# Knife Care **URL:** \ **Category:** Knives\ **Created:** [April 4, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010 "2019-04-04T19:53:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dawn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/dawn/32/24_2.png) [@Dawn](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Dawn)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/1 "2019-04-04T19:53:21Z")
We’ve had a few topics about knives already and I was wondering, how often do you all sharpen your knives? Do they need regular cleaning like a firearm? ---
**Author:** ![James](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/james/32/639_2.png) [@James](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/James)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 8:10pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/2 "2019-04-04T20:10:18Z")
Oh boy, I oil them when they don’t open snappy enough, and I sharpen on my 2x72 belt grinder with 120, 400, and 1500 grit belts everytime they get too dull to shave hair (I have a 1940s style pinup girl tattooed on my left forearm that has no hair on her arms or legs 😂). I also have used the Work Sharp belt system and that’s super handy as well. I also check to see if the knife has a decent heat treat when I first get it as well. That is generally batoning my knife into antler, trying to shave metal, then slicing paper. That let’s you know really quick if your knife can handle a survival situation. ---
**Author:** ![Dawn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/dawn/32/24_2.png) [@Dawn](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Dawn)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 8:16pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/3 "2019-04-04T20:16:21Z")
I love the “test” idea @James, do you only do that when you get the knife or every so often to ensure it continues to preform well? ---
**Author:** ![James](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/james/32/639_2.png) [@James](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/James)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 8:21pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/4 "2019-04-04T20:21:23Z")
Just when I get it. I wouldn’t recommend doing it on knives with steel types that are questionable or unlisted. This is my 2x72 belt grinder that I sharpen on. ![20190404_151849](https://cdck-file-uploads-us1.s3.dualstack.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/flex015/uploads/dd_dev/original/1X/fbd29b7d35cd4c5b9df75cc21c502861a8814fa5.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![ChrisH](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/chrish/32/917_2.png) [@ChrisH](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/ChrisH)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 8:41pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/5 "2019-04-04T20:41:12Z")
I keep mine as sterile/clean as I can. Mine are a pretty heavy use item, from cutting apples to using it at work or wherever. Had my latest one 6 months and not had to sharpen it yet. As long as it shaves hair off my hand or shaves paper, I figure its sharp enough. ---
**Author:** ![Zee](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/zee/32/705_2.png) [@Zee](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Zee)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 1:15am UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/6 "2019-04-05T01:15:33Z")
oiling - no. Sharpening - as soon as it doesn’t do what I expect it to. Or any time I’m in BassPro. ---
**Author:** ![James](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/james/32/639_2.png) [@James](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/James)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 1:27am UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/7 "2019-04-05T01:27:05Z")
If it’s regular high carbon you need to use mineral oil, and to keep the bushings or on a folder decent, you should oil folders. I just use mineral oil. ---
**Author:** ![Zee](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/zee/32/705_2.png) [@Zee](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Zee)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2019, 3:05pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/8 "2019-04-09T15:05:10Z")
ok, y’all have convinced me 🙂 gonna go oil my knife 😃 ---
**Author:** ![James](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/james/32/639_2.png) [@James](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/James)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2019, 4:35pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/9 "2019-04-09T16:35:42Z")
It doesn’t have to be a lot, but even after a few drops you’ll be saying to yourself "ahhhhhh, so this is what that knife weirdo in the community was talking about when he wrote ‘snappy’."😂 ---
**Author:** ![Paul1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/paul1/32/13244_2.png) [@Paul1](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Paul1)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 7:35pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/10 "2019-04-26T19:35:50Z")
WD-40? That’s what I use when I sharpen and also just to lubricate. ---
**Author:** ![James](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/james/32/639_2.png) [@James](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/James)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 2:57pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/11 "2019-04-28T14:57:26Z")
Yeah it’s good. Mineral oil makes it food safe though. ---
**Author:** ![Paul1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/paul1/32/13244_2.png) [@Paul1](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Paul1)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 11:29am UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/12 "2019-04-29T11:29:44Z")
Thanks James! Given everything else I use my knife for, I wouldn’t feel comfortable using it on food anyway! ---
