It cuts. It cuts again. And again, and again, and again. It does all the hard work for you, without a single complaint. Some would argue this is because custom knives can’t talk, “they’re just knives, Bo, stop being weird.”
Those are just the naysayers, and your custom knife has needs. Believe me, if they could communicate with us, your knife sure as hell would be telling you it needs some tender love and care every now and again.
Luckily, the care your tough-as-nails custom knife is fairly simple and straightforward! This applies to all knives, even (although, if you don’t own a custom knife you should really check out this article and get on the right team already). The most important thing you can do when it comes to custom knife care is easy: oil. Properly oiling your knives might be the most important thing you can do to maintain them. It keeps the blade shiny, it keeps mechanisms moving effectively, and it prevents almost any corrosion issues over time. Custom knife oil is the cheapest and most effective way to show your knife you deeply appreciate how well it performs, or at least thats what my knives tell me.
For brevity’s sake, I will stick to the importance and utilization of custom knife oil. When it comes to custom knife oil, you have a litany of options but some considerations should be kept in mind. Chiefly, if you are using your custom knife for food preparation or game dressing then you will want to avoid oils that contain petroleum distillates, as those might continue your tomatoes (say it ain’t so…). Here at BWU Forge Team HQ, our primary recommendation for custom knife oil is a nice mix of white mineral and camellia oil. These food-safe oils mix well and provide a high degree of protection and longevity to your blade when regularly applied.
How to Oil Your Knife
Good question, which you definitely asked. Since the vast majority of custom knives are fixed blade, let’s focus on how you can apply custom knife oil effectively and how often. Understand all these tips apply to folding knives as well, just make sure to give the mechanics a drop or two as well.
1) If your knife need cleaning, hand wash with war, soapy water and dry with a soft towel. Avoid abrasive sponges or the dishwasher as this may cause unnecessary damage to your currently comfortable blade on its spa day.
2) Take your custom knife oil and apply a pea-sized and evenly distribute from spine to edge in an even, thin layer. Using a non-absorbent rag or towel will help prevent a finger bite (or have band-aids nearby, either or).
3) Using the same non-absorbent rag/towel, gently wipe excess oil from the blade. No need to scrub it bone-dry, we want to keep some oil on the blade to soak into the metal pores and do its job. Once the excess is removed, slide your knife back into its sheath or holder.
Boom, just like that, your knife maintenance for the day is complete.
Your custom knife is going to be around for life; that is how they are designed. Many of them could go without maintenance for awhile, but you’re risking the sturdiness and durability of your tool without this simple method of custom knife care. The only tough part should be choosing the proper custom knife oil to treat your blade to; and boy, do we have a surprise for you all…
Stay posted on our social media and Forging Corner newsletter for some exciting holiday news! We will be announcing details of a custom knife giveaway and a huge announcement in the coming week!!
