Most people don’t wash and clean their hunting knives after each outing. These blades are often exposed to dirt, blood and grime, and aren’t cleaned as frequently as other knives.
This means they get dull, and won’t cut as well as they should for your next trip to the woods. Luckily, it’s easy to clean your hunting knife when it gets dull.
- The first step is to remove any rust or corrosion from the blade of your hunting knife with a wire brush. This will make cleaning easier later on.
- If you have an old-fashioned pocket knife that doesn’t come apart easily, use a small screwdriver to loosen up the screws holding the handle together. Then pull off the top half of the handle so you can see inside.
- Next, take out all the parts in there: springs, pins, etc., then wipe them down with rubbing alcohol. Finally, put everything back into place and tighten the screws again.
- Now comes the fun part – washing your hunting knife. Use warm water and dish soap. Wipe away any excess moisture using paper towels.
You’ll be surprised at how much cleaner this makes your knife!
How to take care of your hunting knife
It is very important to take care of your hunting knife whether you are a hunter or not. It is very expensive and once you have it you must take care of it.
Hunting knives are advertised in a lot of different ways and some are very expensive and they can be very dangerous for your fingers. Also if you lose your knife on the hunting grounds it could be a very unnecessary loss.
Hunting knives are classified by two different ways. The first way is by the type of knife and the second way is by the handle material.
There are many ways to take care of a hunting knife, some of them are: Knife care and maintenance After using your hunting knife, always wash it with warm soapy water and dry it with a soft cloth.
The main purpose of cleaning the knife is to remove dirt, dust and other harmful particles. If you do this, the knife will last much longer and will be sharper than the one that you buy from the store.
Here are some tips you can follow:
- Clean your hunting knife as soon as possible after using It
Clean your hunting knife immediately after use, otherwise the blade will begin to rust. Although your knife might be sharp enough to skin the animal you just killed, it might be too dull to use on the next one.
If you have not yet cleaned your knife, it is important to do so. You can clean your hunting knife with water, but you will need to dry it immediately to prevent rusting.
- Don’t let bodily liquids dry on your hunting knife
When cleaning your hunting knife, don’t let bodily fluids dry on it. If you do, they will rust the blade.
Make sure that blood, urine, and other bodily fluids don’t dry on your hunting knife. To do that, simply wash it with warm water and soap after each use.
Having a clean knife is important for both safety and performance. By removing the build-up of bodily liquids and other debris, your knife will be safer to use and it will cut better.
- Keep your hunting knife extremely sharp
You should keep your hunting knife extremely sharp since it is less likely to cause injury to the animal and will allow you to be more precise. For example, it is possible to make a precise cut along the spine, which could not be easily done with a dull blade.
- Spot the signs of rust and prevent your hunting knife from rusting
Hunting knives should be cleaned and stored dry to prevent rust. Rust occurs when moisture contacts a bare metal surface and reacts chemically with the iron in the metal.
Applying lubricant to your hunting knife to avoid corrosion
Hunting knives are a lot of fun to use, but if you don’t apply lubricant after each use, they will quickly start to corrode and damage your knife. If they corrode badly, the blade will become very brittle and will break easily.
The best way to keep hunting knives in good condition is by applying an oil or grease on them regularly.
This prevents rusting and keeps the blades from breaking when used for cutting meat. It also helps prevent bacteria growth that can cause food poisoning.
There are many different types of oils available at most hardware stores. You should choose one based on what type of material it’s made out of as well as how thick it needs to be applied.
Types of lubricants you can use to apply for your knife blade
- Dry lubricants
Dry lubricants are designed to keep the grip of your knife dry and clean, but they are not forever. Over time, they will dissolve and the metal underneath will corrode, weakening your knife.
Dry lubricants come in many forms, such as oils, mild solvents, and carbonless graphite. But in order to enjoy their benefits, you must apply them to your knives regularly.
- Wet lubricants
One of the most common problems with hunting knives is rust, and the simplest way to solve this is to apply wet lubricants to the blade.
- Oil-based lubricant are good for your knifes
Oil-based lubricants, such as 3-in-1 oil and WD40, will prevent the blade from rusting by replacing the moisture with oil.
- All-purpose oil
All purpose oil is useful cleaning solution especially when removing grease, oil and some other substances. Use of all purpose oil is also recommended to clean your hunting knife.
- Vegetable oil
Vegetable oil is typically used as a lubricant or food additive. It has a wide variety of uses, including in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps.
Vegetable oil can be used to help remove the residue left over from sharpening your knife.
- Mineral oil
If you’re a hunter that likes to clean and care for your hunting knives, you’ll want to know about the best way to do so.
While you can clean your knives with a number of different methods, mineral oil is a popular choice that’s often recommended for hunting knives. Mineral oil is a non-toxic substance that’s often used for lubricating purposes.
Other methods of cleaning your dirty knife
- Using baking soda
Baking soda is a common household ingredient, used for many things. It can be found in most household cleaning products, and is used to clean almost anything.
Baking soda is also a great odor neutralizer, which makes it a good choice to clean your kitchen knives.
If you use a knife block, you can even use vinegar to clean the blades of your knives. Baking soda and vinegar are two ingredients that work great for cleaning your knives.
Tips for cleaning the handle of your hunting knife
To clean the handle of your hunting knife, apply mink oil to it. Mink oil will form a protective barrier on the wood and prevent it from drying out or cracking. Plus, it smells nice!
You may want to add a few drops of dish soap into the mixture if you have any leftover water. Dish soap works just like regular detergent does, so don’t worry about using too much. Just make sure there isn’t enough liquid to leave behind streaks.
Additional maintenance tips for hunting folding knife
As most of you are aware, there are many different types of hunting knives that you can use. One of the better known knife types is the folding hunting knife, which the majority of people use for a variety of reasons.
From the start these knives tend to be made of very strong and durable materials, such as high carbon steel or stainless steel, and as such they are big and heavy.
The good news is that these knives are also very easy to use, and in many cases they are just as effective as some of the other types of knives.
Many folding hunting knives are made from stainless steel, but, like any other knife, they should be cleaned after use to prevent corrosion. Use a cleaning brush to remove dirt and debris from the blade and then use a cloth to dry the blade.
To polish your blade, warm the stone until it is hot, but not too hot, then run the blade across the stone. If the blade is left on the stone for too long, it can possibly cause the edge to chip.
