How to care for your carbon steel knife letter

Jesse Smith

Jesse Smith

Joined
Dec 2, 2013
Messages
163
I know I've seen in the last couple years at least one person post a pre-written letter that they ship with their carbon steel blades to tell their customers how to care for them. But my Google Foo is failing me. Does anyone have a link, or a letter that you ship with your carbon steel blades, that you wouldn't mind sharing for folks to use as a starting point on making their own instructions letter?
 
Here you go:

Knife Type - Santoku

Blade Material – Hitachi Blue #2 steel

Handle Material - Snakeskin Sycamore

Made in 2017, by Stacy E. Apelt – Bladesmith


Simple and Clear Warranty:

You do your part - Hand wash after use and dry. Do not put in dishwasher. Use for cutting vegetables, meats, and fish.
Don’t use as a pry bar or screwdriver.
Treated right it should last for decades.

The blade is high carbon steel and will rust if left wet or exposed to food acids and not cleaned. After washing, dry well and place in a safe place where it will not get wet or splashed on. A light oiling with vegetable oil will aid in keeping the blade rust free. If any light rust or spots form on the blade, it can be removed with a Scotch-Brite pad or 4/0 steel wool. DO NOT sand blade with sandpaper to remove rust.

A natural darkening of the steel, called patina, will form on the blade over time. This is an oxide layer that protects the blade from rust and spotting. It can be hastened by rubbing mustard or lemon juice on the blade and letting it sit for half an hour. Repeat as needed to get a darkened blade. Wash off well and dry, then oil.

I’ll do my part –
If the blade dulls with use, I will re-sharpen it.
If the handle ever needs re-finishing due to wear, I will gladly sand and re-buff it.
If the edge gets nicked due to accident, I will restore the edge.
If the blade or handle breaks due to normal use, I will replace or repair the knife.


___________________________________________Date______________
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Here you go:

Knife Type - Santoku

Blade Material – Hitachi Blue #2 steel

Handle Material - Snakeskin Sycamore

Made in 2017, by Stacy E. Apelt – Bladesmith


Simple and Clear Warranty:

You do your part - Hand wash after use and dry. Do not put in dishwasher. Use for cutting vegetables, meats, and fish.
Don’t use as a pry bar or screwdriver.
Treated right it should last for decades.

The blade is high carbon steel and will rust if left wet or exposed to food acids and not cleaned. After washing, dry well and place in a safe place where it will not get wet or splashed on. A light oiling with vegetable oil will aid in keeping the blade rust free. If any light rust or spots form on the blade, it can be removed with a Scotch-Brite pad or 4/0 steel wool. DO NOT sand blade with sandpaper to remove rust.

A natural darkening of the steel, called patina, will form on the blade over time. This is an oxide layer that protects the blade from rust and spotting. It can be hastened by rubbing mustard or lemon juice on the blade and letting it sit for half an hour. Repeat as needed to get a darkened blade. Wash off well and dry, then oil.

I’ll do my part –
If the blade dulls with use, I will re-sharpen it.
If the handle ever needs re-finishing due to wear, I will gladly sand and re-buff it.
If the edge gets nicked due to accident, I will restore the edge.
If the blade or handle breaks due to normal use, I will replace or repair the knife.


___________________________________________Date______________
Click to expand...

That's pretty generous on your part, how much rework do you do ?

I'm afraid it would be too much for me.
 
I get a blade back a couple times a year that needs some real work. It is almost always one that has been through the dishwasher many times and the handle is messed up. I fix it and reiterate that a custom knife should not go in the dishwasher. Often, putting on a new handle is the simplest remedy.

I get a blade to re-sharpen every month or so.
I did a set of Yanagi-ba and small petty last Friday that I made as a wedding present four years ago. They said they use them almost every day, and this is the first time they have been sharpened. I re-sanded the wa handles and buffed them, then redid the edge and sharpened them back to full sharpness. I taped a Band-Aid to each one.

Once in a while I will get a blade that has been badly abused. The tip is broken off, the edge has chips in it, etc. I fully restore it and explain that it will last tears with no maintenance beyond an occasional sharpening if used on the things it is made to cut. I hand back the restored blade with a new copy of my care sheet, and say .... no charge. This is worth far more than the few bucks I would make. Word of mouth is all the advertising most makers ever get.
 
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