Oiling your knife

I'm another "non-oiler".
I never oil my knives or multi-tools and I never have any problems with them either.
 
I used WD-40 (lightweight penetrant/lube/protectant), on my old leatherman after about 4 years of use, alot of dark oily muck came out as I worked the joints and kept cleaning, I then just massaged a dry absorbant cloth into the corners and joints to soak any excess, then i left it a day in the warmer areas to dry any latent alc/oil mix. "SMOOTH" is the word, the pliers literally swung open, everything just moved so smooth. I'll be doing it too my new leatherman after a year, let the granules mash and bed the steel a bit.

After the old leatherman was cleaned, the pliers opened easier, but they didnt fall open or anything, they still 'stuck' or locked, I can't say that for any other unit, so try it at own risk.
 
Here's a tip for drying your knife COMPLETELY and safely after a good wash.

Put it in a ziplock bag with a little bit of calcium chloride(damp-rid) and let it sit overnight. This also (usaully) works on electronics -- like a cell phone dropped in the toilet(oops).
 
I'm getting depressed about all this non-oiling! Looks like I've been wasting my time with oil then? I just get paranoid about rust getting a foothold,but on the other hand, I use a lot of my knives for preparing food and snacks & you have to watch out for toxic oils,that's why I often use olive oil but it attracts muck like a magnet!
 
Well will, the knives that end up in my pocket dont get oiled, because that attracts lint and sand and stuff, and i don't oil my swiss army knives because the dont rust and theyre smooth. I actually havent oiled any of my knives really, if theyre smooth in both opening and finish then i dont bother. Now steel treatments like gun bluing or damascus(so i hear) need a coating of oil to keep from rusting. But i was talking about oiling the pivot point, where the blade meets the lock and so on.
 
I use Inox on my SAKs, sparingly, in the joints. I don't wipe the blades and in fact I spray alcohol on, and then rub down with a clean cloth, the blades, can opener, and toothpick regularly. A lot of SOSAK members use Mineral Oil. Both Mineral Oil and Inox are supposedly food-safe.

-Tim
 
A lot of oils will form a varnish that accumulates between your blades of slip joints. Paraffin and wax based lubricants will melt under hot water. WD40 will dissolve its own residue. I take apart and a lot of SAK's to make modifications and find oil varnish on all most every one of them. I'm not familiar with the newer high speed lubs so I lean toward the paraffin and wax lubs. Food safe and water clean up.
 
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