Knife Care

Knife Care Instructions

  1. Do NOT place your knife in the dishwasher. To clean your knife, always hand wash, towel dry and store safely outside the sheath when it’s not in use.
  2. Do NOT store your knife in your sheath. For optimal preservation and longevity, store your knife outside of the leather sheath. The chemicals in the tanning process can attract moisture and cause rust.
  3. Preventing Rust: Do NOT oil your blade. To prevent rust use Renaissance wax on the blade. Oil attracts dirt, grit, etc. that can scratch a blade. I recommend Renaissance Wax to protect your knife. See below for more info on Renaissance Wax. Remember to coat your knife 2-3 times a year and keep it in a dry place. The wax will prevent rust. If you have nothing else and need to protect your knife for a short term duration, then oil will prevent rust. Remember to clean the oil off and use Renaissance wax ASAP.
  4. Because your knife is a piece of functional art, your handle may start to dry out after multiple uses. If this happens, use a small amount of Renaissance wax to get the shine back.
  5. For best results, avoid prolonged exposure to sun and salt air. While your knife is designed for use in the outdoors, it’s best not to leave it on the dock or the patio for days on end.
  6. Do NOT: Throw, chop, pry or dig with your knife. Get a pry bar, shovel, or axe instead.

 

Here are some more “Do’s and Don’ts”

  • Never throw knives, unless specifically designed for that use. I don’t make throwing knives.
  • Do not leave knives and sheaths in direct sun or high heat. Ultraviolet light oxidizes woods and bleaches the color out. Heat bakes the protective oils out of most hardwoods and weakens adhesive bonds. Prolonged exposure to the sun and heat can also destroy knife sheaths.
  • To clean, hand wash blades when necessary with non-abrasive gentle detergent, rinse well and dry.
  • Clean handles and sheaths with damp cloth and buff with soft dry cloth. A light coat of Renaissance Wax can bring back luster. Do not over-wax. A very small amount goes a long way.
  • Do not use any kind of oil on the sheaths; this will cause them to soften, weakening their protective function, softening glues, sealants, and dyes
  • Protect carbon steel and stainless steel knives with a light coating of hand-buffed wax, not oil. Oil attracts dust as well as weakens the sheath. Renaissance® wax is the best!
  • Chemical etching is used in the maker’s mark on my mirror finished blades and for cosmetic enhancement. If you live long enough to polish away the etching without the help of power equipment, you won’t have any fingertips left!
  • Wood handles usually benefit from a light coating of furniture wax or Renaissance® wax and a good hand rubbing.
  • Brass and Nickel Silver fittings can be hand-polished with Simichrome® and lightly waxed for protection. It is normal for some scuffing to show on the front bolster or guard, this is where the sheath holds the knife. Polish brass often, coat with wax.
  • For very long term storage, store your knife with the sheath, not in it! The chemicals used in tanning of leather sometimes react with moisture in the air, leading to corroding of even stainless steels! Condensation even within military grade kydex sheaths can invite corrosion. If you can’t keep the knife in the open, dry air, store with photographic quality desiccant in a plastic bag apart from sheath.