Preventing Fingerprints?

Noctis3880

Noctis3880

Joined
Jul 22, 2009
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I love my mirror finishes, but all of them are fingerprint magnets. I only have two types of coatings available right now: Rennaiscence Wax and Tuf Cloth

I'm considering coating my Zippo lighter and a couple of my knives which might also be used on food. The Wax I'm a little worried might be too flammable for my lighter, and I'm sure it's not food safe either. The Tuf Cloth I'm not sure if it actually does anything about the fingerprints, but I'm reasonably certain it isn't something you would want touching your food, based on the smell anyways.

Some kind of food grade oil is a consideration, but I feel I'm trading a fingerprint magnet for a dust magnet.
 
The cleaner the surface is, the less chance finger oils and dirt will stick to it.
What I like to do is simply wipe the blade clean with acetone.
You can use alcohol or lighter fluid too.

It won't eliminate the problem, but you will see a noticable reduction.
 
The thin white cotton gloves jewelers use might be a possible consideration...
 
The only way I know of, to 'prevent' fingerprints (or at least minimize them), is to make sure my hands are VERY clean & dry when I handle anything with a high polish on it (knives or otherwise). Even then, it's likely there'll still be some residue left after they've been handled. I don't know of any wax or coating that actually prevents finger oils from sticking to a polished surface.

Barring keeping the hands clean & dry (or gloved), I'd either learn to live with it (albeit still wiping down the blades after handling), or put the shiny knives in a display case and leave 'em alone.
 
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