Knife storage and maintanence

[lukez21]

Hello,

Before I get into the questions I would really like to thank all of you gentlemen for all the knowledge and personal experiences you guys share. This is my first post but I have been a long time reader. With so many years of experience within this forum I feel my input would be rather elementary. However as a newbie to knife collecting ( 5 years, long enough for the addiction to take hold) I find the information about blade steel composition, handle material, up and coming projects, sharpening advice and so many others to be extremely helpful and priceless. Now to the question. I have read many articles with conflicting information on knife maintenance and storage and would like to hear it from the experts. I currently have about 35 knives with 2-3 in rotation per month. I currently have been cleaning and oiling all of my knives monthly whether they have been used or not. Needless to say this is beginning to get time consuming so I have a few question about my current process.

1. I store all of my knives in the boxes and plastic they came in. They are then placed in a safe with a dehumidifier packet to keep out moisture. Is that an ok storage method?
2. As stated I have about 35 knives and counting so is cleaning all of them monthly necessary? I can imagine some collectors on this site with 100s of knives this can be quite tedious.
3. Is there such thing as too much oil? I understand that oil attracts dust and dirt but my concern is rust. Can oil rust your blade? I use mineral oil because a lot of my knives are used in food prep.

Any and all input will be greatly appreciated.

[D-Roc]

You are doing far more than I do, and all mine are still immaculate, even after more than ten years.

[lukez21]

You are doing far more than I do, and all mine are still immaculate, even after more than ten years.

Thank you very much for the reply. If you wouldn't mind me asking how is it that you maintain your blade collection?

[aquaman67]

I keep mine in a large Plano fishing tackle box

[lukez21]

I keep mine in a large Plano fishing tackle box

In their boxes or just out and about? How about oiling and cleaning consistency?

[mtngunr]

I just use mine or throw on top of dresser or in sock drawer depending on which of the handful of pocket knives i own are going to go places that day, only two of which are Spyderco and see the most carry.

My expensive handforged collectible user sheath knives get a quick wipe with my beeswax/mineral oil/vaseline mix i melt together in a micro wave, the goop is safe when knife used on food, is safe on hands, and does not go rancid and acidic as do many lubricant and "preservative" oils or even kitchen oils...

The pockets knives get an ocassional wipedown with same when looking dirty and dry and innards cleaned or flushed as needed of grit and lint.....pivots get a toothpick touch of dry teflon bike chain lube every once in a great while.

Paper boxes hold moisture in/from the air....store boxes separate and covered such as in another box....plastic will eventually stick to them and ruin the outer when peeled away....and do not leave oil soaked anything inside them.

Otherwise clean and oil to your heart's content....just do not neglect....mineral oil is a fine choice and good even for plastic and stag and horn...

[lukez21]

I just use mine or throw on top of dresser or in sock drawer depending on which of the handful of pocket knives i own are going to go places that day, only two of which are Spyderco and see the most carry.

My expensive handforged collectible user sheath knives get a quick wipe with my beeswax/mineral oil/vaseline mix i melt together in a micro wave, the goop is safe when knife used on food, is safe on hands, and does not go rancid and acidic as do many lubricant and "preservative" oils or even kitchen oils...

The pockets knives get an ocassional wipedown with same when looking dirty and dry and innards cleaned or flushed as needed of grit and lint.....pivots get a toothpick touch of dry teflon bike chain lube every once in a great while.

Paper boxes hold moisture in/from the air....store boxes separate and covered such as in another box....plastic will eventually stick to them and ruin the outer when peeled away....and do not leave oil soaked anything inside them.

Otherwise clean and oil to your heart's content....just do not neglect....mineral oil is a fine choice and good even for plastic and stag and horn...

Very useful advice. So in your opinion even though I take the extra step of the dehumidifier packets the boxes will still hold enough moisture to impact the blades? Thank you for input.

[Ruarch]

I have nothing to add other than I am watching this thread and soaking everything in. I am guessing most of us here have "safe queens" that we want to keep 100% for our grandkids. Every idea appreciated.

