How To Clean Bowie Knives Properly

Bowie knives are beautiful, useful tools. They can be the centerpiece of a knife display, or they can be utilitarian tools that help you accomplish numerous mundane tasks. If you find that you actually use your knife, it's quite possible that the blade will become soiled (it's expected, actually). However, in order to keep your knife in the best condition possible and to prolong its useful life, you need to know a bit more about care and maintenance. How do you go about cleaning your knife?

First, it's important that you understand why you should care for your knife properly. You might be under the impression that Bowie knives need little or no care at all. This is not the truth. Like any other knife, these blades must be maintained in order to avoid rust, discoloration, dull blades and other problems. This is true even if you have a knife with a blade made of surgical stainless steel. Without the proper care, you will find that your blade becomes an eyesore, rather than something of which you can be proud.

Next, when cleaning Bowie knives, you might be tempted to put your blade in the dishwasher. Never do this, as it can actually harm your knife. You need to make certain that you use a cleaning paste devised specifically for knife blades and a clean, soft cloth. Work the paste down the blade, from the hilt toward the tip. Be very careful near the edge of the blade, an incautious touch can result in a serious injury.

Once the blade has been cleaned, you might decide to polish it a bit. A polishing compound and a soft cloth are all you really need here, though a rotary tool with a buffing pad can also be used to great results. Regardless, make sure that you always clean the blades of your Bowie knives to avoid any rust spots getting started on the knife.

Finally, when it comes to storing Bowie knives, there are two different schools of thought. Many people assume that keeping the blade stored in a leather sheath is sufficient. While this will work fine for ordinary use, where the blade is cleaned on a regular basis, it is not the right option if your knife will not see use for some time. In this case, you should store your blade in an airtight container to avoid moisture seeping through the leather sheath.

Sammy Sabot has expert knowledge of the bowie knife, combat knives and camping lighters.

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