Cleaning and looking after my machette

[scouser4life]

well i have recently bought a machette. Its carbon steel.
http://www.knife-depot.com/knife-15774.html

After hacking and sawing into some trees it has lleft stains on it. LIke when you get a branch and wipe it on the floor. That cream colour. I have trying soapy water, but it wont budge. Any ideas how to clean it and also how to general care for it. thanks John

 

[Klenchblaize]

Why not let it build-up the patina of use that is the beauty of carbon steel? Just keep it free of moisture/rust with a wipe from oil or tallow-coated cloth is my recommendation

Cheers

 

[Nightwalker]

Yep, I had the same with my recently purchased Frost Mora (High Carbon Steel). When I first used it to cut a sapling the blade was stained (photo )and nothing I have tried will remove it. Tried cleaning it with soapy water, that didnt work so dried well then tried a alcohol cleaning solution which didnt make any different either. I've just left it that, it dosent bother me much at all and only shows its uses.

 

[gregorach]

WD-40 will shift a lot of stains. That's what I reach for when my tools need cleaned.

But yeah, there's no point getting obsessive about it. Tools that get used don't stay looking brand new, especially carbon steel tools, and a bit of patina is a good thing.

As for general care, I find 3-in-1 oil does the job..

 

[CamperPete]

Not wishing to hijack this thread but in relation to the subject of Machete's, I was on a Bushcraft Survival course a few weeks ago and the instructor had an ultra lightweight machete, weighed a lot less than my old trusty 4" blade lock knife.
It may have been light but when he let me loose on the trees to build a shelter it cut through the branches like it was butter.

He said he got it from an army friend and it was made in Seville in Spain.

Anyone know where I could get one of these ultra lightweight Machete's.......without flying off to spain ?

Just wondered if there were any companies on the web selling 'em, I've had a search but not seen any.........but then I can't find a pair of matching socks half the time

Cheers

 

[Montivagus]

It´s a machete not a make-up mirror! It´ll be fine, just oil it.

look what sort abuse they can take http://falcon.tamucc.edu/~lkatz/k/pages/trimmingbrickwith machette.htm

 

[Montivagus]

it cut through the branches like it was butter.

He said he got it from an army friend and it was made in Seville in Spain.
Cheers

Butter doesn´t cut well at all but if you still want one I have friends who live in Seville if that´s any use?

 

[Zammo]

I leant mine to a neigbour who cut down a small bramble forest in his garden and when I got it back it was very scuffed. I also used it to cut a few branches up and a few times I dinged it on rock taking a little nick out of the blade. I left it for about a year and then decided to give it a clean and to my surprise it came up gleaming with a little fairy liquid and hot water.

Strangely I also have a Frosts Mora and used it to cut a few bits and pieces and marked the blade, yet nothing will shift the marks. Then again it cost me hardly anything so i'm not to fussed.

 

[Nightwalker]

Strangely I also have a Frosts Mora and used it to cut a few bits and pieces and marked the blade, yet nothing will shift the marks. Then again it cost me hardly anything so i'm not to fussed.

Yeah, its the blade and its uses that matter. But should I feel ashamed to like nice shiney blades? lol

 

[Zammo]

Well if i'd paid £180 for a knife then maybe i'd be concerned but on a £10 Mora its not really a big deal.

 

[Nightwalker]

Well if i'd paid £180 for a knife then maybe i'd be concerned but on a £10 Mora its not really a big deal.

I paid £7.50 for my Frosts Mora and I love it! Think its great. So I should probably have one for use and buy another to take to bed with me and stroke as my shiney toy. :sulkoff: lol.

 

[leon-b]

i prefer the used look
leon

 

[Too Much Kit To Carry]

I use, on all my knives, Renaissance Wax - it's amazing!!!

Phil.

 

[snock]

I'd let it build up to a 'used' finish.
I have cleaned my machete with wire-wool and some Autosol polish, especially after I did a conifer clearing job in my in-laws garden- the sap got all over it!

 

[nickg]

I use, on all my knives, Renaissance Wax - it's amazing!!!

Phil.

Absolutely second that.
The stuff is used for preservation by all the museums particularly for firearms, armour and cutlery. Its a microcrystalline wax that gets into the pores & grain of the metal and stays there. It is completely inert and extremely hydrophobic and because it adheres so closely to the surface of the metal it does not allow moisture to work under it. It does come off quite readily with almost any spirit or alcohol and so may be removed completely for polishing etching etc. The museum I do voluntary work for also uses it to preserve and revive leather articles as well as a barrier to airborne fungus & biomechanical attack. Dries clear and flat with no greasy feel to it and a small pot goes a really long way - not cheap though it must be said.

 

[Zammo]

Where can you get it from?

 

[Nightwalker]

Yeah I must try this stuff.

 

[Morrius]

Where can you get it from?

Check out here:

http://www.sylmasta.com/acatalog/Renaissance_Finishing.html

There's some decent info here:

http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/Renaissance-wax-Probably-the-finest-polish-available_W0QQugidZ10000000000778905

I may get some, my mora could do with a spruce-up!

 

[Zammo]

Thanks for that. I take it the top tub (in the first link) is the wax required?

 

[Too Much Kit To Carry]

Absolutely second that.
The stuff is used for preservation by all the museums particularly for firearms, armour and cutlery. Its a microcrystalline wax that gets into the pores & grain of the metal and stays there. It is completely inert and extremely hydrophobic and because it adheres so closely to the surface of the metal it does not allow moisture to work under it. It does come off quite readily with almost any spirit or alcohol and so may be removed completely for polishing etching etc. The museum I do voluntary work for also uses it to preserve and revive leather articles as well as a barrier to airborne fungus & biomechanical attack. Dries clear and flat with no greasy feel to it and a small pot goes a really long way - not cheap though it must be said.

Hey nickg,

Thought I was the only one who used Ren Wax

I have also been told that it can be used on old photographs - is that right?

Phil.