[lukez21]

I have nothing to add other than I am watching this thread and soaking everything in. I am guessing most of us here have "safe queens" that we want to keep 100% for our grandkids. Every idea appreciated.

I couldn't agree any more. I feel like there is a lot of misinformation out there on this topic and nothing really concrete from someone that has many years of collecting experience. That's why I felt compelled to address this on this forum specifically and have already gained some perspective from just a few great comments. So yes I'm taking it all in and will be drawing as many conclusions as possible. You nailed it with the "safe queens" comment. I think we are definitely not the only ones curious about proper care or even over care.

[mtngunr]

Whatever moisture is there, the paper will compete with the crystals to absorb...General storage rules for collectibles is to not store whatever in boxes or sheaths which all hold moisture and may have acid remnants from manufacture, but instead, where air can circulate....store boxes/sheaths/whatever separate, for no reason in that every time you handle them you are putting wear on them, especially paper....and again, plastic bagging or wrapping may end up a disaster as plastic degrades or reacts with inks...and oiled knives in your wraps and boxes will wreck them sooner or later.....the Plano box and ocassional inspection and wipe sounds great....or a dehumidifying safe if a major collection.....my high grade stuff is in safe deposit boxes for extra retirement income....whenever i need a thousand, out comes a knife and on to ebay for tax free profit.

just a cautionary PS- the hardest knives and guns in the world to maintain are those you do not use....the users get looked at often before disaster strikes.....the ignored ones sit and you get complacent with your system and either get lazy or forget, or part of your system you take for granted breaks down unknown to you,.such as dehumidifier quitting.....keep an eye on them and their location where stored...a water drip in closet, a leak around window coming out at base of wall somewhere, not realizing shower air humidity was entering bedroom, etc can all wreck a collection.....especially keep an eye on non-stainless items and be SURE to remove every fingerprint, nor forget to wipe off blade after that hair shaving you could not resist that just powdered blade with salty dead skin....little things can get you.....luckily much of the Spyderco line is very immune to environment, whether handles, blades or springs....synthetics and stainless keep life easy.....high carbon steels take a lot more vigilance...my advice is to stay as stainless as possible on long term storage knives.....the end.

[D-Roc]

You are doing far more than I do, and all mine are still immaculate, even after more than ten years.

Thank you very much for the reply. If you wouldn't mind me asking how is it that you maintain your blade collection?

I keep them in a toolbox. Indoors, at room temperature, in my basement. I check them intermittently...

[kn!fer]

I'm so glad that someone brought up this post. I am only one year into collection Spyderco knives so please help and comment and not hold back on my method: I first light oil mine with Rem Oil, then completely wrap it in unbleached parchment paper (keep heat and moisture out), then put it in ziplock bag, then put it in a zippered bag (small point and shoot camera bag that 2 knives of same model fits in perfectly - wrapped separately), then place all bags in an igloo with a bunch desiccant packs inside, then place igloo in water/fire resistant safe. Please advice on any flaws of my method. Thanks in advance.

[Surfingringo]

I'm so glad that someone brought up this post. I am only one year into collection Spyderco knives so please help and comment and not hold back on my method: I first light oil mine with Rem Oil, then completely wrap it in unbleached parchment paper (keep heat and moisture out), then put it in ziplock bag, then put it in a zippered bag (small point and shoot camera bag that 2 knives of same model fits in perfectly - wrapped separately), then place all bags in an igloo with a bunch desiccant packs inside, then place igloo in water/fire resistant safe. Please advice on any flaws of my method. Thanks in advance.

