How do you clean your traditional folder?

A

adubbz

Joined
Nov 24, 2011
Messages
186
I'm just getting into more traditional folders. I love using them as my EDC now, and no one ever gives me weird looks. These are likely the same style of knives their dads and grandpas have been using for ever.

My new question I have is...how do you clean them? Or do you even bother?

With my modern more tactical style folding knives, I have just remove the pivot screw and take everything apart to clean it. These are all one peice with pinned in handles and everything.

How do you go about cleaning it? Mud, blood, grime of all sorts. Some of you say you use them on the farm and such, so they must get filthy.
 
I wipe my knives down after use, and if they are really grungy (amazing how much crud a knife collects in your pocket...) I run them under hot water while working the action.

I then blow them out with compressed air to dry and then a drop of oil on the pivot(s) and all done.

Ready for another round of traditional cutting fun!

best

mqqn
 
If it's just some pocket lint or dust, I tear out a paper match from the book, and use the ragged torn end to just wipe out between the liners and around the tang.

If it's gotten really filthy, like after cleaning some pan fish, I' swish it around in the creek or lake, and give it a good washing when I get home. Some dawn dish detergent and an old toothbrush does nice under some running very warm water. When it's dry, a drop or two of Hoppies gun oil, 3-in-1, or in an emergency a drop off the car dipstick will do. In a pinch, just about anything will do until something better comes along. I've even used a drop of cooking oil on a match end when visiting down south once.

Slip joints ain't rocket science, it don't take much to keep them running for a few decades. :D

Carl.
 
If really grungy, it's warm soapy water and then blow it out with an air compressor is the most ideal method. And yes oil the joints. I wipe oil on the steel parts after exposure to water, then wipe off the excess oil with a rag.

But generally I just give the blade a quick wipe after each use and close it. Maybe once a week wipe it down with an oily rag and wipe off the excess is my routine maintenance.
 
haha...Thanks for the responses guys. I just got my first. A cheapo yella' Case Stockman. It's a little gritty in the action...so should I wash it out then drop some oil in there?
 
I would open each blade (one at a time) about 70 degrees (back spring highest point) put a couple of drops of oil in the gap and open and close the blade a few times (wrap the blade in paper to avoid slicing your fingers) to work the gunk out (you will see black crud, just wipe it off). That should take care of the grit. Steven
 
I use my traditional knives in nearly any enviroment that can be imagined.

In the office, on the building lot, while making firewood, while sitting on my couch and drinking beer etc etc etc...

It´s always "interessting" to see what is hidden the liners, at oiled pivots...! Mostly dust, wood chips, or any other dirt.

When I have the time, I put the knife into an ultra-sound-bath my Better Half uses to clean her glasses. What comes out there is somehow - let´s call it interessting ;)

This is a procedere I use to do on sunday morning and noon when I have nothing to do - mostly with sharping the blades. After that spa-treatment I let them dry and oil the joints (and sometimes the blades).
 
Brake parts cleaner works great. It works good because it evaporate.
 
Do you just let it air dry? That's okay to do?

Humppa said:
I use my traditional knives in nearly any enviroment that can be imagined.

In the office, on the building lot, while making firewood, while sitting on my couch and drinking beer etc etc etc...

It´s always "interessting" to see what is hidden the liners, at oiled pivots...! Mostly dust, wood chips, or any other dirt.

When I have the time, I put the knife into an ultra-sound-bath my Better Half uses to clean her glasses. What comes out there is somehow - let´s call it interessting ;)

This is a procedere I use to do on sunday morning and noon when I have nothing to do - mostly with sharping the blades. After that spa-treatment I let them dry and oil the joints (and sometimes the blades).
Click to expand...
 
If there really gunked up I use dish soap and warm running water, with a toothbrush to scrub down inside. Then I blow it out with compressed air (I have a compressor but I would imagine that canned air would work) to get it as dry as possible. apply some oil to the joints and i'm off and running. If i'm just cleaning up patina I use Flitz to shine it back up.
 
I use kitchen towel paper or bits of newspaper to dry them with.
pretty much all of the above is also what I do with the exception of (apology in advance to the people of Germany) Andi's USB(ultra sound bath) which is just too high tech sounding for me.
Actually it reminded me of this @ 2.06 . [video=youtube;qenzQaXM6Pw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=qenzQaXM6Pw[/video]
Be careful. The laughter may exascerbate any hernia type injuries.
cheers
 
I usually clean with hot water and dish soap when I first get a new knife. Drop of mineral oil in the joint and that's it. For pocket lint, fruit juice, or sandwich condiments I normally shove an alcohol swab in the liners and then use a toothpick to drag it back and forth. Repeat until swab is not dirty. Then I dry it out with a piece of gauze.
 
All my knives get hit with compressed air occasionally, and when I get the blade dirty I clean it off with soap and water or an alcohol wipe. You will be surprised how good a quality alcohol wipe will clean up things if you never used one. Just be careful on what you use it on.
 
jackknife said:
If it's just some pocket lint or dust, I tear out a paper match from the book, and use the ragged torn end to just wipe out between the liners and around the tang.

If it's gotten really filthy, like after cleaning some pan fish, I' swish it around in the creek or lake, and give it a good washing when I get home. Some dawn dish detergent and an old toothbrush does nice under some running very warm water. When it's dry, a drop or two of Hoppies gun oil, 3-in-1, or in an emergency a drop off the car dipstick will do. In a pinch, just about anything will do until something better comes along. I've even used a drop of cooking oil on a match end when visiting down south once.

Slip joints ain't rocket science, it don't take much to keep them running for a few decades. :D

Carl.
Click to expand...

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Perfect! The only other thing I do is use the same knife to whittle small toothpick type tool if I have something dried that is too stubborn to come out of the of the liners or springs.

Robert
 
All of the above, but at times have just rinsed them out and used sharp puffs of air from my mouth to drive water out of the pivot and wells and dried them with a shirt tail or on my pant leg ...
 
Dish soap and a tooth brush, rinse in hot water and oil when dry. If it gets really bad, like when I'm using it while working on the truck, I've been known to throw it in the parts washer.
 
Water, toothbrush or Qtip. Hairdryer then WD-40 in the pivot. From there I use mineral oil on the joint as required.
 
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