Maintain and protect rust-resistant knives – this is how it works!
A good outdoor knife should be robust, durable, easy to grip, sharp and precise. So far, so good. But what if even the most suitable knife is confronted with a danger that develops slowly and is therefore not immediately apparent? Rust is one of those insidious threats that can gradually bite into the blade of non-stainless models. In order to avert this unpleasant scenario and to maintain the blade's health over the long term, it is necessary to continually take care of the knife. What does this look like? Find out in this blog post below.
Rust-resistant is not rust-free
Even if many people assume that a knife they buy is rust-free from the start and that nothing can damage the shine of the blade so quickly, the reality is different for most knives. As soon as the first rust appears, the owner is usually very frightened. The word " rust-free ", which is used far too often in the industry, is often used for knives that do not fully live up to this title. The difference between the terms " rust-free " and " rust-resistant " is not clear to many buyers, so they always assume that the knife is rust-resistant.
In the case of our widely used D2 steel, for example, it is an extremely high-quality and robust type that also boasts outstanding sharpness and sharpness retention. Even though the popular steel is rust-resistant, which means that rust does not spread to the knife so quickly, regular care is still important for safety reasons.
Many harmful influences
Even stainless steel is not protected from harmful influences, which again shows why it is so important to take adequate care of rust-resistant knives. Liquids in any form are the main problem, as they can get onto the blade of the knife in a variety of situations and cause damage if not cared for.
While acids are a problem when cutting fruit, when chopping meat or wood, for example, it is the water inside that becomes a danger without subsequent care. Even a quick rinse in the stream next door can encourage the formation of rust if the blade/knife is not properly protected or dried afterwards. Other harmful influences can be salt water and/or bacterial contamination. The former is one of the reasons why knives should never be cleaned in a dishwasher.
1. Cleaning and protecting the knife blade
In order to keep the knife blade at a top-notch level, it is advisable to use a special care oil. There are a large number of these available on the market and they ensure that rust, acids, food residues and fingerprints have no chance of causing damage or spreading on the blade. Most of them also have a disinfecting effect and quickly remove even stubborn dirt. This also increases corrosion resistance enormously. However, coarse dirt should be removed with water beforehand. The blade must then be thoroughly dried with a cloth.
The layer of oil should then only wet the knife blade very lightly. A thin film like this ensures that optimal protection is guaranteed, but at the same time the knife sheath does not become too greasy when placing the knife.
Regardless of whether you treat your blade with a care oil, you should always clean it thoroughly after use. The amount of work involved is relatively manageable, but the effect on maintaining quality is enormous. It is usually enough to simply dry the blade with a cloth after use. Small particles are reliably removed this way. Wood splinters, crumbs, sand, leaf residue, etc. cannot harm the blade and the sheath is also protected, as the small particles would normally have given off moisture.
2. Care and cleaning of the knife handle
Of course, you should also think about caring for the knife handle. Although it is the blade that is exposed to the most stress during use, the handle will also be confronted with harmful influences sooner or later. Protective and caring precautions are therefore always appropriate. No matter what material the handle is made of, the use of a universally applicable oil is always recommended.
For example, our G10 material, which is often used on knife handles and is known for its unbeatable mix of lightness and durability, can also be easily treated with this type of agent. The rust-resistant steel areas of the handle, which should also be protected as described above for the blade, also benefit from the application to the handle scale. The formation of rust can be permanently prevented with this procedure.
3. Treatment of the knife mechanism
Even the areas that are not visible on some knives should be treated with a care oil to lubricate them and build up reliable protection on the inside. For example, with folding knives, a few drops of a care oil are enough to make the knife mechanism more fluid again. This means that comfort during use remains high even over many years. With special, very fine precision tools, the drops can be easily applied even in narrow places.
4. Care of the knife sheath
Knife care does not stop at the knife sheath. Although this is not the knife itself, the storage object is nevertheless often in contact with the tool, so poor care will sooner or later have negative consequences.
Our Kydex holsters can be treated and cared for with oils of the type described above. Any form of contamination must first be completely removed with water and a dry cloth. A very thin layer of knife maintenance oil can then be applied. This noticeably protects the material, which in turn increases the already outstanding service life even further.
It is important to also consider the care requirements of other materials used in knife sheaths. For example, only suitable leather balm or beeswax may be used for leather. Incorrect care could affect the quality over time. This could also have a negative effect on the knife stored in the sheath.
