Monday, May 10, 2010

Taking Care Of Your Knife

By Blake Benson

Have you recently purchased a new knife? Perhaps you are wondering why your old knives are not looking as good as they once did, or not lasting as long as they should. Proper care and maintenance of Bowie knives is very important. What steps should you follow to ensure that your knife lasts as long as possible? Actually, there are numerous steps that you should follow to ensure that your knife looks great and holds up to hard use.

Clean Rust Immediately: Rust might not form immediately on Bowie knives, particularly if you have a knife made from high quality steel. However, if you let the blade come into prolonged contact with water, rust will certainly form. Obviously, the key is to keep your blade dry at all times. However, knowing how to remove rust spots if and when they form is also important. You will find numerous chemicals on the market that can take rust off, but you can also use natural options, such as white vinegar, onions and even potatoes for the purpose.

Bowie knives need to have their blades taken care of properly. There are numerous different oils you can use to coat your blade, and you should. Oil displaces moisture on the blade and protects it from rust. You should keep your knife in your sheath, when possible, but not with a dry blade. Remember never to store your knife in a damp area or in an area where there are solvents which attack metal or the materials used on the handle and other parts of the knife, including the sheath.

Bowie knives should be kept sharp. Of course, you can always sharpen a dull blade, but there is good reason to keep your blade as sharp as possible: it reminds you to take care of your knife. The idea is the same as having soldiers clean their guns frequently, even when they're not shooting. You can rely on a knife you've inspected, but not one that's been laying in a drawer for a year before you next use it. In fact, that is the single best way to end up with a rusty blade.

Make sure any Bowie knives you own are not exposed to chemicals during use. If you find yourself hesitating about using your knife before undertaking a tough job, find a different tool. You don't need to ruin a good knife.

About the Author:

No comments:

Post a Comment