Knife Care and Warranty

CARE INSTRUCTIONS FOR MY HANDMADE KNIVES: I normally create high carbon steel knives. It will rust. A number of products can be used to keep it from rusting. If you use your knife regularly, a general purpose 3 in 1 oil will work fine. Put a couple drops on the blade only and hand rub the oil in, be careful not to slice your fingers off. If you are using 3 in 1 oil, every time you use the knife, clean the knife with a gentle detergent (like dawn) and water, then rub in your oil.

For any unstablized wood handles, after you wash it, put vegetable oil on the handle and rub it in until absorbed.

Neatsfoot Oil can also be used to treat the handle.

If you’d rather have one all-purpose knife care system, you could use one of these waxes that are good for both wood and steel every time you use the knife: Mother’s Carnuba Cleaner Wax, which can be found in an automotive aisle. Or a knife curator’s paste, called Renaissance Wax, which you can find at any knife maker supply outfits (such as www.texasknife.com ).

When storing your knife, remove it from the scabbard. Do not store you knife in the scabbard because the oil in the leather is corrosive to steel.  Store in a dry room-temperature environment.

SHARPENING INSTRUCTIONS: Instead of writing out a lot of instructions, I’ll send you to Murray Carter who is very good at explaining. I’ve always sharpened my knife using the logic, reasoning, and techniques he uses. You can find him online at http://www.cartercutlery.com/free-knife-sharpening-tips where you can sign up for his free knife sharpening newsletter. It will take several weeks to receive all the emails for step-by-step instructions (along with his promos, of course) or you could purchase a book from him if you’re impatient.

I do sharpen knives – $10 plus shipping

I also repair broken knives – email me for cost estimate

AGE: The steel will turn gray eventually like the old timer pocketknives.

Osage Handles will turn a caramel color with age.

NOT DISHWASHER SAFE: Don’t let your spouse put it in the dishwasher or leave it in water to soak. If that happens, find a new spouse. Just kidding. If it does happen, remove it from the water quickly, dry and oil. It will look terrible, but it will still be functional. You could send it back to me for $75, and I’ll do the best that I can do to make the appearance better. Dishwashers are highly corrosive—in other words, they are evil. Make sure everyone in the household knows it is NOT DISHWASHER SAFE NOR SAFE TO SET IN WATER TO SOAK.

MY LIFETIME WARRANTY: Though my knives are designed to be tough, it is not a pry bar. If you use it as a pry bar and break the tip, send it back to me and I’ll fix it or replace it—my call. My knives have a lifetime warranty as long as I’m alive and physically able to make knives. And after I get the knife in my hand, it is my call whether to fix or replace.