Hey knifer, welcome to the forum. As far as seeing any flaws in your method...mmmm, it seems like it would take about an hour to get one out to use. Hehe

Seriously, if you are really doing everything that you just listed, it is likely well into the range of overkill. I don't have as many as some of you guys but I just keep all of mine hanging on the wall in a spyderpac. That way its easy for me to look at all my folders at once and grab whichever one I like for the day or the job at hand. I live in the tropics 100 yards form the pacific ocean. I do not regularly clean or oil my knives and have never had any corrosion issues on my stainless steel Spydercos. I do have a couple of Phil Wilson's customs in m4 that require a bit more attention. These see regular use in the kitchen and the fish cleaning table. Because they are non stainless and get exposed to corrosive environments I am always careful to clean and dry them after use. Sometimes I hit them with a bit of wd40, sometimes I just dry them and put them away. I keep them in a drawer (not in their sheath) and if they are not getting use I have a look at them every couple of weeks to make sure there is no corrosion at play.

[The Deacon]

Hello,

Before I get into the questions I would really like to thank all of you gentlemen for all the knowledge and personal experiences you guys share. This is my first post but I have been a long time reader. With so many years of experience within this forum I feel my input would be rather elementary. However as a newbie to knife collecting ( 5 years, long enough for the addiction to take hold) I find the information about blade steel composition, handle material, up and coming projects, sharpening advice and so many others to be extremely helpful and priceless. Now to the question. I have read many articles with conflicting information on knife maintenance and storage and would like to hear it from the experts. I currently have about 35 knives with 2-3 in rotation per month. I currently have been cleaning and oiling all of my knives monthly whether they have been used or not. Needless to say this is beginning to get time consuming so I have a few question about my current process.

1. I store all of my knives in the boxes and plastic they came in. They are then placed in a safe with a dehumidifier packet to keep out moisture. Is that an ok storage method?
2. As stated I have about 35 knives and counting so is cleaning all of them monthly necessary? I can imagine some collectors on this site with 100s of knives this can be quite tedious.
3. Is there such thing as too much oil? I understand that oil attracts dust and dirt but my concern is rust. Can oil rust your blade? I use mineral oil because a lot of my knives are used in food prep.

Any and all input will be greatly appreciated.

1. Storing knives in a safe in the complete original packaging is fine. Dealers keep knives on shelves this way for years in their stockrooms.

2. Cleaning is only necessary if you do something to get the knife dirty, like using it or even just leaving it lying around. A knife that's been in a plastic bag, in a box, in a safe all month (or all year) does not need cleaning.

3. Over lubricating a knife that you use or intend to use soon is bad, for the reason you mentioned. For those in "dead storage" there's no dust to attract. While over lubricating is still not necessary on those, the only time it's a really bad idea is if the knife has scales made of absorbent material. Wood, bone, antler, horn, ivory even shell and stone, will all absorb oil and, to a lesser degree, so will Micarta. Some will merely discolor, others will degrade. FRN, G-10, CF, and metal handles will just get oily.

[dreadpirate]

I keep mine in the top dresser drawer (well - one in the car, one in a tool box) and pull one out in the morning. Not much rhyme or reason to the one I pick. Although if I am doing yard work - I use a knife with an FRN/FRCP handle.

If I notice a knife starting to dull - I pull it to the side and touch it up on the Sharp Maker later. Every few months or so I will lightly oil the blades that are more vulnerable to corrosion (like Super Blue or Cruwear). The others I just keep clean.

The Spydercos I don't keep in my drawer are Salt knives that don't require the maintenance of the other knives.

[mtngunr]

No argument as to most anything said above but will point out all plastics dry out over time as does ivory, horn, stag, wood, etc to some degree, and sucklike mineral oil wipe keeps shrinking and cracking at bay over the very long term and it not known for acidity or degradation.

Will still advise against storage in original packaging if ever intended to periodically check, maintain, or even play with, as the more the packaging is handled, the shabbier it gets....

Can add nothing to what several posters seem to be doing for storing into the next next thousand years for colonizing the stars except use an oil never known to go rancid or acidic over time...which is NOT most any off the shelf gun oil or preservative.

I use a beeswax goop for a reason...it never deteriorates....they have found pliable wax seals inside the pyramids of Egypt....and waxes stick far better than oils and are so used on carbon steel blade user knives and guns...

