KNIVES 101: CLEANING AND LUBRICATION

Like the old saying "a dull knife is a dangerous knife", a damascus steel hunting Knives is also dangerous. Dirt, pocket fluff, food and other unwanted foreign materials can enter the pivot and locks of a folding knife. This can prevent the blade from opening or closing properly or from locking completely in the open or closed position. Even a dirt on a blade can end up in your stomach if you use it for any food preparation or cause premature wear on the blade. Serious injuries can happen with a knife that does not work properly. To keep the knife in perfect working condition, it is important to clean and lubricate it properly as part of its regular maintenance. This applies whether you have a folding knife or a fixed knife.

We will show the steps on how to properly clean and lubricate a folding knife. By ignoring the steps to clean the pivots, the same process can be used to clean a fixed blade.

Materials:

Washbasin w / warm water

Soft soap for dishes

Soft sponge

Coronets

Small brush or old and clean toothbrush

Clean towel or paper towels

Lubricant

Can of compressed air or air compressor with an air nozzle connection

Isopropyl or rubbing alcohol (optional)

Rust remover (optional) for rust

With warm water and a small amount of mild detergent in a sponge or brush, wash the blade and knife handle. Provide additional service points that have harder dirt. It is recommended to use only the soft side of the sponge, not the harder side to "scrub", as it may scratch the blade. Do not be afraid to soak the whole knife. It is important to clean it. Rinse with warm water and repeat if necessary.

If there is rust on the blade, spray the stain with a small amount of rust remover and let it soak for a couple of minutes. WD-40 is widely available as an oxide scavenger, but others will also work. Avoid spraying rust on other parts of the knife, as it can be difficult to remove. If necessary, use a cotton swab moistened with rust remover to apply to rust spots. Rub the rust with a small brush. The strongest oxide spots may need additional attention. Wipe off any rust remover residue with mild soap and water.

Dry the knife well with a soft cloth and some air bursts in unreachable parts with a can of compressed air.

Cleaning the inside of the pivot is more difficult, but not impossible. We will show the steps to clean and lubricate a pivot without disassembling the knife. Complete disassembly is required for complete cleaning and rebuilding, but is not necessary for regular maintenance. Follow all manufacturer guidelines or restrictions to disassemble a knife if you choose to clean it in this way. SOG does not recommend dismantling a knife without our guidance and approval, as it may void the warranty.

With a cotton swab and a small brush, clean the inside of the handle and pivot as much as possible. Place the blade at different angles and clean it. When the blade rotates, different parts of the spike, pivot and lock are exposed for easier cleaning. Be sure to pay extra attention near the inner springs as the cotton swab fibers may get caught and pull on a spring, causing it to disengage.

Only if dirt remains, use a small drop of water, isopropyl alcohol or alcohol on the tip of the cotton swab to wipe away the remaining dirt. Tip: Crush the tips of the cotton swabs with a hammer to push more fibers toward the tip to clean them and narrow the tip for smaller openings.

Give the pivot a few bursts of air to expel the remaining dirt. Repeat steps 4 and 5 if necessary after using compressed air to clean the remaining dirt.

If any liquid was used, make sure the pivot has completely dried before proceeding to the next step to lubricate the pivot. Some gusts of air to expel water, dry with a towel and dry it for half an hour will usually do the trick.

A folding knife is a system of moving parts. All moving parts must be lubricated to ensure reliability every time you use the blade. A couple of drops of lubricant should be applied as close to the center of the pivot as possible. If the bottle used does not allow this precision, put a drop on a toothpick and use it to apply lubricant to the blade pivot. A little lubricant is very useful. It is best to start with a drop or two and add only as needed.