Care Tips & Tricks

First off—thanks for snagging one of our knives. We pour our hearts (and probably too much coffee) into making these things, so we want yours to last forever and then some.

Our blades are mostly 1095 high carbon steel, sometimes 80CrV2, 1084, or 1075… in other words: steel that can take a beating, hold a wicked edge, and will absolutely throw a tantrum if left wet too long.

But don’t worry, it’s super easy to keep them in great shape. Let us walk you through it.

1. Give It a Quick Wipe (Yes, That’s Literally It)

After you use your knife, give the blade a quick wipe-down. Boom. You did it.
Cut an apple? Wipe. Slice a steak? Wipe. Accidentally buttered your entire hand? Wipe the knife, then handle that situation.

If it needs a deeper clean:

Warm water + mild soap
Rinse
Dry it immediately (your knife hates being soggy)

2. Oil: The Knife Spa Treatment

High carbon steel + moisture = cranky knife.
High carbon steel + one tiny drop of oil = peaceful, shiny, grateful knife.

Kitchen use? Grab any food-safe oil you’ve probably already got—mineral, canola, sunflower.
Outdoor knife? A little gun oil or light machine oil works great.

Seriously: one drop. If your blade looks like it just auditioned for an oil painting, that’s too much.

3. Patina Happens (Don’t Panic!)

Okay, this is the part where new folks sometimes message us like “Uh, my knife is turning weird colors??”

Relax. Your knife is just maturing.
Patina is normal, it’s like your blade growing a cool tattoo.

It’s not rust
It won’t hurt anything
It actually protects the steel
It looks awesome
And it means you’re using your knife (we love that)

Patina = personality.

4. Rust: The Only Thing We Don’t Like

Rust shows up if a blade stays wet or hangs out somewhere damp. Luckily, it’s easy to avoid:

Keep it dry
Light oil now and then
Avoid long-term storage in wet-ish places (basements, glove boxes, mysterious garages, the bottom of a canoe, etc.)

If you do see a bit of orange rust:

Hit it with a little metal polish, baking soda paste (we recommend Mar Keepers Friend), or a rust eraser
Wipe, dry, oil
High-five yourself

5. About Those Leather Sheaths

We love our leather sheaths, but they’re basically moisture sponges, so:

Never store your knife in the sheath if the blade is wet. Rust will throw a party.
If the sheath gets wet, let it air-dry naturally—no ovens, no dashboards, no blow-dry salon moments.
A tiny bit of leather conditioner now and then keeps it happy.
Use the sheath for carrying, not long-term storage.

Boom. Simple. Friendly. Rust-free.

6. The 20-Second Care Routine

If you scroll past everything else, here’s the whole deal:

Wipe → Dry → Tiny Bit of Oil → Store somewhere dry.

Congratulations, you’re now a high-carbon steel caretaker.
Your knife will treat you well for decades—maybe generations—unless you try to wash it in a dishwasher (please don’t).