How to protect knife which is a shelf queen?

[amlim]

i have a knife which i just intend to keep as a shelf queen. what i mean is that it won't be used nor edc at all. i will just keep in my drawer and every now and then take it out just to admire it. i know, i know it sounds corny but that's how i treat my c2. :laughing:

i want to make sure that the blade does not rust. what should i use for this? any other maintenance that i need to do?

many thanks in advance for your kind answers. :thanks: :bow:

 

[Unicorn]

A light coating of oil, silicone, or wax. I use Johnson's Paste wax which is a floor wax. You can also spend more for Renaissance from a knife store or online, but IMO it isn't three times better, but costs that much more. A good car wax would work too. A drop of oil on the pivot every once in a while would be a good idea too.

 

[RA40]

Some depends on your environmental conditions, humidity and/or lack there of coupled with ambient temps.

In So. Cal, I don't do much to the basic stainless blades with stable handles. They are simply cleaned and put into a Bill's custom case. Ivory handled ones all get a wipe with Renaissance wax. Damascus is wiped with a silicone impregnated cloth. Pivots get a small application of lubricant. (I haven't found one to be obviously different from mineral based to synthetic.YMMV)

If you have high humidity where ivory or wood may expand, excessive moisture can be reduced some by a desiccant pak. Lack of humidity...you could use a humidifying solution similar to how cigar smokers store their cigars. But the moment you remove it to fondle in low or high humidity conditions, it will begin to react in a matter of 10 minutes or so. You just have to ride those times out.

Ivory, wood and horn are PITA handle materials. You don't know how they may be in my experience. Of course, YMMV.

 

[xochi]

You could build an air tight chamber with a vacuum pump and a container of an inert gas. When you want to look at it just open the box when but when you're done you just activate the vacuum pump and then release some argon or whatever. But then you just might get so enamored with your handy storage box that you've got to find some way of storing IT!

This is sort of how they keep the Declaration of Independence.

 

[daloosh]

If you actually put it into a safe, note that some fireproof safes have a humidity retaining lining in them, which could accelerate rust on your knife (as well as discolor your wife's jewelry, assuming you have a wife and she has jewelry that could be discolored, like pearls).

A little oil and/or lubricant is a good way to protect the blade. ,And I think the best way to store an auto, is open, not closed against the spring.

daloosh

P.S. use your C2, it's one of my favorite torches! That said, I keep the KI in the safe. And the Sebenza.

 

[savumaki]

After lube---vacuum pack it.

I didn't lube them (just wiped clean) but I have done several coin collections that way- no air, no corrosion.

Karl

 

[BobVA]

You might check out this stuff . I haven't tried it, but I've bought a lot of knives from Russell and been pretty happy with them.

If you do try it, let us know what you think.

Cheers,
Bob

 

[SJACKAL]

If it's modern stainless steel knives that seldom get used, I wouldn't worry about rust or corrosion as long as they cleaned after use if they contact with substances like salt and wiped when contacted with sweat or stuff that contains salt. Otherwise its unlikely that stainless steel with rust or corrode just with storage unless the air itself is salty, perhap so if you live near the beach. I don't, but I still keep them in box with silica gel to absorb moisture.

I usually lighly coat my knives with either mineral gun oil or a product known as Corrosion X Marine, fishing & tackle shops carries this product; anglers use it to lubricate reels and its ball bearings and protect metals from rust, excellent product. Synthetic Engine oil used in automobiles will work too.

If your knife is used for cutting foodstuff then use olive oil or camelia oil, which are edible and even antiseptic, thats what they use on Japanese Katanas. I will avoid WD40 coz its petroluem based and might damage the plastic washers in folders, or are those washers Teflon? Anyway I don't like the smell of WD40 too.

Or if you got money to spend, then get one of those expensive Mil-tec or Sentry Solution stuff.

 

[chmsam]

The level of care and protection I give my knives depends upon how much I value them both monetarily and artistically. The "good stuff" gets the best level of treatment.

Having said that, the basics are as follows:

- get the knife clean, and then do not handle it unless you are using gloves or a clean cloth. The salt and oils from skin contact can cause rust and pitting.
- NEVER store a knife in a leather sheath since the leather tanning process might make the leather react with the blade and that might cause rusting, staining, and/or pitting.
- if the knife might be used, I will use a Sentry Soultions Tuf-Cloth to protect it. This is a dry lubricant penetrated cloth that cleans, lubes, and protects.
- if the knife is to be stored, I'll use a wax instead. Renaissance Wax is used on the "good stuff," and a little goes a long way. If it's good enough for museums and archival protection, it's good enough for me.
- knives going into storage go in a box. Archival, acid free, museum quality boxes are for the "good stuff." Keep the air and dust away.

Don't skimp on the protection and archival quality products for valuable knives (either valuable in dollars or in memories). Why? Rust and pitting are not easy to undo, and "rust never sleeps."

Try www.lightimpressionsdirect.com for archival/museum quality storage items. Get the info from the experts.

 

[was_jlh]

I second the recommendation for Sentry Tuf-Cloth. Use it on all my decent knives.

 

[amlim]

You could build an air tight chamber with a vacuum pump and a container of an inert gas. When you want to look at it just open the box when but when you're done you just activate the vacuum pump and then release some argon or whatever. But then you just might get so enamored with your handy storage box that you've got to find some way of storing IT!

