Basic Care Instructions for a Knife

 

As a collectors knife, it is assumed that the knife is not being used regularly, but rather displayed or stored away.

A collector’s knife should be properly sharpened, cleaned and oiled after every use and before storage. Since knives are made of steel, it is important to keep them in as little humidity as possible at around room temperature. A Collector’s knife should never be stored in a sheath as this could result in scratches or other undesired marks that could reduce the value of the knife. Sheath’s also tend to hold moisture which can cause corrosion to the metal on a knife.
Collector’s Knives should be stored in an open well ventilated area with low moisture and low temperature variation. If the knife is stored in a box, it is recommended to use either a metal box or a wooden box with a sealed lacquer to prevent moisture being released from the wood. In areas with high moisture and heat, it is recommended that knives are stored in vacuum sealed bag in an air tight container to prevent corrosion. A good box for storage is a military ammo box, since it is made of metal and the lid has a waterproof seal to keep moisture.
Expensive collector’s knives should not be handled with bare hands finger prints and hand oils are not the best for the metal blades. During handling clean gloves are normally used to prevent the need to re-clean the knife after every handling. It is recommended for highly valuable knives that only an experienced professional sharpen and clean them.