Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

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Spyderman91
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Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

#1

Post by Spyderman91 »

Hello everyone,

Hope you are all having a relaxing Sunday evening. Today I come to the forum to ask: "How do you maintain your knives that see infrequent use". I usually have three, or four knives that see regular and continuous use. The rest sit in a drawer in their respected boxes, and plastics (unless it's a fixed blade, I store them unsheathed).

My question is: How often do you perform maintenance on your knives, and how often do you "check" on their condition. I will have to post an obliged family photo later.
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Cambertree
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Re: Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

#2

Post by Cambertree »

I have a box with a couple of silica sachets in it where the Spydies I don’t use much just sit loose.

I give em a bit of mineral oil/Ballistol/Lanox in the pivot area and on the blade before putting them in there.

I have a couple of sets of knives that sit out for my daily selection numbering maybe 10 each.

One set is basic working tools - mostly FRN H1 SE Salts and HAP40 Sekis.

The other is EDCs - a few largeish knives like PM2s, the GB1, Police and Caribbean, and a couple of smaller Urbans and Dragonflies.

The tool steel bladed knives get a bit of mineral oil every now and then. The stainless blades get a spritz of oil when the action starts to feel a little slow or sticky.

The Salts get a rinse and scrub every now and then.

I choose my oils more for non toxicity than any perceived high end lubricating qualities.

The Spydies are easy and undemanding in maintenance requirements in general. My carbon steel traditionals are frankly a PITA to constantly maintain. :D
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Wartstein
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Re: Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

#3

Post by Wartstein »

I try (quite succesfully) to keep my Spydie collection at around 10, and those get all carried and used.

Most of them rather frequently, some more seldom, example for the latter would be my CE Delica.
This knife is just lying around openly for several weeks, no maintenance and no problems at all.

Same goes for my backup Stretch 1, sits NIB in a drawer, still oiled from the factory, always in perfect condition.

The only knife I oil the blade of is my Esee Laser Strike. But I just take whatever oil is at hand (even olive oil), put it on the blade, rub off excess oil, sheath the knife.
Works perfectly for me.
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Evil D
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Re: Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

#4

Post by Evil D »

I typically use mine when new until they're dirty enough inside that I feel like cleaning them, then I take them apart and clean them and grease the pivot. After that I pay close attention to blade play to make sure the pivot isn't loosening up and I use Q-tips to clean out the inside of the handle. This goes on until I either use it in a dirty enough situation to warrant a full disassembly and cleaning or until I feel like the pivot action has been compromised. Any time I adjust the pivot I also check the rest of the scale and clip screws. I'm kind of OCD about maintenance, especially keeping them sharp so these little checkups happen fairly often and only take a few seconds.
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Pickmansmodel82
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Re: Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

#5

Post by Pickmansmodel82 »

Zen and the art of knife maintenance. I have 75 various knives of multiple makes, kinds and ages.

Those that aren’t used often get a monthly looked-loo. I take a slow day, grab my tools and get to it. Steps as follows.


1. Inspect, remove any dust/debris with soft cloth or qtip.
2. Function check. Check for lock function, blade/pivot work, etc.
3. Check/reapply protectant. I prefer mineral oil/food safe protectant. Light drop on vulnerable points, wipe to a very thin layer with soft cloth.

I also prefer to use gloves, to keep my hands clean and avoid leaving skin oil on the steel. (A Rex45 user with a fingerprint prominently on the blade shows this is a good practice)
prndltech
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Re: Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

#6

Post by prndltech »

Mine are lucky to get a blast of compressed air if I’m at work... maybe even luckier for a drop of lube.

Short story even shorter... I don’t.

I don’t really have much left in the safe. Either sold em, gave em away, or put them to work.
Last edited by prndltech on Mon Oct 28, 2019 4:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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ABX2011
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Re: Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

#7

Post by ABX2011 »

If it's stainless I wouldn't worry about it. Otherwise using a desiccant in Zip lock or airtight container is a wise precaution.
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knivesandbooks
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Re: Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

#8

Post by knivesandbooks »

Never had any issues storing Spyderco knives or stainless knives.

