what do you use to clean/protect your khukuri?

manghu67

American Kami Custom Blades / Knifemaker
Joined
Oct 24, 2000
Messages
443
i have been using clove oil for some time (the chinese and japanese have traditionaly used it for their blades)... it cleans and protects against rust, plus it smells good... you just have to be careful not to use too much as it can stain the steel... i dab about 4-6 drops on a rag and rub all blade areas with it... no problems with rust!

just curious what cleaners/protectants and methods the rest of you use to keep your khuks clean and rust free?
 
Well I tried to email you but my server doesn't like yours I guess. You might want to get in touch with Hoghead. He's in North Platte and will be coming to Omaha some time in the next 5 weeks. He has a VERY extensive collection and has done about all the maintenance on them that there is to do....sans the belt sander sharpening. He just does it all by hand :eek: I'll tell him to look you up.
 
After I've used mine on the local trees and shrubs, mine get a rubbing with 0000 steel wool, polishing with Flitz, and a coat of Johnson's paste wax.
 
MAMAV: sorry about that, the email i entered into here is for a domain of mine that i just let expire yesterday... i had to enter something to get the email off of my two jobs ago work email that was in my profile... the mods here wont let me use my hotmail account for some reason...

i guess i could just add my email to my autosig line... thatd probably be the smart thing to do, wouldnt it... :D

edited to add: oops! looks like i need a membership to have an autosig... guess im going to have to do that this week!

my email is: manghu67@hotmail.com
 
Sounds like you use the straight clove oil.
First person I've heard of actually doing that.
Usually even 'experts' who mention clove oil
are talking about a few drops in mineral oil for fragrance.
Took me a long time to figure out the obvious.

'traditional' Camillia oil is cheapst brought from
grocerys that cater to 'chefs'/'gourmets'.
Usually called Tea Oil
http://www.republicoftea.com/pages/teaoil1.asp

Sellers of Japanese tools/blades (garden/woodwork) often sell it
but at a much higher price.

I think almost any oil will work short-term.
When it gets refreshed often.

For storage / long term,
I suspect the waxes are better.
Rennassance Wax is used by museums.
Some people here use auto or carnuba waxes.
 
I use Ballistol Lube which was developed for The German Army many long years ago. It is good for steel, wood, horn and leather. You can read about it here. It's absolutely the best thing I have found ever so I finally don't have to several different products for individual care.:D
 
DDEAN: yup, i use the straight clove oil... it will even remove light rust, but you have to work at it... i have let my khuks sit for 6-8 months before (only happened once, normally i cant keep my hands off them :D ), and i have a wu-shu steel chinese broadsword that was put up for about 3 years... clove oil on all, and rust problems with none... my old kung-fu Sifu turned me on to the clove oil thing...

YVSA: ballistol, eh? it might be interesting to have one product that works well for everything instead of two for knives and one for firearms... and, it even comes in 55 gallon drums!!! :eek:
 
manghu67 said:
....ballistol,..... even comes in 55 gallon drums!!! :eek:
What an idea!
55-gal drum......
Just drop in the khuks/swords
scabbard & all

Archival storage

better than cosmoline

:D
 
I too have been thinking of trying Ballistol. I now use Break Free CLP. It has some of the best rust protection around. I think FP-10 and SLIP 2000 are better but Break Free is easy to find.
 
Switched to turtle wax over the past couple years. Been getting harder and harder to keep an eye on everything, and I havent even hit the hundred mark yet. :confused:
 
Thomas Linton said:
I use mineral oil from my bottomless bottle. :D

I just drag my stuff around in the garage and then buff on my cat. ;)
 
the blood of irish monks! Yarrrgh! (oops, sorry, sorry):D

Used just about every oil and wax, a few laquers or enamels... Settled on Metal Glo CrO2 polishing paste. Like auto wax with CrO2 in it, to put that final finish on, or to lightly remove corrosion or rust. Used it successfully on a 500 year old spearhead to stop rust, and bring out a bit of the grey in the old steel.

Keith
 
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