Knife Care
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- Category: Data-Articles
- Published on Thursday, 01 December 2011 06:35
- Written by Administrator
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Preventative Maintenance
Regardless of the materials out of which your knife is made it is always important to use proper care and maintenance to ensure optimum performance levels. Always keep your knife blade sharp. A dull knife requires additional force to use and is potentially more dangerous to use than a sharp one. There are a variety of products available when it comes to sharpening your knife. As for which one is best, it pretty much comes down to choosing the one you’re most comfortable with using.
Keep the blades dry and wipe fingerprints and moisture off, after use, with a soft all cotton cloth or chamois. This is particularly important with blades of high carbon steel. Tarnishing is a normal property of carbon steel and cannot be avoided. Applying a couple of drops of any quality oil or silicon treatment to the blade with a soft all cotton cloth will provide excellent protection. A good wax is also excellent protection. Check your knives often for possible trouble spots. If any stains appear, try removing the stain with a standard metal cleaner or polish. Blades of most stainless steels used in knives are not rustproof but are rust or stain resistance and should still be kept clean and wiped dry after use.
When not in use, store knives and leather sheaths separately because leather does absorb moisture and can tarnish your blade. Tanning salts and acids present in the leather can rust or tarnish steel. Keep leather sheaths limber with leather preservative or mink oil.
Pocket knives require special care.
Keep the locking device on folding models clean and free of debris. An occasional drop of light oil at each joint will assure smooth blade action in opening and closing. Each blade should click open smoothly and snap shut. If you carry a pocket knife in your pocket with coins or keys, you will scratch the handle and bolsters.
Remember that knives are cutting tools and blades are very sharp. Therefore exercise caution when handling your knife. Never use your knife as chisel, pry bar, screwdriver or hammer. If your knife is a valuable one then a chisel, pry bar, screwdriver or hammer will cost less than a knife replacement anyway. Keep sharp knives well away from the reach of young children. Always cut with the edge moving away from you. Knives can have sharp razor edges so handle all knives with care and respect. Use your knife for the purpose it was designed.
Check your knives periodically and keep them in a dry location. A good rule to follow is to make sure the room that you store your knives in is comfortable for you to stay in and then it is more likely to be a good storage place for your knives. The room should be low in humidity and cool. Avoid areas with a high relative humidity or a great shift in temperatures. If you think your knife has significant value, consult a professional. Many valuable objects (knives included) are damaged each year by people using the wrong preservation or cleaning techniques. If you are going to clean your own knives, practice on your everyday users and develop a system for maintenance, sharpening and storage before moving on to your valuable collectables, personal keepsakes or a one of a kind art piece.