I have a preservation routine for my traditionals that I have to keep pristine (gonna build a display eventually) but I doubt that applies here.

One thing, Renaissance wax is great for long term storage of non stainless blades. You apply just a little and buff it in. It dries hard. Museums use it. Very good stuff.
Last edited by knivesandbooks on Mon Oct 28, 2019 9:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Tdog
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Re: Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

#9

Post by Tdog »

Often with new knives, especially tool or carbon steel blades and/or knives that will be stored, I Flitz to remove oxidation then apply a coat of Ren wax. The Ren wax can be used on some scales as well (non-porous). I try to check those blades I know are subject to rust/corrosion occasionally and oil as necessary. I like the Slip 2000 to coat blades and use on pivots for knives that will be stored.
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TkoK83Spy
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Re: Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

#10

Post by TkoK83Spy »

Honestly, if you don't use them and keep them stored in boxes and plastics...what's the point in checking them? It's like checking on a can of baked beans or something with a crazy long shelf life.
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The Mastiff
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Re: Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

#11

Post by The Mastiff »

One thing, Renaissance wax is great for long term storage of non stainless blades. You apply just a little and buff it in. It dries hard. Museums use it. Very good stuff.
Yep. Make sure it has no salts or corrosive stuff, lube the pivot and wax the blade. I regularly store non coated carbon steel knives for a year or two between checks like this here in humid NC.

Joe
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RustyIron
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Re: Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

#12

Post by RustyIron »

Spyderman91 wrote:
Sun Oct 27, 2019 8:22 pm
how often do you "check" on their condition.
Never? Years? Decades?

If you're all excited about it, get some Birchwood Casey Barricade, which is made for long term storage of guns.
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bearfacedkiller
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Re: Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

#13

Post by bearfacedkiller »

I just make sure to put them in the safe clean and dry. I also have a can of desiccant in the safe. Other than that I don’t do anything special and I never check on them. I haven’t found a rusty knife unless I put it away dirty.
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Tucson Tom
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Re: Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

#14

Post by Tucson Tom »

I don't do a thing -- and have never had a problem. This is one of the benefits of living in the Arizona desert.

I might worry if they were in the house and the evap cooler was driving up the humidity, but they live in a drawer in my shop/office and do just fine laying there side by side.

Knives in use are a different matter, especially if they are with me when I get rained on hiking or something of that sort. I had some S90V develop rust spots after it got wet in the rain and didn't get tended to.
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emanuel
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Re: Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

#15

Post by emanuel »

RustyIron wrote:
Mon Oct 28, 2019 11:09 pm

...get some Birchwood Casey Barricade
https://youtu.be/zJ3418IA01w?t=212

Seems to be a bad product, there are better options.
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RustyIron
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Re: Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

#16

Post by RustyIron »

emanuel wrote:
Wed Oct 30, 2019 7:06 am
Seems to be a bad product, there are better options.
So, Manny... what is YOUR experience?
Do you leave your knives out in the rain?
How long do YOU leave your guns and knives in storage?
Long guns, handguns, stainless, wood, blue, plastic?
Is this YOUR youtube channel, or are you just copying what someone else says?
We need first hand suggestions!!!!
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emanuel
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Re: Long Term Maintenance Suggestions?

#17

Post by emanuel »

I use wax/Victorinox oil for knives. For guns it doesn't matter the brand as long as the product doesn't evaporate, and for that I use some local brand that seems to work well + silica beads bag that I dry out in the oven about once every 6-12 months. My locker is also air-proof so the moisture is eliminated completely. That's the issue I have with some of these products, and no, I don't leave my guns wet and lock them up like that, but over the months or years the moisture and the oxygen in the air will take its toll on the exposed steel, and that's why you need a long lasting seal. In that video its clearly visible how 2 of those products dried out and the steel was bare and corroded after just a few days. Would you trust your rifles to it? I know I wouldn't.
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