7 Surefire tips for maintaining and protecting the best pocket knife

Handmade knives are tools that deserve special care so that they always maintain their efficiency and durability. It is important to understand that each type of knife is designed for a particular type of work, a bowie knife will never have a "glide" performance when slicing vegetables like a Chef's knife. On the other hand, a chef's knife will not be suitable for cutting a piece of wood.

Therefore, to ensure the quality of the best pocket knife and avoid the process of wear of these blades, special care is necessary, simple to be done and that make all the difference. Check below some tips to take better care of your blades, according to their material of manufacture

GENERAL CARE of the best pocket knife

1. Respect the function for which your blade was developed. Never use a knife as a lever, hammer or machete, for example, as this can cause the blade to break or the wire to wear.

2. When the knife is used regularly in the kitchen or on the barbecue, do not use abrasive sponges, use your own hand, water and neutral detergent, drying it immediately afterwards, as water in prolonged contact with the knife will accelerate the oxidation process. NEVER leave your knife wet or damp.

3. The handles are also very important parts of the knives, the wooden ones deserve more attention. Clean them frequently and apply a layer of oil, such as olive oil, mineral oil, or other types of natural greases to help "hydrate" the cable.

Do not use silicone-based oils on the blades and sheaths as they can cause problems with oxidation of the steel and damage to the leather of the sheaths.

4. Keep your knife sharp, as a blunt knife requires more cutting power, which increases the risk of accidents.

5. Never cut on a glass, ceramic, tableware, marble sink, steel or glass board. These materials are harder than steel and will end up with the wire, requiring the use of flame, stone, sandpaper or other abrasive tool to regrind or reset the wire.

6. Foods with high acidity (lemons, oranges, pineapples and others) will speed up the oxidation process of your knife, so quickly sanitize your knife after use with these types of foods.

7. Use a few drops of Kobus Craft Knife Guard after sanitizing your knife, to create a film on the surface that will protect against oxidation.

SPECIFIC CARE FOR EACH STEEL

Whoever buys or manufactures carbon steel knives, knows that they are acquiring a high quality blade with great resistance. However, because they do not have high percentages of chromium and nickel, as in stainless steel, the blades made of carbon steel undergo a natural oxidation process, losing a little their aesthetic potential, maintaining, however, their strength.

Cares like never keeping the best pocket knife dirty, keeping the knife dry, avoid touching the blade, avoid storing the knife in the sheath for a long time (because tanned leather tends to oxidize the blade). For heavy cleaning, remove the oxidation layer with the green side of the kitchen sponge and for storage, keep the blades soaked, preferably in Singer oil, WD40, or even olive oil, petroleum jelly and other greases of the type that are always accessible.

Damask steel and Phosphatized carbon steel are more susceptible to scratches on the green side of the sponge, which will gradually remove the disclosure of the damask pattern (the design), as well as the black color of phosphating as well. Do not use abrasive materials to clean these knives.