Maintaining Blades + Marine raider stilleto

[Jgmilitaria]

Hey guys been looking around for long term maintenance on my blades came up with obvious solutions as to store it in a well environment without humidity and good temp. Is there any waxes or cleaning solutions? Don't think oil is a good idea found a company called sentry that makes a dry oil rag for knifes.

 

Thoughts?

 

Jim

 

Also a pic of my most recent find!!!

[warguy]

Gorgeous stiletto there. I have one much like it. Years ago, a friend of mine with a German edged weapons collection worth a few hundred thousand, told me he used “Pure Carnuba Wax” on his blades. You can find it at auto places like Checker Auto, etc. Make sure it says pure carnuba. He didn’t put it on anything else like handles, etc., just the blades. I started using it myself and have been happy. It provides that “barrier” I think that helps to protect the blade from humidity, prints, etc. I have occasionally used “Renaissance Wax” on wood and once or twice ivory, but I rarely use it. I actually used it once on a rosewood swagger stick with silver inlay and it was fantastic. Anyway, I would personally stay away from oil myself, especially on a bright blade like your stiletto. I might be more willing on maybe a KABAR’s combat knife, blued or parkerized instead of the wax.  Your stiletto looks to be in fantastic condition, so keep it out of sunlight, don't move it often (those zinc handles are sooooo fragile, and watch the humidity. To be honest, with that blade and the etching, I would make sure it is clean, don't let anyone touch the blade. Maybe every other year inspect it closely, wipe in lightly and in the immortal words of the Beatles, let it be. Good luck.  

[Jgmilitaria]

8 hours ago, warguy said:

Gorgeous stiletto there. I have one much like it. Years ago, a friend of mine with a German edged weapons collection worth a few hundred thousand, told me he used “Pure Carnuba Wax” on his blades. You can find it at auto places like Checker Auto, etc. Make sure it says pure carnuba. He didn’t put it on anything else like handles, etc., just the blades. I started using it myself and have been happy. It provides that “barrier” I think that helps to protect the blade from humidity, prints, etc. I have occasionally used “Renaissance Wax” on wood and once or twice ivory, but I rarely use it. I actually used it once on a rosewood swagger stick with silver inlay and it was fantastic. Anyway, I would personally stay away from oil myself, especially on a bright blade like your stiletto. I might be more willing on maybe a KABAR’s combat knife, blued or parkerized instead of the wax.  Your stiletto looks to be in fantastic condition, so keep it out of sunlight, don't move it often (those zinc handles are sooooo fragile, and watch the humidity. To be honest, with that blade and the etching, I would make sure it is clean, don't let anyone touch the blade. Maybe every other year inspect it closely, wipe in lightly and in the immortal words of the Beatles, let it be. Good luck.  

Thank you very much warguy!! Next time I'm in town gonna grab some. Haven't touched it besides to take photos gonna wipe it down with a micro fiber and try the wax and back in the case it goes!!  It came with a custom case the previous owner made to fit it out of foam also. 

 

Cheers 

 

Jim

[Jgmilitaria]

[sactroop]

Do you know how long the knife has been around that case with the foam lining?  I'm not trying to be an alarmist here at all.  But there are things like "out gassing" that happen with some synthetic materials.  With the history of problems with the zinc  hilts of these  raiders I'm asking out of concern.

This is one of the best examples of the knife and original sheaths I've seen.

Hoping I'm just being "chicken little" and the sky is not falling.

[Jgmilitaria]

14 minutes ago, sactroop said:

Do you know how long the knife has been around that case with the foam lining?  I'm not trying to be an alarmist here at all.  But there are things like "out gassing" that happen with some synthetic materials.  With the history of problems with the zinc  hilts of these  raiders I'm asking out of concern.

This is one of the best examples of the knife and original sheaths I've seen.

Hoping I'm just being "chicken little" and the sky is not falling.

Thanks sactroop! It was my great uncles he was very quiet about his collecting and never really told anyone what he had or showed it off. He was a dealer through the 80s 90s so I'm guessing its been in there since then maybe it was something he did in the last 10 years idk but out of all his knifes this was the only one in a case like this. It was in that case at the bottom of a trunk. Also whats out gassing

 

 

Thanks,

 

Jim

[sactroop]

Jim, sounds like your great uncle was very good at collecting as well as discrete.  I'm not going to pretend to have any kind of expertise on the subject of out gassing, but this is what I've come to understand, (as it where), on the subject.  

Out gassing is a term that has been used in regards to some synthetic products becoming or being chemically unstable  and giving off as gas chemicals that can be reactive to the synthetic or other items in the near vicinity.  With knife collectors this topic comes up on occasion mostly when it involves nitrocellulose scales.  I've run across the term being used in other cases of artifacts suffering damage because of the environment the items were in.  

Here's a link to a recent thread here on the forum that shows some items that suffered scale damage.  At the end of the thread is an article on the out gassing subject as it pertains to cellulose . 

Hope this is of some help.

 

 

 

[doyler]

Many use Renaissance wax. Can be used on many type of items. Spendy but a little goes a long way. 

 

Many other waxes can become acidic over time.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_Wax

 

[Jgmilitaria]

gonna look at that thread. I've heard many good things about Renaissance wax especially on firearms 

 

 

Thanks guys

 

Jim

[barryeye]

I note the reluctance to use/recommend oil. Forgive my ignorance but I have to ask why?

 

[warguy]

I will jump in and try to answer. As I had mentioned, I would be more comfortable with oil on many of the other fighting knives, but this one with its bright blade, extremely rare scabbard and zinc grip would have me personally opting for a wax on the blade. Just a preference with this particular model I guess. Who knows what would happen to that little cross guard if it was subjected to oil. These things are known for disintegrating on their own, I sure wouldn't want to help that process. Some folks find favor with a light oil on the blade and I know a lot of Samurai sword collectors do that. The German edged weapons collectors I have know seem to prefer to wax. I guess it comes down to preference and maybe where you live, the salt in the air and relative humidity. I know some places can be scary keeping rust off of blades. I am lucky to live in the arid desert….although that has its own challenges for leather. 

[barryeye]

Thanks warguy