**Author:** ![WildRose](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/wildrose/32/2022_2.png) [@WildRose](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/WildRose)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 7:33pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/13 "2019-06-27T19:33:00Z")
Wash the blood off, keep them out of the dirt. Lube lightly as needed. For sharpening, most people have zero skills so something like this is a Godsend. > **[Cutlery - Sport & Outdoor - Shop](https://north40.com/shop/sport-outdoor/cutlery)** > > When it comes to shopping for Cutlery, North 40 Outfitters is your one stop solution center providing products made for the Northwest. Use sparingly. If you can feel a good edge all you need to use is the fine side. If the edge is gone, start with the course side. Usually no more than ten relatively gentle strokes/passes on the course side followed by 20-30 max on the fine side will get you a near “razor’s edge”. Just use enough pressure to maintain consistent contact. Too much just dulls it worse, ruins the edge, and you end up wasting a lot of time and effort and end up with a dull knife or having to pay someone to sharpen it for you. I have tons of professional stones, hones, and steels, but that’s what I carry in the field and always have one in my vehicles just in case. Never use your SD knife for an all around tool either to protect the edge. I learned to sharpen knives as a kid because my dad cult turn one into flat iron in nothing flat so he had to pay our barber 10.00 each to keep them sharp for hunting trips. He paid me 5.00 instead once I learned. 😀 I’m no blade smith but out of necessity I had to learn the basics. Oh, an easy way to determine if you have a good edge to start with is to look at it under a bright light, a good edge reflects little or no light back to your eye while a rolled or flattened/worn edge does. Thank you Granddaddy Steve for teaching me that! I miss him. ---
**Author:** ![45IPAC](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/45ipac/32/2855_2.png) [@45IPAC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/45IPAC)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 6:33pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/14 "2019-07-15T18:33:15Z")
I keep a pocket sharpener next to my recliner. If I’ve been hard on a blade that week, I’ll give it a few pulls through the sharpener. ---
**Author:** ![WildRose](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/wildrose/32/2022_2.png) [@WildRose](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/WildRose)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 9:31pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/15 "2019-07-15T21:31:27Z")
Same here, I however don’t use my EDC/SD knife as a working knife because I want to protect both the tip and the edge so that if I must use it, it will always be in peak condition to do so. ---
**Author:** ![45IPAC](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/45ipac/32/2855_2.png) [@45IPAC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/45IPAC)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 9:56pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/16 "2019-07-15T21:56:07Z")
I’m the same. I have regular lock blade knives for working, and assisted opening knives for carry. ---
**Author:** ![WildRose](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/wildrose/32/2022_2.png) [@WildRose](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/WildRose)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 9:58pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/17 "2019-07-15T21:58:40Z")
Same here as well as some small fixed blades for SD which I’m even more in favor of since I’m generally of the K.I.S.S philosophy when it comes to self defense. ---
**Author:** ![pralfred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/pralfred/32/26938_2.png) [@pralfred](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/pralfred)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2019, 4:08pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/18 "2019-08-10T16:08:56Z")
I usually sharpen my own knives. My father taught me and it was one of the things we did together a lot when I was growing up. I keep a set of Japanese waterstones for my (Japanese) kitchen knives, but I have so far only used an oilstone set with my EDC. I’ve been experimenting with various small pocket knives on my waterstones though and I’m liking the results. ---
**Author:** ![Matt\_W](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b77776/32.png) [@Matt\_W](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Matt_W)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2020, 3:34am UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/19 "2020-09-06T03:34:16Z")
Just finished a new carry knife for the field. I’m going to make a mini of it for EDC. Thought y’all would enjoy… ![20200904_165916](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/dd_dev/original/3X/a/7/a7fb910f8ea4a623849840ff2fa0e8ad7f115ed5.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![deactivated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@deactivated](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/deactivated)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2024, 3:56am UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010/20 "2024-03-06T03:56:47Z")
Over the years, I have collected quite a few different knives, I think each for specific needs. If “in a pinch” and nor at home; I can sharpen em on the bottom of a ceramic coffee mug if it’s a cheap brand cup, or on some stones I find in the woods. I heard that one can sharpen em on the very top edge of car windows, but I’ve not tried it yet; And fine sharpening them on the smooth side of old leather belts - such as if you got one you no longer wear, maybe keep in the car or tool shed/box. IDK. I like to wipe the “blade” with peroxide or alcohol, just in case I would accidentally cut my hand. I don’t like the smell or staining of some lubricants. I find that either baby oil or petroleum jelly does the trick without the stink. [Next page](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/knife-care/1010.md?page=2)