How to clean a pocket knife

Along with sharpening, cleaning is a major procedure that helps maintain both the appearance of your pocket knife and its functionality. First of all, keep in mind the following rule: if the blade or other parts of your knife get soiled with any liquids that can cause corrosion (this includes vegetable and fruit juices, blood, and even salt seawater), you should rinse them immediately with clean fresh water. However, if the knife is dirty, it will need to be cleaned according to all the rules.

1. The first step is cleaning all the recesses and grooves. Use a toothpick for this purpose. If your tool doesn’t come with a toothpick, use a regular wooden one or use a darning needle. The sharp tip of a toothpick can easily remove dust and dirt from the most hard-to-reach areas. Cotton sticks are also useful for this purpose. Be ready for cleaning the grooves is very painstaking work, and it will require all the patience and diligence that you are capable of. The cleaning removes dust, clinging tissue particles, tobacco, and bread crumbs, in short, all the small debris that might get into the knife’s recesses while being carried in your pocket or bag, stored in the car glove box or desk drawer. Even if your backpack has a separate pocket for the knife, it’s still not dirt-free.

   

2. The second step is rinsing the knife. Do not rinse the tool under running water, but do it properly. Fill a small container (basin or bowl) with warm, but not hot water. Dip the knife into the water, then open and close each instrument sharply one at a time. Remove the knife from the water and shake it to get rid of the water. Then wipe each instrument with a paper towel, completely removing any moisture. Open all of the instruments and shake the knife again, then wipe each instrument again. Never just put the knife out to dry as water is bound to stay in some groove, and over time the knife will become corroded. Use dry cotton swabs to dry the grooves as best as possible. Alternatively, you can use a regular hair dryer (use “cold air” mode), so as not to burn the knife right in your hands.

3. We recommend sharpening a pocket knife only after it has been thoroughly cleaned and rinsed.

   

4. The last step of knife care is greasing. Using a special oil to lubricate your pocketknife is essential, and there are a number of requirements for its choice. Low-quality oil does not give the expected results, but can also clog the grooves, preventing the tools from working freely. Using the manufacturer’s recommended oil will improve the functioning of all mechanisms of the pocket knife and allow the tools to open freely when needed. Oil has no pungent smell and unpleasant taste, it is not harmful to the human body, so the knife can be safely used for cutting food. The greasing procedure is very simple: first, apply a few drops of oil to all the grooves, notice all the tools must be opened and closed one by one so that the grease is distributed inside the mechanisms. Before greasing, remove the toothpick and tweezers if they are part of the knife. It is also important to be careful when disassembling and cleaning the pocketknife and to follow the manufacturer’s advice on what agents can be used on this or that part of it.

   

Bottom line

If you decided to buy a pocket knife, be ready to take care of it according to all the rules; otherwise, the tool will not last long, even if its quality is top-notch. Treat your knife with care and attention, and it will pay you back a hundredfold. Anytime you will be able to buy a backpack, take a tent and a canned food supply to go hiking or fishing, while your reliable knife will always be there to help you set up a camp, make a fire, cook food, fix equipment. Periodic maintenance requires little time, but your tool will always be ready for use. Besides, if you have cleaned, sharpened and machined the knife yourself, you know how fast it will open, how well it will cut and what operating conditions it will withstand.