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storing khukuris
- Thread starter nahcuhp
- Start date
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- Mar 5, 1999
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Thanks for help. Storing in scabbards should help.
- Joined
- May 18, 1999
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- 15,395
Yes.
The scabbard is the best place to keep a khukuri not only to prevent rust, but to also protect the khukuri and those in close proximity to the khukuri.
It's advisable to keep some kind of preserveing oil on the blades especially if one lives in a humid climate.
I prefer Ballistol-Lube because it's good for steel, wood and leather, but others prefer several other oils.
Mineral oil is good, cheap and non-toxic.
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- Mar 5, 1999
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Thanks for usual good and expert help, Bro.
- Joined
- May 18, 1999
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- 15,395
Originally posted by nahcuhp
i use Power Steering Fluid for protect against wear and help stop squeals. does that work? so far its working fine and it does what the lable says..help stop squeals! in this case for my khuk
Nahcuhp anything that will help prevent rust and that clings to the blade is alright.
However most of the guys are concerned about ever using the khukuris for food preparation which includes dressing an
animal.
If that's never gonna be a concern for you then I guess the PSF is alright although I personally wouldn't use it.
It's no doubt toxic, it stinks and I don't like the
color.:barf:
Mineral oil available at your local grocery or drug store is cheap, odorless, non-toxic and clear. It also has a pretty fair tendency to cling to the blade.
I still believe personally that hundreds of years ago in most lands that plain old fat from the evening meal was used.
The big problem with that is that it can and does go rancid the same as most vegetable ois will over a long enough
time.
I 1st started out by using olive oil and advised a lot of people to use it, but I quit after my khukuri's started sticking to the wood inside the scabbards.
It took me a while to get the stuff off and where the knives would slide out like they're supposed to.
Rusty's Choji Oil is mineral oil based I think. The worst that can come from using it is if you ingest enough of it you will have the backdoor trots.
And Rusty is still waiting for the day that he can ingest enough of it to do the job. I for one know he had better hurry, because he's not getting any younger.
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Olive oil and vegetable oil go rancid. I'm gonna try some mineral oil mixed with some clove oil like Yvsa and Rusty suggest. I've never used anything before.
Dunno about that kama sutra oil though.
Dunno about that kama sutra oil though.
- Joined
- Mar 8, 1999
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- 8,911
Japanese choji oil ( mixed mineral oil with clove oil for scent ) should work fine on blades and insides of scabbards.
Yvsa's suggestion of food grade silicone oil sounds better as far as treating the inside wood of the scabbards.
Choji sutra oil is unbeatable for imparting a wonderful smell to leather. Yes, especially black leather.
Yvsa's suggestion of food grade silicone oil sounds better as far as treating the inside wood of the scabbards.
Choji sutra oil is unbeatable for imparting a wonderful smell to leather. Yes, especially black leather.
- Joined
- Feb 23, 1999
- Messages
- 4,855
Here's my summary from the FAQ page at http://www.tx3.net/~howardw/Khukuris/ConstructionMaint.htm :
Care of knives HW
People use a number of products to keep their khukuris in good shape.
Marine Tuf-Cloth by Sentry solutions - This is easy to apply and effective.
There have been some reports of light rust spotting even after the application of Marine Tuf-Cloth, but
most people do not appear to encounter this problem. Cliff Stamp uses Marine Tuf-Cloth on the blade, then coats with a layer of vegetable oil.
Renaissance Wax is a petroleum-based wax that has a finer crystalline structure than natural waxes. It is clear and PH neutral. It was developed for use in museum collections where it is applied to all sorts of surfaces including photographs, wood, leather, metal and paintings. This wax is fairly expensive. I paid $25 for a small container. The wax will inhibit corrosion on the blade and the blade edge, help preserve the leather, and inhibit corrosion on the brass or silver fittings.
Paste Wax, beeswax, carnuba wax - Natural waxes have many of the advantages of Renaissance Wax, but they may contain acids that will cause deterioration over time. They also may not be clear.
Silicon Oil - My favored solution. The silicon oil will not oxidize (turn rancid) as many organic oils will.
Mineral Oil - Available in any pharmacy, also does not turn rancid.