But most replies show incredulity over such methods on what are essentially originally made to be Glockish disposable lightweight, very durable (for a while) plastic mass produced consumer goods being treated like a Randall knife....however, folk also collect fishing lures and baseball cards made precious by the delicacy over time...have at it.....fun is fun.

Probably the best storage method remains covered from dust, in the open on a clean hard flat surface and examined/admired and wiped down on occasion. ....and more fun...

[wrdwrght]

My Spydies hang by their Spyderholes on the pegboard inside my gun safe's door. The safe has no active dehumidier but I have pouches of desiccant beads throughout to divert humidity from metallic surfaces. No knife I use gets hung without its pivot getting cleaned and its blade getting sharpened and Ballistol'd.

ETA: I suppose I should say that no knife I own does not get used. I have no safe queens in spite of their residence...

[dbcad]

Hello Lukez21

These knives are not very fragile and don't require constant care. I go to the extreme of cleaning and oiling my 10 or so folders as little as possible :eek: The vast majority of my maintenance is making sure the edges stay very very sharp :D

I generally clean them thorougly in a hot soapy water bath only when I feel an action getting a little stiff, then a smidge of oil after it dries completely.

Stainless will stain of you leave crud on it for while. Non stainless will rust of you don't make sure there's some kind of oil coating on it before prolonged storage.

All of my folders are sitting on top of my desk constantly. I can just grab and use as needed. To each his/her own

Enjoy your knives :) Keep 'em sharp

Charlie

[lukez21]

Whatever moisture is there, the paper will compete with the crystals to absorb...General storage rules for collectibles is to not store whatever in boxes or sheaths which all hold moisture and may have acid remnants from manufacture, but instead, where air can circulate....store boxes/sheaths/whatever separate, for no reason in that every time you handle them you are putting wear on them, especially paper....and again, plastic bagging or wrapping may end up a disaster as plastic degrades or reacts with inks...and oiled knives in your wraps and boxes will wreck them sooner or later.....the Plano box and ocassional inspection and wipe sounds great....or a dehumidifying safe if a major collection.....my high grade stuff is in safe deposit boxes for extra retirement income....whenever i need a thousand, out comes a knife and on to ebay for tax free profit.

just a cautionary PS- the hardest knives and guns in the world to maintain are those you do not use....the users get looked at often before disaster strikes.....the ignored ones sit and you get complacent with your system and either get lazy or forget, or part of your system you take for granted breaks down unknown to you,.such as dehumidifier quitting.....keep an eye on them and their location where stored...a water drip in closet, a leak around window coming out at base of wall somewhere, not realizing shower air humidity was entering bedroom, etc can all wreck a collection.....especially keep an eye on non-stainless items and be SURE to remove every fingerprint, nor forget to wipe off blade after that hair shaving you could not resist that just powdered blade with salty dead skin....little things can get you.....luckily much of the Spyderco line is very immune to environment, whether handles, blades or springs....synthetics and stainless keep life easy.....high carbon steels take a lot more vigilance...my advice is to stay as stainless as possible on long term storage knives.....the end.

Absolutely understand what you mean about the users getting attention and more care. That's exactly why I wanted to create this post. For the none daily users. Extremely helpful suggestion about the potentially unexpected events that can cause great damage to a knife collection. Just had an issue like that this Illinois winter with frost accumulating inside one closet wall so that's a great point.I guess in my worry about the blade I forgot to take the box into consideration. Thank you for the help.

[mtngunr]

For relatively short storage resale (ie next 25 yrs), just left in sealed box and in a safe and ignored and sold as a virginal easter egg suprise to next collector has a lot of merit as most any collector wants as virginal as possible and many in long term are not destined as users or even blade opened...and handled with white cotton gloves as a museum piece......

So this is reason for emphasizing preserving the packaging...but i am all with you on also actually providing TLC so that knife is as-new for next owner and not allowed to degrade....as resale at a profit is its aim and fate, whether by you or heirs.

But otherwise will part with one observation from a writer friend of no little fame as for buying things to never use not once....."if you are not going to use it, then exactly who are you saving it for!?"......