Preferred Oil for putting on Knives to maintain look and Rust Prevention

[Wavester]

I have a lot of knives (well ~ 200, which I am sure for some aint much) but none are extravagant - most are in $100-$200 range. What would you recommend
wiping them down with every so often to keep their luster and prevent rust? I have read of some using WD-40 and Tuff Cloth. I never used WD40, but I tried
Tuff Cloth once - and I remember 2 days after I rubbed it with the cloth wanting to use a knife to cut some fruit, and I could smell the tuff cloth residue on the
knife...and one would not want to digest that. Then I heard of some using food grade mineral oil to maintain their knives. What is the current preferred method
of forum members..?

 

[Rappy]

For food grade I use mineral oil, just go to your local drugstore.

 

[Dicko]

Ballistol sounds like what you're after!

 

[PiercedBill]

You might also look into Renaissance wax. I've been using it for years, and the stuff is pretty amazing!

 

[EChoil]

For storage rust prevention a dab of Nu Finish car polish. You can either leave it on or polish it off.

 

[Bob E]

Lard or tallow would work, tastes better than everything mentioned, and it isn't sold as a laxative. I got the idea from Roy Underhill on one of The Woodwrights Shop episodes maybe a couple years ago. It's supposed to be what the old timers in Europe used on their wood working tools.
It makes a good rust preventer and a good general purpose low temp lubricant. OF course the blades on my tools also see frequent trips to my Arkansas stones where I use mineral oil or a mix of mineral oil and mineral spirits as my honing oil.