Vegetable oil Many forumites use olive, canola, peanut, or other vegetable oils. These are readily available and inexpensive. Some users report oxidation and the formation of gummy deposits with certain organic oils.
Nothing You can just not worry about rust. Regular use will keep the worst of the rust off. The blade wont rust through in your lifetime unless youre using it for a saltwater dive knife. Probably not even then.
I find that my khukuris fall into two categories. They are either users or display/weapons. With users, appearance is secondary. The primary concern in care is ease of care and preserving the life of the tool.
For knives in the display/weapon category I want to preserve the smooth bright finish and the sharp edge during long periods of nonuse. I don't mind investing some time in care initially, but I don't want to have to keep returning to the knife to care for it.
In order to preserve the bright finish and sharp edge of display/weapon knives with minimal effort I have arrived at the following process.
1. Sharpen blade to desired state.
2. Wipe blade down with Marine Tuff-Cloth.
3. Let blade dry.
4. Buff off cloudy residue with a cloth.
5. Coat blade, handle, karda, chakma, and sheath with a thin layer of Renaissance Wax.
6. Buff waxed surfaces with cloth.
7. Put blade away until needed.
This treatment will preserve the finish and the sharp edge on a blade that is not in use for some time.
Using blades see frequent use around the house and in the field. They are handy tools but I don't devote a lot of attention to them. They get an initial wipe down with Marine Tuff-Cloth when I first get them. After use I wipe the crud off the blade with a scotch-brite pad, then wipe the blade dry and put it away. This treatment only requires a 20 second stop by the sink on my way into the house. The finish on these using blades quickly becomes a dull gray.
I occasionally treat the wood handles of the users to a rubdown with linseed oil. The horn handles receive rubdowns with lanolin or Hooflex occasionally. If I am going to put one of the users away for some time I may give the blade a protective coat of mineral oil or wax.
Hooflex is a hoof treatment available in feed stores. It is made of pine tar and lanolin. It smells good and shines the horn handles right up.
Care of knives HW
People use a number of products to keep their khukuris in good shape.
Marine Tuf-Cloth by Sentry solutions - This is easy to apply and effective.
There have been some reports of light rust spotting even after the application of Marine Tuf-Cloth, but
most people do not appear to encounter this problem. Cliff Stamp uses Marine Tuf-Cloth on the blade, then coats with a layer of vegetable oil.
Renaissance Wax is a petroleum-based wax that has a finer crystalline structure than natural waxes. It is clear and PH neutral. It was developed for use in museum collections where it is applied to all sorts of surfaces including photographs, wood, leather, metal and paintings. This wax is fairly expensive. I paid $25 for a small container. The wax will inhibit corrosion on the blade and the blade edge, help preserve the leather, and inhibit corrosion on the brass or silver fittings.
Paste Wax, beeswax, carnuba wax - Natural waxes have many of the advantages of Renaissance Wax, but they may contain acids that will cause deterioration over time. They also may not be clear.
Silicon Oil - My favored solution. The silicon oil will not oxidize (turn rancid) as many organic oils will.
Mineral Oil - Available in any pharmacy, also does not turn rancid.
Vegetable oil Many forumites use olive, canola, peanut, or other vegetable oils. These are readily available and inexpensive. Some users report oxidation and the formation of gummy deposits with certain organic oils.
Nothing You can just not worry about rust. Regular use will keep the worst of the rust off. The blade wont rust through in your lifetime unless youre using it for a saltwater dive knife. Probably not even then.
I find that my khukuris fall into two categories. They are either users or display/weapons. With users, appearance is secondary. The primary concern in care is ease of care and preserving the life of the tool.
For knives in the display/weapon category I want to preserve the smooth bright finish and the sharp edge during long periods of nonuse. I don't mind investing some time in care initially, but I don't want to have to keep returning to the knife to care for it.
In order to preserve the bright finish and sharp edge of display/weapon knives with minimal effort I have arrived at the following process.
1. Sharpen blade to desired state.
2. Wipe blade down with Marine Tuff-Cloth.
3. Let blade dry.
4. Buff off cloudy residue with a cloth.
5. Coat blade, handle, karda, chakma, and sheath with a thin layer of Renaissance Wax.
6. Buff waxed surfaces with cloth.
7. Put blade away until needed.
This treatment will preserve the finish and the sharp edge on a blade that is not in use for some time.
