Preserving knives

[Eddy.502]

I have two questions I have wanted to ask about preserving a few of my knives.at the moment they sit in a chest in a cool, dry environment.

 

1. I have heard lots of people say store the knives out of their sheaths. However I have kept my knives in their sheaths for a year or so and no rust has built up, what should I do?

 

2. I am more worried about the makers mark (maybe just in my mind but I think it is waring away) as if worn away greatly decreases the value of the knife, where should I store the knife to stop this happening?

 

Any comments appreciated

 

Eddy

[Bill in VA]

I store and display mine out of the sheath, not because I'm worried about rust, but because I want to avoid runner marks - either putting runner marks on clean, minty blades, or making existing runner marks worse. This is especially true with some of my blades that have never been sheathed.

[30-Cal]

If you're concerned about rust consider using renaissance wax.

[Cobra 6 Actual]

There may be two problems with storing with the knife in the sheath:

 

1. Possible rust ... so far, not your problem.

 

2. Verdigris forming.

 

In the past I have had both happen. So, to avoid that happening agsin in the future I store the knives out of the sheaths now. YMMV.

[Shakethetrees]

If you're concerned about rust consider using renaissance wax.

Bingo!

 

RW is the best. I am a metals conservator and have used it for years.

 

Permit me to share some of my experiences.

 

I am from New Orleans and went through Katrina. 80% of everything in the city was submerged, in some cases for weeks.

 

Swords stored outside their scabbards and were only oiled rusted almost as badly as raw blades. The type of oil really didn't matter too much.

 

There are those "miracle" oils that are supposed to penetrate the surface and provide long term protection from rust. In the real world, they didn't work any better than motor oil or gun oil or whatever. Thick, crusty rust of various forms leaving heavy pitting. The worse was an 1860 cavalry saber, a family piece of the client, that was oiled and rode out the storm and ensuing flood inside the scabbard. It took two years of soaking in penetrating oil and light tapping just to remove it from its scabbard!

 

The odd patterned pitting began by working around the oil. It was a process similar to etching a blade where the oil acted as a resist. In time the action crept beneath the oil and lifted it away, leaving a universal film of red rust over the blade.

 

But, the client was great! A retired priest, he quipped that it just got a little more interesting for a future collector it has another story to tell. He duly entered everything into the log he kept of the saber's history and had a great beveled glass display case with painted detailing made for it.

 

 

Good thick grease, like R.I.G., especially if it was applied to a warm surface and "melted in", did a good bit better, depending on the time left in immersion and the chemical content of the water.

 

A side note: After a flood happens, if it does not runoff or drain away pronto, micro environments are created. Water mixes with the chemicals every household has under the kitchen sink, in the garage, and around pool houses where pH chemicals are usually stored. Believe me, even a few feet of separation from these places can make a drastic difference!

 

But, by far and away were the things coated with wax that dries hard. And if it is coated hot and also "melted in" it is almost impervious to flood water. Now, the grip leather and wood will not fare very well, but as organic materials, they are beyond the scope of my post. Even old fashioned floor wax, melted in, works beautifully, especially compared to oil and grease.

 

How do I know this, you may ask?

 

My shop got from eight to eighteen inches of water and stayed wet to some degree or other for five weeks. I had swords, tools and other metal things belonging to me that got wet. It's like the old story about the shoemakers children going without shoes. You always look out for your clients work first! But, to finish up, I use Renaissance Wax on MY blades. I continue to use it and recommend it to whoever asks. It withstood a real trial by water! Don't be fooled by substitutes, or the latest and greatest oil, and don't waste your time working with anything else. Period.

[Cobra 6 Actual]

Thanks for that valuable info, Shakethetrees!

[mruiz]

Mobil 1 works for me. That is the same protection cosmoline what of done.

Mitch

[GOAmules]

I'm glad Renaissance Wax preserved your flood swords. But I've got a few points against it's use, and favor traditional oils and greases that the military used for generations. Armorers used Cosmoline for long therm storage. The knives and guns we find today from the Spanish American War, WWI and WWII were all preserved by oils and greases. There was no wax. Humid warehouses in the South (I've been in some of them), with wooden crates of gun parts and knives, that lasted for 50, 75, 100 years. When the oils are removed, the surfaces are pristine, as when made. That is a bigger test than anything else - the proven test of history in all environments. Cosmoline and oils.

 

The other thing is Ren Wax may buff away some finish. Sure, it looks great. And maybe it adheres to a mirror finish better. But for parkarized or blued items. I use CLP Break Free. Worked for me in a longterm, 3 year storage period where I couldn't even access the items. And it works in harsh testing of salt spray. Ren Wax is usually among the lowest in scientific testing.

Rust prevention of different compounds.

Corrosion Testing (New Pics - 5-08-12)
http://www.vintageveloce.com/2014/04/testing-firearm-metal-preservatives.html