Knife Cleaning Help

[qos]

One of the few things I have from uncrowned_king is a kukri knife. It has a blunt blade, and is more for show/symbolic than anything else.

At some point during our time together he brought it over to my house and deliberately left it on the mantle where my household altar was, as a sign of his commitment to protect both Wolfling and myself. He never retrieved it, and it's been part of my household altar ever since.

The problem is that the blade has various black and brown marks on it -- not a lot of them, but enough to be noticable, and I don't have the slightest idea how to clean it.

The other thing is that it lives in a sheath that appears to be made of wood covered in leather, and I keep wondering how good that is for the blade.

I know that several of my friends have experience with keeping blades in good order. Can you advise me on the best way to care for this one?

Thanks!

Comments

[luna24.livejournal.com]

Do you know what the blade is made of? What type of steel? It's likely that the black and brown marks could be rust. You can see if you can find a product called White Lightening, made specifically for cleaning blades. You can get it in either a spray or a cream. Working in a knife factory, I've got access to many different resources for the maintenance of knives. When any of my blades end up with bits of rust, I have the ability to "tycro" it off, using a cloth wheel on a mandrel. Which I prefer over the White Lightening as it's more effective. The side effects listed on the can are a bit disturbing. If you've got any sort of knife retail establishment where you live, they might be able to point you in the right direction. Do you have any idea of the manufacturer of the knife? It's possible they might have a warranty program. Buck has a lifetime guarantee, and will repair or clean any of their knives at no cost to the customer.

As far as the sheath, I don't see how a wood sheath would cause any damage to the blade itself, so long as no moisture is allowed in. That will cause rust which will eventually eat away at the steel.

[qos.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the suggestions, Luna. Unfortunately, I don't know what kind of metal it is.

[rocket-jockey.livejournal.com]

Actually, a wooden sheath is not the best thing for a blade - with moisture the lignin in wood acts as an acid and will promote rust. And the climate in this area, while not swimmingly humid, is noted for its moisture.

A lot of kukris are made from inexpensive steel, sometimes low-grade stainless, and some are even plated with nickel. The black and brown sounds a lot like discoloration of a stainless steel blade.

Assuming it's an unplated blade, buffing it with some polishing rouge on a cloth wheel should fairly gently remove the stained areas. After buffing, clean off the blade and lightly oil it with knife oil, then rub most of it off to leave a very light protective layer. If you store it in the sheath, remove it periodically, clean it, and oil it.

I don't have a wheel, but I'd be willing to bet that either your ex or your sister will either have one, or know where to point yo to someone who can buff the blade for you.

[qos.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I'll ask the Ex and the sister about it. Actually, now that I think about it, my brother-in-law is a warrior type who might have the tools and supplies I need.

You mention "knife oil." Where would I get some, and do you recommend a particular type?

Also, any suggestions on where I might find a better sheath for a kukri? If I was still doing SCA stuff I'm sure I could find a craftsperson, but I don't have those contacts anymore. . .

[rocket-jockey.livejournal.com]

For oil, I like Hanwei sword oil, available at many of the area's knife shops. It has a stylized Chinese pony logo on it. It's designed specifically to use as a blade protectant.

A lot of people use WD-40 as a protective coating. It's pretty easy to find.

The best protectant is synthetic sperm oil, but that's vanishingly rare.

The best storage sheaths are made of or lined with fiberglass or strong synthetic materials. Leather contains salts and tannic acids that will promote corrosion with moisture and time. Wood will do the same. The best storage is without any covering at all. The next best is a heavy, breathable fabric roll that won't trap moisture. Next come synthetic sheaths, and then wood or leather sheaths. If you store it in a sheath, you have to clean and oil the blade regularly, to keep it from rusting or discoloring.

[wendy-lady.livejournal.com]

I was gonna suggest talking to your brother-in-law!! Guaranteed that Sean knows about knives. He may even be able to tell you who made it!