Care of Your Custom Military and Tactical Knife
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Need information about the Locking sheath? Click here. When you purchase one of my tactical, military, or combat grade knives, this care and information sheet is included: You have acquired one of the finest knives made. Because these designs are service rated and hand made some additional information is available on the care of your piece. You have one of the four steels listed below. Care for each is different. O-1 High Carbon Tool Steel: This is an oil hardening tool steel available in different finishes and the care of this steel requires the use of a coating to protect the steel from corrosion. It is not stainless, and will rust if left in corrosive or wet environments. I recommend a silicone resin based car wax, it seems to be the most durable and serviceable. Always clean the blade with gentle detergent and rise in clear tap water before applying. D-2 Extremely High Carbon Die Steel: This is not a true stainless, it has 12% Chromium making it stain-resistant. This is a very tough, wear resistant tool steel, but requires some care. I recommend the same care as O-1, though it is much harder for D-2 to oxidize. Prolonged exposure to acidic fluids such as orange juice or blood will corrode the blade. It is normal for mirror polished D-2 to have a heavy "orange peel" granularity, due to the chromium carbide crystal structure. 440C High Chromium Stainless Steel: This is the most corrosion resistant of knife steels, and with 17% chromium, requires little care. Suitable for temporary saltwater use and lightly corrosive environments, it is recommended to rinse in clear water after use so salt does not accumulate between bolsters, guards, and around mechanisms. It is important to understand that there is no absolute corrosion proof tool steel; in order for hardness and durability to be present, there must be some carbon in the high chromium tool steel. Steels like 316 stainless, and 420 stainless are more corrosion resistant than 440C, but are soft and weak. If corrosive fluids: soda, fruit juices, salt water, sweat or blood are left on 440C to dry, corrosion and rust will appear! Some people’s fingerprints are even highly acidic! For ultimate protection, use a silicone based car wax, and do not store knife in sheath. ATS-34 High Molybdenum Stainless Steel: This is the same as 440C, but 3 to 4 percentage points of chromium have been replaced with molybdenum for extra toughness at high hardness. This lends itself to smaller cross sectional blade geometry, and a thinner serviceable grind. Care for as 440C, but do not leave acidic fluids on the blade or in the sheath. It is not as stain resistant as 440C. Military Sheaths: Most of Jay Fisher’s military knife sheaths are made of Kydex, aluminum, nickel plated steel, and stainless steel. They are essentially waterproof, but it is recommended that they be rinsed by submersing in clear water after exposure to salt water or corrosive chemicals. After dry, coat generously with silicone spray lubricant, paying particular attention to blade locking mechanisms. Oil is not recommended, because it will eventually soften waterproof cements and attract dust. Embellishing, Flashplates, Locks and Fittings: Gold is electroformed over nickel to embellish some knives. Eventually with abrasive rubbing, it will wear off. Do not use abrasives of any kind on the knives. If they do not come clean, a cleaner such as 409 household cleaner is recommended to soften debris. Knives with mechanisms may be taken apart and the pieces individually cleaned if needed. Flash plates are generally nickel silver and coated with high hardness baking lacquer or engraved lacquer coated brass. They may be removed for muted operations, and reattached between the belt loop and sheath for protection. Pay attention to the operation of your sheath-blade lock mechanism. For extra security, a drop of cyanoacrylate (super glue) on the threads will lock tiny screws in position. Don’t get any in the moving parts! Woods vs. Stone: no matter how treated, all woods are somewhat permeable. Woods like cocobolo and lignum vitae, desert ironwood and Honduran rosewood are self sealing and naturally oily and resinous, therefore more resistant to water and fluids. But they will swell slightly if left wet, so expect tiny movements. Wood will also oxidize over time and darken. Stone is totally impermeable, and therefore the most carefree component of your knife. Bolsters: Most military grade knives feature 304 stainless steel bolsters. This is extremely corrosion resistant, with 25% chromium and 8% nickel. No care is needed. Some utility models have nickel silver or brass fittings, which benefit from a coating of silicone wax. Some bolsters are of low carbon steel, either bead-blasted and cold-blued or engraved. These can be preserved as you would any firearm, with occasional coatings of rust preventative, such as Break-Free®. Scuffed-up blued bolsters can be re-blued with cold blue. Temperature extremes: try to avoid extremely high heat. Anything above boiling is bound to be detrimental, epoxies break down at 325 F, blade temper is affected at 375 F. Although these models have not been tested in extreme cold, it is known that Kydex, the thermosetting plastic used in the sheaths, becomes brittle the colder it becomes. Avoid shattering blows during temperatures below 0 F. Wearing: Most military knives are made to be worn in numerous positions, available for immediate access is recommended. When sheathing, make certain the knife "clicks" into sheath, and test by giving a good tug. You don’t want to leave your knife on the jungle floor, in the badlands, or at the bottom of the ocean! Visually check locking mechanism (if applicable) to be certain. Keep it clean for best operation! Preservatives, waxes, oils, etc.: Check the care for individual steels above. Most knives benefit from a coating of fine microcrystalline wax like Renaissance®. Be careful when using penetrating oils or other lubricants and preventatives in the field. I've had a few reports that the military grade of CLP® will actually dissolve carbon and lightly dull the cutting edge of the knife! As always, your feedback is appreciated! Need information about the Locking sheath? Click here. Need general details? Jump to the FAQ Page here. |
Some BASIC important tips:Þ The weakest part of ANY knife is usually the tip, which happens to be the most abused part! Take care of the point, and the rest of the blade will follow.Need general details? Jump to the FAQ Page here. It is interesting to note that if you have a Jay Fisher knife that has a stainless steel mirror polished blade, with 304 stainless bolsters/fittings and a gemstone handle, the most ambitious care requires only an occasional dusting. Most gemstones will outlast the blades! "It gives me great (if somewhat apprehensive) satisfaction that ninety percent of the pieces I make will still be admired centuries after my bones are dust."
Need information about the Locking sheath? Click here. Need general details? Jump to the FAQ Page here. |
