Stinky Vosteed?

BJ987

BJ987

Joined
Jul 21, 2020
Messages
287
Just got a Vosteed Thunderbird WMK Exclusive (my first Vosteed) when they came back in stock a few days ago. I smelled something when I opened the box, that just got stronger when I opened the tin, and then the pouch (craziest packaging I've seen for a knife yet btw). There is a very strong chemical smell coming from the pouch as well as the knife itself. It's something I've never smelled before. I can't even discern whether it's originating from the knife itself or the pouch as they both stink horribly. Anyone else experience this with this knife or other Vosteeds?
 
I have a couple of Vosteed knives and none of them smell. However, I've definitely had smelly knives before.

With some knives, especially knives made by CH a few years ago, it was definitely their choice of oil. Like TwoSun, they drenched their knives in oil not just for lubrication but for preservation, probably to anticipate shipping by sea, unknown warehouse times, etc. (TwoSun still drenches their knives but the oil doesn't have a strong smell.) It's been a while since I've purchased anything from CH but it could still be a thing with some companies. (Vosteed uses at least a couple of different OEMs including Kizer and maybe QSP.)

Another thing can be the packaging. Some types of foam used to line presentation boxes can have a funky chemical smell. So too can certain kinds of Chinese packing materials, including a particular type of tape that I only encounter in packages from China. This smell can linger, especially on or in certain materials.

Every once in a while, I get another kind of strange plastic chemical smell from knife scales. My most recent example was the Kizer Agressor, which has unusually thick burlap Micarta scales. I took the knife apart. I washed the scales with warm water and dish soap, following by concentrated isopropyl alcohol on a quick succession of cleaning cloths. (Aside from dissolving unwanted chemicals, isopropanol also helps to wick away the water and quickly dry the scales.) This solved the problem.

BTW, if the scales get too dry or a little white from the alcohol, they can be restored with a little mineral oil.
 
Chronovore said:
I have a couple of Vosteed knives and none of them smell. However, I've definitely had smelly knives before.

With some knives, especially knives made by CH a few years ago, it was definitely their choice of oil. Like TwoSun, they drenched their knives in oil not just for lubrication but for preservation, probably to anticipate shipping by sea, unknown warehouse times, etc. (TwoSun still drenches their knives but the oil doesn't have a strong smell.) It's been a while since I've purchased anything from CH but it could still be a thing with some companies. (Vosteed uses at least a couple of different OEMs including Kizer and maybe QSP.)

Another thing can be the packaging. Some types of foam used to line presentation boxes can have a funky chemical smell. So too can certain kinds of Chinese packing materials, including a particular type of tape that I only encounter in packages from China. This smell can linger, especially on or in certain materials.

Every once in a while, I get another kind of strange plastic chemical smell from knife scales. My most recent example was the Kizer Agressor, which has unusually thick burlap Micarta scales. I took the knife apart. I washed the scales with warm water and dish soap, following by concentrated isopropyl alcohol on a quick succession of cleaning cloths. (Aside from dissolving unwanted chemicals, isopropanol also helps to wick away the water and quickly dry the scales.) This solved the problem.

BTW, if the scales get too dry or a little white from the alcohol, they can be restored with a little mineral oil.
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I don't know what this is but it's strong and it's bad. I'm not sure I can describe how bad it is. I cleaned the knife off as much as I could without disassembling with ethanol alcohol wipes (aluminum scales so no problem) and set it and the pouch by the window. Hours later the knife still smells and the pouch is so bad. I've never experienced an oil that smells this strong or pungent. Also I don't remember seeing oil on the knife even near the pivot where you usually see it on new knives. I'm thinking about sending it back.
 
BJ987 said:
I don't know what this is but it's strong and it's bad. I'm not sure I can describe how bad it is. I cleaned the knife off as much as I could without disassembling with ethanol alcohol wipes (aluminum scales so no problem) and set it and the pouch by the window. Hours later the knife still smells and the pouch is so bad. I've never experienced an oil that smells this strong or pungent. Also I don't remember seeing oil on the knife even near the pivot where you usually see it on new knives. I'm thinking about sending it back.
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Neither aluminum nor steel are good at holding onto aromas. Brass can and the bearing cage is probably brass. Still, it sounds like it is probably either the oil or a volatile contamination of the oil. It can be surprising just how much oil can be inside a knife.

Just to give you an idea, I have a TwoSun with some kind of clear acrylic inlays. As expected with TwoSun, it came totally drenched. Aside from the obvious reasos not to like that, it also looked terrible due to the oil getting trapped between the skeletal frame struts and the clear acrylic. It was clear oil but still, it was visibly pooled between the surfaces. So, I figured I would do my normal "new knife orientation", take it apart, totally clean it with 99% isopropanol, and apply an appropriately light coat of my favorite non-toxic oil such that it wouldn't pool. At first, the problem seemed to be solved.

A few days later, it looked bad again. See, I hadn't thought to clean out of the insides of the screw holes. Well, a surprising amount of oil was lingering in there. It slowly migrated out along the surfaces and recreated the ugly effect. (If I remember, I'll grab a pic in the sunlight tomorrow.) I could see it because of the clear inlay and that made me wonder how much factory goo has escaped my swabs in all of the opaque knives I've cleaned over the years. I plan to test dyeing clear acrylic soon anyway so I'll just have to give the scales and spacers a legit soak in isopropanol when I do.

So in your case, it's probably the oil and you could probably take care of it with full disassembly and judicious cleaning and/or soaking with 91% or greater isopropyl alcohol. That should fix the knife and I feel like it's always better to get a clean start with quality non-toxic lube in the first place. However, the box, pouch, etc. are probably a lost cause. The question just comes down to how much you love the knife. If I loved it, I'd clean it up and ditch the peripherals. If I didn't, I'd return it on the spot. Thankfully, Justin has a good return policy.
 
BJ987 said:
I don't know what this is but it's strong and it's bad. I'm not sure I can describe how bad it is. I cleaned the knife off as much as I could without disassembling with ethanol alcohol wipes (aluminum scales so no problem) and set it and the pouch by the window. Hours later the knife still smells and the pouch is so bad. I've never experienced an oil that smells this strong or pungent. Also I don't remember seeing oil on the knife even near the pivot where you usually see it on new knives. I'm thinking about sending it back.
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What is this pouch you are referring to?
 
The only stinky knife I received was a fake buck from Amazon. Like rancid oil. Just saying.
 
DocJD said:
Unless you need to return knife and pouch . I'd just trash the pouch .

I was taught to pay attention to offensive odors . Usually not healthy to be around .
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I agree. The smell was too off-putting. I just contacted them and they already sent me a return label.
 
"Softeners" (don't ask me to quote the exact chemical(s)) in plastics can stink to high heaven. Got a hand truck from a certain East Asian country with just the handle parts (~8") covered in softish plastic (sort of like the dip-coating you can get for hand tools). Stank up my car for weeks just from driving it home, then my garage "like forever, dude" after that. 🤮

They. Do. Not. Care.
 
Just some Chinese radioactive steel they sterilize with dash of asbesthos and bat poo. Nothing to be worried about - it will fade over time!
 
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