leather?

[Yvsa]

But in a similar vein I just use a big bottle of baby oil on everything too.

All baby oil is mineral oil with a scent that makes babies smell like babies instead of &%#@ or puke and of course it is perfectly fine if you like the way babies smell.

 

[Svashtar]

Your question seems to assume that the oiled and coated blade is being inserted into a leather sheath. I think your concern would be valid were this a trad. leather sheath, but remember the scabbard is wood, and just covered with leather.

I like Ballistol, which Yvsa also introduced me to, because it can be used on the whole knife, steel and handle, as well as the scabbard. But I also regularly use Rust-Free from AG Russell, which is great stuff, and it is only to be used on metal. As there is no direct contact to the leather I don't worry about it...

Norm

 

[C.S. Graves]

All baby oil is mineral oil with a scent that makes babies smell like babies instead of &%#@ or puke and of course it is perfectly fine if you like the way babies smell.

Hmm, for some reason I imagined a slew of babies in a large wooden press until their natural oils could be harvested for sale to the consumers, you and I. And THAT'S why baby oil smells like babies!

 

[creightonfcb]

Hey,

I am a bit surprised that no one has mentioned Renissance Wax, as used by the Smithsonian Museum.

It is used to preserve and protect any and all surfaces, metal, wood, even photographs!!

I use it on my combat boots, all my knives and tools, even gun optics to prevent fogging!

It seems a bit expensive at first, but I am still using the can I bought over a year ago, and it is not even 1/3rd gone! And it never goes bad.

Just my 2 cents, for what it is worth.

 

[Skyler R.]

Ren wax is fine for show peices, but for users it can become costly. Also Ren wax will be a pain if you try to use stones to shapen/polish your blade.

 

[creightonfcb]

Ren wax is fine for show peices, but for users it can become costly. Also Ren wax will be a pain if you try to use stones to shapen/polish your blade.

Really! I didn't know that! I have had no problems to date, and I use and sharpen my knives on a reagular basis.

If I am hurting my sharpening equipment, I'd like to know!

How would the ren wax be a problem??

Thanks in advance!

Also, the can that I bought cost around $30 and it is still not even a third gone.... IMHO I don't consider that expensive, but I can see how some would.

 

[Skyler R.]

Ren wax will plug up your stones and make them less affective. It doesn't really hurt the stones, but it will make the work go a lot slower.

 

[Yvsa]

Ren wax will plug up your stones and make them less affective. It doesn't really hurt the stones, but it will make the work go a lot slower.

Yup, over time and depending on how thick you put the Ren wax would/could definitely plug up your whetstones. Use plenty of mineral oil and it should help delay the time you would have to work on your stones.
Besides for khukuris a mouse pad and silicon carbide sandpaper makes the best sharpening system but a DMT Duofold will do in a pinch.:thumbup:

 

[creightonfcb]

Roger that! Appreciate the heads up. I thought it might be something like that, but I NEVER assume when I don't know the answer for 100%

You guys are awesome!

 

[Return of the J.D.]

FWIW, "Camellia oil" is another way of saying "tea oil" (tea plant = Camellia sinensis); Republic of Tea carries a fairly-sizeable narrow-mouth-with-screw-top can of the stuff that'll go a LONG way. Here in the desert, I also make a point of soaking the hide part of the scabbard with plenty of leather-treatment oils, as things tend to turn crumbly if exposed to the elements at all, or even left in the car, for any period of many months.

One question for those of you who add clove oil, etc., to your knife or scabbard oils: any thoughts about whether that kind of smell emanating from one's tent might arouse the curiosity of bears, etc.? As one who's learned to take seriously the importance of packing all of one's vaguely-food-scented stuff (incl. band-aids, toothpaste, sunscreen, chap-stick, deodorant) into one's bear bag and hoisting it into a tree overnight, I've become kind of aware of any potentially-bear-interesting smells I'm bestowing on my gear.

 

[Yvsa]

One question for those of you who add clove oil, etc., to your knife or scabbard oils: any thoughts about whether that kind of smell emanating from one's tent might arouse the curiosity of bears, etc.?
As one who's learned to take seriously the importance of packing all of one's vaguely-food-scented stuff (incl. band-aids, toothpaste, sunscreen, chap-stick, deodorant) into one's bear bag and hoisting it into a tree overnight, I've become kind of aware of any potentially-bear-interesting smells I'm bestowing on my gear.

RJD that is a very good and legitimate question:thumbup: and one I don't have an answer for. I don't know how many bears would equate clove oil with food but after your thoughts I would sure have too think twice about it before using it in any bear country!

 

[kronckew]

bears! - good thing we don't have them varmints over here, they et the last one a few centurys ago, the resident feral leopards and panthers wouldn't like the competition. my exhaustive two cat study on kittysnextdoor show that felines do not like clove oil, so i am probably safe, as long as i do not add any catmint oil (catnip to y'all) from the patch in the garden. (the kittysnextdoor figured out real fast that they were not faster than a track trained greyhound, especially when she caught one of them (luckily for Daz - the cat -, she did not kill it, she just mauled it a bit until i told her to drop it), so they do not come by to indulge in their addiction anymore). i naturally do not have any handy cougars to try it out on, as they are not native here, but y'all might want to douse yourself in clove oil and wander the woods shouting 'here kitty kitty'....let us know how it turns out.

p.s. - after you get out of the hospital, you can try mint oil to see if that relative of the catnip plant has a similar effect to catnip.