How do i protect my knife over the winter months??

[masongary44]

I have 2 knives, A carbon steel Alan wood style knife and a Fallkniven F1. I bought the F1 to use in the bad months when the weather is wet, there is a lot of salt around and things could get nasty for a carbon steel blade.

I have gotten over the shiny knife syndrome (It took quite a long time.. :shock: ) and am now quite pleased with the patina the knife is getting... but when it is not going to be used for a long period of time, what is the best method of storing / caring for it.

I have read that it is not good to store in the sheath as the sheath can be damp, making rust an issue... (Makes sense) So what should i store it in..

My thoughts are that some kind of coating for the blade, wax maybe?? and a simple cardboard sheath for the blade would perhaps work well..

How do you guys store your knives over the winter months... when their use is little if at all??

 

[al]

the knives i dont use any more and the one i do all year round which are all carbon steel and i live by the sea are coated with camelia oil from axminster, the puukko has been stored in its sheath too for about 6 months and not one spot of rust has apeared on any of them, there is also a thread on here somewhere about camelia oil , who ever it was who put it mentioned they hadnt used their woodlore for a year ,left in its sheath with a coating of camelia and its fine , which is where i heard about it , hope that helps http://www.axminster.co.uk/?type=i&submit=Search&searchwhat=camelia+oil

 

[ESpy]

I tend to use the Sentry Tuf Cloths ( http://www.sentrysolutions.com/ ) as a general rule; I prefer the marine version as it seems to stand up to salt water much better, but I don't think I know of a UK stockist. The other thing that works really well is Renaissance Wax, available from Lakeland ( http://www.lakelandlimited.com ).

Ren wax was developed by/for the Royal Armouries, who tend to be a bit twitchy about rust forming on blades...

 

[ranger]

I asked a similar question some time ago myself, and was informed of Renaissance Wax, which though not the cheapest product out there, is excellent stuff. Do a search on the web for the best price around, I seem to remember I paid about £8 for a 200 ml tin. I’d highly recommend it and it has multiple uses.

ranger

 

[JakeR]

I just fold some paper around the blade and keep the knife and the sheath together in a drawer. I have never noticed rust forming round the blade even when it was in its sheath.

jake

 

[Buckshot]

The other option is to get out and use it :biggthump

Cheers

Mark

 

[TheViking]

Hi...

Well, I use my knives all year, so really don't store them somewhere. Except when it's snowing...

 

[Viking]

During my trip to Scotland (the land where it rains every day) I got problems with rust on my knife. But with a tootbrush and some toothpaste I got rid of te rust and to protect the knife I used the swedish army lip balm and it worked great. So now that is the only thing I use on my knives. Sometimes the simplest of things works best

 

[JakeR]

I wouldnt think "army" and "lip balm" would go together

Or you could just oil the blade every evening.

 

[mark wood]

You can get Tuff Cloth in the UK from Heinnie Haynes
Heinnie Haynes

Mark

 

[ESpy]

...But not the marine version at the last count.

 

[Nightfall]

I live on the coast,durring the winter months it very damp and rainy.I coat my knife blades with WD-40 or a lite coat of oil. Like the Viking & Buckshot says "use them". WD-40 also takes off light rust spots.

 

[Andy]

I use a substance which sems to be a nice mix of beeswax and jojoba oil

it's called Renapur, it's meant for leathers so it's also great on leather handles and sheaths

 

[masongary44]

Thanks for all the replies, this forum never ceases to amaze me.. :biggthump , I will look up the REN wax now,.. As for using the knife all year round... If only it was that easy...

In winter I tend to hit the peak district, and anyone who knows the Bleaklow area will probably also know there aint many trees... Some good opportunities to build snow holes though... Either way, the distinct lack of trees kind of renders a knife useless... A SAK maybe to open the tin of beans, otherwise...

 

[BorderReiver]

I wouldnt think "army" and "lip balm" would go together

.

No worse than Norwegian Fisherman's Hand Cream (Neutrogena) :roll:

 

[The General]

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1189

 

[Ed]

I will look up the REN wax now

Have a good hunt around for a good price as they vary wildly (£5-£15+).... you can also pick it up in small sample pots which is really all you will need as a little goes along way ;-)

Ed

 

[Dave Barker]

No worse than Norwegian Fisherman's Hand Cream (Neutrogena) :roll:

Avtually caled nutragena hand cream and norwegian formula. the factory where it is made is about 6 miles from where i live...

 

[leon-1]

I must admit that I tend to be a year round user, but I also use camellia oil on my knives which are not being used.

Camellia oil is quite handy, the chinese used to use it for cooking in and coating ladies hair to give it lustre, as well as on thier sharp tools.

Effectively you can get two versions of the stuff (Chinese and Japanese), they are pretty much the same thing and a little goes a very long way. ):

 

[alick]

there is also a thread on here somewhere about camelia oil , who ever it was who put it mentioned they hadnt used their woodlore for a year ,left in its sheath with a coating of camelia and its fine , which is where i heard about it , hope that helps http://www.axminster.co.uk/?type=i&submit=Search&searchwhat=camelia+oil

Hi al,
probably me. I'm a big fan of the stuff and did post something to that effect. My knife was used a few times during it's first year but does always live in it's sheath with just a wipe over of camelia. Reckoned that if it was good enough for the best japanese blades ever forged, it might have something going for it

One of the things that I always carry when I'm out and about is a small tin with an old oil soaked rag inside. It's no trouble to wipe your knife off after use and because the oil is so light it's not greasy and just rubs into your hands. Oil is also great for lifting sticky sap and the like off the blade too. Cheers