Knife Care & Storage

When to use this

Wipe after every use. Oil and sharpen at the end of every trip.

• End of trip
• Mid-trip food-prep cleanup
• Long-term storage

What you need

• Soft cloth
• Mild soap and water
• A small bottle of mineral oil
• A pull-through sharpener or a small whetstone

Step by step

1. 1.After cutting food, wash the blade with mild soap and warm water. Dry it immediately — water + steel = rust.
2. 2.After cutting non-food (cord, wood), wipe with a dry cloth and check for sap or pitch. A drop of cooking oil removes sap.
3. 3.At the end of a trip, dry the blade fully and apply a thin film of mineral oil. Wipe excess.
4. 4.Sharpen with a pull-through sharpener at home: 3–5 strokes per side, with light pressure.
5. 5.Store the knife open in a dry place to let any residual moisture escape. A folder closed-and-wet rusts at the pivot.
6. 6.Once dry, store closed or sheathed in a cool, dry spot — not a damp basement, not a hot car.

Pro tips

• A knife that needs more than 10 strokes per side per session is being abused or stored wet. Fix the cause, not just the blade.
• Mineral oil is food-safe; gun oil is not. Use the right one for a kitchen-or-camp knife.

Common mistakes

• Storing a wet folder closed. The pivot rusts shut.
• Sharpening too often. Each sharpening removes metal — over-sharpening shortens a blade’s life.