Using blades see frequent use around the house and in the field. They are handy tools but I don't devote a lot of attention to them. They get an initial wipe down with Marine Tuff-Cloth when I first get them. After use I wipe the crud off the blade with a scotch-brite pad, then wipe the blade dry and put it away. This treatment only requires a 20 second stop by the sink on my way into the house. The finish on these using blades quickly becomes a dull gray.
I occasionally treat the wood handles of the users to a rubdown with linseed oil. The horn handles receive rubdowns with lanolin or Hooflex occasionally. If I am going to put one of the users away for some time I may give the blade a protective coat of mineral oil or wax.
Hooflex is a hoof treatment available in feed stores. It is made of pine tar and lanolin. It smells good and shines the horn handles right up.
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2001
- Messages
- 2,618
Are we the only two awake at this hour?
Only two things to add to Howard's list - Another ointment, less redily available than Hooflex, is Corona Hoof Ointment. Nearly the same, and a competitor, but has a mint smell if you don't like pine tar
The other is Feibing's Hoof Dressing. This is basically a mineral oil product, with additives, for soothing cracked hooves and dressing them for show animals. I've been applying a "controlled" amount regularly to a dried and cracked horn handle that was repaired by the kami, and developed an additional crack enroute from Nepal. The first three coats were absorbed into the horn, leaving almost no residue on the surface. All were applied thickly, and left to dry overnight. The fourth was still wet the next morning, and a single drop had fallen onto the drying rack and was still damp, indicating that the first three coats had not evaporated but had been absorbed. I began measuring the handle with calipers, but there has been no measureable change in thickness or length (paranoia over the horror stories of horn shrinking-swelling or changing shape). The one noticeable change was that the cracks filled at BirGorkha with laha seem to be smaller. The one I filled with crazy glue appears the same. I think a combination of one of the high lanolin content salves, along with the Feibing's dressing, may be a solution to long-term horn care.
Only two things to add to Howard's list - Another ointment, less redily available than Hooflex, is Corona Hoof Ointment. Nearly the same, and a competitor, but has a mint smell if you don't like pine tar
The other is Feibing's Hoof Dressing. This is basically a mineral oil product, with additives, for soothing cracked hooves and dressing them for show animals. I've been applying a "controlled" amount regularly to a dried and cracked horn handle that was repaired by the kami, and developed an additional crack enroute from Nepal. The first three coats were absorbed into the horn, leaving almost no residue on the surface. All were applied thickly, and left to dry overnight. The fourth was still wet the next morning, and a single drop had fallen onto the drying rack and was still damp, indicating that the first three coats had not evaporated but had been absorbed. I began measuring the handle with calipers, but there has been no measureable change in thickness or length (paranoia over the horror stories of horn shrinking-swelling or changing shape). The one noticeable change was that the cracks filled at BirGorkha with laha seem to be smaller. The one I filled with crazy glue appears the same. I think a combination of one of the high lanolin content salves, along with the Feibing's dressing, may be a solution to long-term horn care.
- Joined
- Mar 5, 1999
- Messages
- 34,096
Many thanks for good help, all.
Howard has done so much good work I can't thank him enough. And, it saves me a ton of work. When folks email me with questions 99 out of 100 I direct to Howard's FAQ site -- easy!
Howard has done so much good work I can't thank him enough. And, it saves me a ton of work. When folks email me with questions 99 out of 100 I direct to Howard's FAQ site -- easy!
- Joined
- Mar 5, 1999
- Messages
- 34,096
Rusty has the best formula for smell goodie.
I coat my khukuri blades with automotive rust preventative like Rust Check or Krown. I have had no problems with rust from storing my blades in the scabbard. For a short chopping session the Krown or Rust Check actually helps to prevent stuff from sticking to the blade. I suppose any oil has the same effect. I usually carry a sponge soaked with the stuff when I am out in the feild so that I can apply it after use.
Will
Will
- Joined
- Mar 5, 1999
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- 34,096
Thanks, Will.