[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

How do YOU do it - just basic cleaning & lubing of folding knives to clear out pocket lint, and keep them opening smoothly?

[offroaddiver]

Qtips and nonwaxed unflavored floss work wonders on swiss army knives. Other knives like my m16 CRKT I can take apart to the point that i can clean it thuroughly. However... most of the time it's a qtip and a round of sharpening.
As long as it opens sensibly smooth no need in over doing it.

[xm21]

On my pocket knives with carbon steel blades like my old Case stockman with the 8 dots,I've always flushed it out with hot water and used a toothpick to dig the crud out and then sprayed it out with WD-40.The only "modern" folder I own is a Spyderco Caly3 and it has a VG-10 blade that is stainless,I clean it the same way but put a little Tetra gun grease on the pivot.I had some stuff a few years ago called White Lightnin' that was made for pocket knives,it had a wax that was left after the liquid carrier evaporated that was said to "emulsify" dirt in the pivot and it worked O K too.Oh,I only use the hot water and lube if it has been used on a critter or food,otherwise I just use a toothpick to loosen the lint and blow it out.And I never use polish on a carbon blade to keep it shiny,I prefer the patina that is gained after use.(never put on the fast way with coca cola,mustard,grape juice,etc.)

[moxie]

If it's dirty, use some soap and water and dry well. Put a drop of whatever oil is handy on the pivot. If it's not stainless, then apply some kind of rust preventative lightly to the blade, like whatever oil is handy. Even plain old mineral oil works fine for both uses.

[PTK]

I clean my knives with soap and water and then on the I oil/lube them with mineral oil. Most of my knives are also used for food prep, so I can't use other oils. :)

[hso]

I don't seem to have any problem with pocket lint or cleaning/lubing.

[Valkman]

I can't say I've ever cleaned and lubed a folder. But like sm says, knifemakers are the worst at keeping up their own stuff! I don't even sharpen until I really have too. :)

[conwict]

My case sodbuster jr, which gets used for EVERYTHING (opening packages, cutting raw meat, cutting food as I eat it, food prep, eating fruit) and pocket carried daily gathers quite a bit of dirt, some of which may be lint. The dirt is pretty gross, kind of a soddy looking brownish black that collects in the joint and the farthest reaches of the scales.

Since you can't get the knife apart without a tap, and possibly not even then, I have devised a pretty good way to get it totally spic and span.

First I soap (if necessary) everything, then run it under scalding water.

Then I dry it off and sharpen it as much as it needs (sometimes, even though it doesn't absolutely require this much sharpening, I sharpen until the edge takes a very shiny look)

(If I am not doing a 100% job I'll just rub a LIGHT coat of oil on it here, and drip a little down into the joint and that's it)

Then I usually rinse some more, letting the hot h2o flow through the joint at different degrees of openness, etc.

Then I double a paper towel and really rub the inside, where the nasty soddy dirt accumulates...then I'll put some Mother's polish and polish the brass inside the scales, the brass on the outside of the knife, the chrome, etc.

Then...and here's the final touch...I take some compressed air keyboard cleaner and spray the air all in the joint, inside the scales, and even on the blade. It gets moisture off completely and gunk breaks off like you wouldn't believe.

Then I strop lightly, put a light coat of oil on the blade and in the joint, and call it a day.

[dagger dog]

Aerosol brake cleaner with the little wand in place will blast out most of the crud that gathers in the folders.

If you have a "plastic" handle test a little area to see if it will melt the "plastic",Zytel, and other types of "plastic" used in a lot of modern folders is impervious to just about any chemical, but some cheaper knives could use styrene or some other type that the brake clean could damage.

Then compressed air to evaporate any traces of the brake cleaner and blast out any debris that was not disloged by the brake cleaner.

Then a good shot of WD40 on the scales and blade paying special attention to the hinge and blade lock areas .

Then another good blast of compressed air to remove any excess WD, and finally buffing with a soft felt or flannel rag.

If you have a lot of natural material scales , bone, horn, antler,leather etc I forgo the WD and use a aerosol silicone.
Even most natural material if sprayed with the brake cleaner and dried immediatley, does not seem to suffer any harm, but if it is painted or rubber that could case some damage.

[bikerdoc]

atf fluid and a blast of compressed air once a year wether it needs it or not.

[conwict]

What's atf fluid? Does that make your guns disappear and reappear in a federal armory? :neener:

[bikerdoc]

Automatic transmission fluid:D

[wheelgunslinger]

Hot water, soap, and 3 in 1 oil most times.
Hardcore crud gets brakleen.

Pocket folders I eat with get lubed with non-toxic oils.

[conwict]

wheelgun, same here...3-in-1 makes a terrible condiment though if you slip up...

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

What's atf fluid? Does that make your guns disappear and reappear in a federal armory?

Hee hee. :D

[DAVIDSDIVAD]

I use a pump BB-gun to blow out the dust.
I just make sure the chamber is empty, pump it a bunch, and then blow out the dust and dirt.

works great!


That compressed air is too expensive!