Knife Care

About knife care:

All of my knives are made from carbon steel and carbon steel alloys. In this day and age where stainless steels are so prevalent, many people still like carbon steel knives for their ease of sharpening. Since the blades are not stainless steel, a little extra care is necessary to keep them looking their best. When I hand wash one of my knives, I rinse it in very hot water and hand dry it immediately. The hot water warms the blade and helps dry it better than simply hand drying it. A light coating of oil or wax helps protect the blade between uses.

If they do tarnish, there is a product called Flitz which does a very good job at removing tarnish and protecting the blade. There may be other products that will also remove tarnish. For anything you use, remember to follow the manufacturers suggestions and wash your knife blade with dish soap and water prior to using them on food.

Also note that many finished leathers are acidic, so it is best not to store your carbon steel knife in a leather sheath for extended periods, especially if it is wet or in a high humidity environment. My hunting knife may reside in it's sheath for the hunting season, but is cleaned, waxed, and stored separately between seasons.

Last but not least, a handmade carbon steel knife should not be run in the dishwasher! It is not good for the blade, nor is it good for the wood handle!