This is sort of how they keep the Declaration of Independence.

wow !!! thats totally hardcore. :naughty:

 

[amlim]

If you actually put it into a safe, note that some fireproof safes have a humidity retaining lining in them, which could accelerate rust on your knife (as well as discolor your wife's jewelry, assuming you have a wife and she has jewelry that could be discolored, like pearls).

A little oil and/or lubricant is a good way to protect the blade. ,And I think the best way to store an auto, is open, not closed against the spring.

daloosh

P.S. use your C2, it's one of my favorite torches! That said, I keep the KI in the safe. And the Sebenza.

my c2 is my fav. its a shelf queen. i have only used it to shine in the dark a few times with my little daughter. she loves it !!! i even taught her to say "surefire", scorpion when she was about 4. hahahaha..... thanks.:thanks:

 

[amlim]

After lube---vacuum pack it.

I didn't lube them (just wiped clean) but I have done several coin collections that way- no air, no corrosion.

Karl

sorry for the dumb question. how to vacuum pack it? thanks.

 

[amlim]

I second the recommendation for Sentry Tuf-Cloth. Use it on all my decent knives.

i read about tuf-cloth. is denatured alcohol considered mineral spirits? from what i read, you need to use tuf glide to "renew" the cloth, right? thanks.

 

[amlim]

If it's modern stainless steel knives that seldom get used, I wouldn't worry about rust or corrosion as long as they cleaned after use if they contact with substances like salt and wiped when contacted with sweat or stuff that contains salt. Otherwise its unlikely that stainless steel with rust or corrode just with storage unless the air itself is salty, perhap so if you live near the beach. I don't, but I still keep them in box with silica gel to absorb moisture.

I usually lighly coat my knives with either mineral gun oil or a product known as Corrosion X Marine, fishing & tackle shops carries this product; anglers use it to lubricate reels and its ball bearings and protect metals from rust, excellent product. Synthetic Engine oil used in automobiles will work too.

If your knife is used for cutting foodstuff then use olive oil or camelia oil, which are edible and even antiseptic, thats what they use on Japanese Katanas. I will avoid WD40 coz its petroluem based and might damage the plastic washers in folders, or are those washers Teflon? Anyway I don't like the smell of WD40 too.

Or if you got money to spend, then get one of those expensive Mil-tec or Sentry Solution stuff.

how much is corrosion x? where to find gun oil in singapore? i agree sentry solution stuff seems ex. is it available in singapore?

 

[amlim]

can i use silicone grease ? thanks.

 

[Unicorn]

Silicone grease would probably work fine. I'd suggest some sort of paste wax though. Any car wax should work just as well.

 

[Kris]

I am just curious, why do you want anything to be a shelf queen?

I know how it is, I used to collect stuff and wanted to keep things in perfect condition. I used to collect flashlights, watches, pens, guitars, guns. One day I got a gift from my wife, it was a new Omas T2 fountain pen. I kept it in the box it came in and never really used it until one day when we were talking and she asked me why I never used it? I told her that there were only 750 of them made and I wanted to keep it in perfect condition to pass down to our children. She then tought me a lesson that I had forgotten. She told me that if my children seen that it was kept in a box and never used, it would just be something of value that could be sold. But if they remember me sitting at my desk and writing with the pen, it would become priceless to them. Then I remembered the knife I had from my grandfather, it is old and worn and not worth anything but to me it is priceless because everytime I look at it I can remember him using it.

As for collecting stuff, I quit collecting things. This does not mean I quit buying all the things I used to collect, it just means that I now enjoy and use everything.

(I still try to keep them in the best shape I can. I just use them now, life is too short not to enjoy the stuff you like).

Sorry to get off the topic of the thread, everyone here seems to have good advice.

 

[SJACKAL]

Good point Kris, I was like you in the past too, I didn't wear my favourite watch, kept my favourite lights in box, and didn't even remove packaging tags and stuff from some items, because I wanted to keep them in new condition like a treasure or something. After a while I realised that if I am wasting my money and time for not using them.

Nonethelessly I do have some items that are meant to be "collected" and kept NIB in my drawer. And when it comes to knives, we don't get to use them much here in a urban city with strict laws, unless you are in the military.

Amlim,

Corrosion X Marine, I guess 10 over dollars for a big bottle? Our local Navy uses it too. For gun oil, perhaps you can try Sngarms at the army market or Caesars Gun Galley at Suntec city. Or can bring a small bottle and ask nicely for some from the range during ICT?

For Mil-tec, tuffglide and Sentry Solutions etc, can just buy from webstores online, or could get Sheares to indent for you.

Good luck.

 

[Unicorn]

Don't bother using Militec-1 (it's not Mil-tec, I don't know why people insist on spelling it that way. I've seen people do it even after posting the Militec website.) for corrosion protection. I've found it to provide almost zero corrosion protection. That claim of theirs to be an excellant corrosion inhibitor is pure hype. There was a test where where a guy applied various oils to nails then sprayed them with salt water over a few days and recorded the results. The Militec-1 was one of the worst. It's good lube, but a terrible corrosion protectant. Sort of the opposite of WD-40, a good corrosion inhibitor, but a terrible lube.