what's your preferred blade maintenance choice

I like to experiment. If I am going to be storing the knife for an extended period of time I use gun oil, but for normal everyday use I usually go with vegetable oil on the blade and Paps bowstring wax on the micarta.
 
I force a patina on all my carbon knives,silicone for any holes or crevices,oil (wd40,canola,motor,olive etc),diamond+strop,I also reinforce anything I find to be weak or a possible failing point with epoxy,silicone,tape,wire or a combination of those.I think an oz of prevention is worth a ton of cure,so I go the extre mile to do so with all my tools.
 
I've never had olive oil go rancid, but I've never let anything sit for more than a month or two. If I were thinking long term storage, I'd coat the whole thing is beeswax for sure.
 
Great stuff, thanks for the contributions guys. It seems we run the spectrum from "take a beating and like it" to plenty of TLC! To any of the guys that go for veggie oil/olive oil: have you ever had the stuff go rancid or get nasty? i've heard of it before but i've never used it or experienced it.

Hunter Sharp said:
I like to experiment. If I am going to be storing the knife for an extended period of time I use gun oil, but for normal everyday use I usually go with vegetable oil on the blade and Paps bowstring wax on the micarta.
Click to expand...


I personally don't do any treating or maintenance on my micarta but have you found good results? I kind of enjoy the worn and worked finish my micarta develops over time.
 
Hunter Sharp said:
I like to experiment. If I am going to be storing the knife for an extended period of time I use gun oil, but for normal everyday use I usually go with vegetable oil on the blade and Paps bowstring wax on the micarta.
Click to expand...

I like the idea of vegetable oil, but some say it goes nasty over time?
 
GarnetandBlack said:
i use that on my rifles, never put it on a knife before. ive heard great things, hows it performed for ya?



never heard of choji oil until this thread. what exactly is it, and how has it performed for ya? excuse my ignorance, please.
Click to expand...


Choji oil is used to protect steel from rusting. Originally used by the Japanese. I believe it is composed of camellia oil and the oil of cloves. This is expensive and some people mix the oil of cloves with mineral oil as a substitute. I use Choji oil on my katanas and other Japanese blades, for the sake of tradition, and mineral oil or Remoil on everything else. I have also been known to use a coating of Vaseline for long-term storage of a blade. Personally, for me, they all work the same.
 
I guess there is a bit of a tangy smell with olive oil/canola after a while,doesnt do much and still no rust,but if you put you face up close to the knife its got a scent to it,but you wouldnt be able to smell it otherwise.
 
Breakfree CLP for me but mostly only on the knives in storage. I don't really keep oil on my edc knives I just wipe them clean and when adhesive gets built up on the blade from cutting open packages like to use Nevr-Dull Wadding Polish to clean the blade up then wipe it clean.
 
Like a lot of other people here, I just usually wipe it clean and then put it away. If I am concerned, a little vegetable oil, rust free, or ballistol will be applied. That's rare, though, and typically only for long term storage. I have never had an issue with carbon steel knives, as long as the blade is clean and dry. I dont do anything to stainless.
 
I use 3 in 1 oil on all of my blades/pivots of folders that will not ever be used on food, blades that get used on food get some olive/veggie oil coats here and there when necessary but I live in a pretty arid environment so I don't have much to worry about.
 
Lately, I've been using a light coating of Soppressata oil. I'd say its been working just as well as anything else I've tried, though I wouldn't rely on it in a salt water environment.

Erik
 
Great responses. It's been fun and interesting to read all this, thanks guys.

Btw, Added benefit of mineral oil for me, I usually just apply it with a cotton ball then I just pop the cotton ball into a medicine bottle for tinder next time I'm outdoors. Lights up like a champ off a fire steel with a little mineral oil in it. You should try it if you haven't.
 
Like a lot of guys on the thread, I don't baby my knives. I'll use em and put em right back in the sheath. If they get wet or get something sticky on 'em, I'll do the leg wipe before tucking them away. When I use them to cut my food, I'll clean them off with just water. Usually, because I'm a big meat eater, that will leave a greasy film on them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top