Best way to clean a scabbard?

[kamagong]

With all the thousands of threads in this forum and the archives there hasn't been one that has addressed the various ways of cleaning the inside of the scabbard. The reason why I've I'm wondering is because of my BAS, my first. When I first got it, I followed the recommendation to use peanut oil as a protectant. The oil became gummy though, forcing me to switch to mineral oil. However, there must be some old peanut oil left in the scabbard because whenever I take out my BAS to re-oil it, I inevitably find discoloration in the same spot at the front of the blade. So how would you go about cleaning the inside of your scabbards? Any tricks?

 

[Josh Feltman]

Good question. I haven't had to clean any of mine yet. Hopefully somebody here knows the answer.
--Josh

 

[firkin]

How 'bout the venerable "rag on a stick" technique?

Otherwis known as the BIG Q-tip?

 

[wildmanh]

Originally posted by firkin
How 'bout the venerable "rag on a stick" technique?

Otherwis known as the BIG Q-tip?

Dito what Firkin said.

 

[Semper Fi]

Throw it in your washing machine along with a 1/4 cup of laundry detergent and set the cycle on "hot, medium water level", fast spin.

Then call Terry Sisco and order one of his very nice sheaths.

 

[Yvsa]

I used olive oil at the beginning, worked quite well 'til it turned rancid.
I kept sprying the inside of the scabbard with a food grade silicon spray. It took awhile, but it finally lost its stickyness. I use nothing but Ballistol-Lube now and am very happy.
The B-L is also good for the outside of the scabbard along with a little kiwi now and then if you're using it roughly.
The B-L is also good for the blade protection and the wood or horn handles, at least in my experience. YMMV.

You can find it at http://www.Ballistol.com

 

[Kismet]

I haven't had to do it yet, but what do you clean wood with?

Spray wood cleaner and waxer stuff? Hot water and suds on the GIANT Q-Tip?

dunno. But it IS wood.

 

[Federico]

The best way to clean the inside of the scabbard would ideally be to open er up, and then wash the wood, and then scrape out anything that may have rotted out. Now that would be ideal, but puttin er back together is another problem The stick an cloth method may be the least damagin, way to clean er out, but Ive never been happy with the results myself. At best with the stick an cloth method you can get whats on the surface, but the gunk thats worked its way into the wood is in there. Maybe stick and steel wool could help rough out the junk? Ive used metal coat hangers, to scrape the inside a bit, but again the results are never all that great. Good luck, and Semp is right, theres always the Sarki Shop.

 

[firkin]

Well, it's gonna depend on how rough the wood is inside.

But least-damaging is a good place to start.

If things are really rough inside, I'd opt for 3M pads or sandpaper glued to the stick. Steel wool will break off little pieces and that stuff rusts faster than anything I know due to the high surface area. You can light the stuff on fire with a cigarette lighter or a magnifying glass. I'd think it would be a rust-promoter inside a scabbard.

As far as chemicals go, I'd think a bit of the Murphy's vegetable-oil based soap without dilution with water would be the way to go.

But I haven't had to do this either, so what do I know????

 

[Pappy]

I've only cleaned one of mine on the inside, out of necessity. The inside of my 16.5 WWII got some cedar sap in it during a limbing of some trees that I had cut down.
From cleaning the blade I knew that paint thinner nor mineral spirits were as effective as plain rubbing alcohol. I glued some thin foam to a thin stick of wood and cleaned with the alcohol and then used a bit of the Mruphy's oil soap with the other end of the stick I wiped out the inside with some damp rags to get rid of the excess soap. Then dried the scabbard in from of a fan to dry it quickly.

If you have some wood around the place cut a piece to go inside the scabbard so it will not shrink up and make it hard to get the knife in and out worse that the dirt. It worked for me is all I can say.