Keeping Carbon Knives clean?

[Podcast Bob]

Simple question, but one that would be useful to answer.

I'm going on a long trip in Scotland shortly and hope to be using the knife as I go. I've kept it clean at home after use, sharpening, drying and rubbing in oil. However what do folks do when out for more than a few days in a wet environment, without carrying to much kit?

How do you ensure clean a clean (non rusty) blade?

 

[Jared]

Oil/Silicone impregnated cloth, aka oily rag

Something like http://www.heinnie.com/pongkn360225.../Sentry-Solutions-Tuf-cloth/p-93-376-215-423/

 

[spamel]

Bit of scotch brite for scouring any rust off, some cotton wool soaked with olive oil to rub on the blade once cleaned. The olive oil soaked cotton wool doubles as a firelighting aid. Store it in a camera film pot.

 

[dwardo]

I take a tiny bit of wirewool, this combined with some olive/veg oil which i tend to have for cooking. This will take care of most of the day to day grime.

 

[Cobweb]

Any kind of oil or grease will work, from posh olive oil to bacon lard

I wonder if nose grease would work ?

 

[SimonM]

If you want to use the knife for food prep, like others have said, use cooking oil after a clean with scotchbrite.

Simon

 

[Wayland]

I'm going to post an opposite method.

Controlled oxidization.

I take my carbon blades and wrap them in tissue paper and then soak them with vinegar over night.

The result is a blackening of the steel but the surface is much more forgiving of corrosion and stops you worrying about every spot or blemish on your knife.

The Leuku in the middle shows the effect quite well.

After that a quick wipe with cooking oil every now and again will keep them in good shape.

 

[spamel]

That's true enough Wayland, my large Mora is done in a similar fashion with kitchen roll and vinegar. The only place that would be affected these days would be the bevel where it gets sharpened now and then.

 

[Podcast Bob]

I like the last idea. Nice one. Vinegar, I'll try that. And combine it with the olive oil in a film canister. That can live in my food tin.

Cheers ;-)

 

[spamel]

If you want, you can get all artistic with tom sauce, paint it on in stripes for a tiger stripe effect!

 

[sam_acw]

I agree with Wayland. The patina protects the flat bits and you'll sharpen, strop or whet the bevel often enough to stop it rusting