Storing Knives?

[soldier1231]

A couple questions about storing knives:

1. I want to keep a Stainless Delica NIB. It has a piece of plastic on the non-clip side with a little oil under it. Should I leave it on or take it off for long term storage (say 10 or 20 years)?

2. Do you keep your knives in any sort of special container to keep the rust off them or is it not a problem?

Thanks for your help!

[The Deacon]

A couple questions about storing knives:

1. I want to keep a Stainless Delica NIB. It has a piece of plastic on the non-clip side with a little oil under it. Should I leave it on or take it off for long term storage (say 10 or 20 years)?

2. Do you keep your knives in any sort of special container to keep the rust off them or is it not a problem?

Thanks for your help!

Hard to say. I don't think the protective plastic film has been in use for ten years yet. There's at least a theoretical possibility it may become a problem to remove if left in place "long enough". Know some of the lube Spyderco used years back can harden and be a real PITA to remove. If the Delica is recent, it may also have the bubble wrap bag. I'd consider that sufficient protection from scratching.

I either display mine in a curio cabinet, or store them in their boxes. Either way I wipe them down with a Tuff-Cloth first. My users get no rust protection at all. It does depend a lot on where you live. Salt air, high humidity, large fluctuations in temperature, all increase the probability of rust. Body chemistry can also be a factor, when I was younger, it seemed like I could make guns rust just by looking at them.

[red mag]

I got good results in those plastic bags inside the cardboard-boxes.
I keep most of mine with Balistol. I know not everybody likes this stuff.
Since it's a stainless steel, rust should be no problem in most climates.
hope this helps.
emerald

[STi]

carnauba wax ...I also do this with guns.

[Fred Sanford]

I personally would remove that piece of plastic. I think you can keep a SS handled knife in just as good of shape without that plastic. Plus, if you're going to hand off the knife to someone else later on, the SS does look good with a few scratches. :)

I only have a very small amount of "savers" that I have put away as to give to my daughter. Those knives are not stored in a box they are in a tin oiled up with a cotton wash cloth around each knife. I take them out every now and then and make sure they are still "OK" and put some mineral oil on them if needed. That's all I use (mineral oil).

[Eighth of Eight]

I keep all of my knives in a ziplock bag or the like in thier original boxes. From time to time I take them out and give all metal parts a thin layer of oil (I use high viscosity oil for pumps and bearings). Let it sit a minute to soak into the pores of the steel then wipe clean. I'll do this every six months or so. To store it longterm try to keep as much air away as possible. I would definitely remove the plastic. Could be a problem later on. As for the carnauba wax per STi I'm going to look into that for sure.

[tonydahose]

i'd go with the tuff cloth that Paul mentioned...you can use it on every scale i think spyderco and aftermarket have come up with (sometimes it is hard not to get it on just the metal of the knife)

another option although i have never tried it (IIRC i got the link from Kaligman) is this

http://www.rustbloc.com/VpCIemitterfaq.shtml

[MCM]

I started using Bore Stores over 10 yrs ago.
http://www.borestores.com/
Very happy with the results.
I had them make up some custom mats I fold over my knifes in this box.
2 Yrs so far, no worries. I just fold it over on 'em.
I also wipe down with Birchwood Casey Sheath every few months.
http://www.productwizard.com/birchwoodc ... 33128.html
I think thats the key, no moisture & maintain 'em every few months.
Otherwise, it would suck to open the "air tight" container in 10 yrs only to find out it didnt work........




Way back when the box wasnt overfilled.........

[FLYBYU44]

My Dad used to have an old slipjoint Scouts knife that he kept in the China cabinet. He took a clean rag and soaked it in oil, then wrapped it around the knife, then he put it in a Ziplock bag and it probably sat there for 10 years before we moved and we took it out to pack, it was still rust free then and well oiled :)

[soldier1231]

Thanks for your help guys!

[soldier1231]

I was thinking about it at work today (yeah, I was thinking about knives when I should have been working) and I remember my dad keeping these things that looked like stones in with his tools. He told me they absorbed moisture and kept the rust down.

Anyone know what they are called?

[ROBB]

MCM- I got the exact same Craftsman Tool Box that I use for my knives. You got a nice collection of MicroTech's in there. You gotta get some Spyderco's in there. :D

[Pjay]

soldier 1231, you described 'things that looked like stones' in your dad's tool, for moisture control. Probably the modern version of that is silica gel dessicant, sometimes in small vented aluminium containers, they can be 'recharged' by drying them out in an oven. I use them with guitars, and they're a simple solution, good in camera bags too.
If you have a big knife collection, I recommend a dehumidifier. The one in my guitar room keeps the relative humidity stable at 50%, so other humidity sensitive stuff stays in that room too. A few years ago some people were burying soon to be banned items (another story completely!) but a trick that they used in addition to a good coat of grease and oil was to place a small lit candle in the airtight container before sealing. The theory was that the candle would consume all the oxgygen, and no oxygen = no rust!

[MCM]

"You gotta get some Spyderco's in there."
Photos are a few yrs old.....

Thats why its now overflowing....... :D