Caring for your Custom Knife
Congratulations on your new custom knife! Whether this is your first one, or just the latest in the collection, the best way to protect your investment is proper care. Following these simple steps will help ensure your knife provides you many years of excellent service.
Usage
If this is your first carbon steel knife, one of the first things that you will notice is the discoloring that occurs after using the knife, especially when dealing with acidic foods such as lemons, fruits, or onions. This naturally occuring discoloration is patina and is in no way harmful or unsanitary, it is simply the naturally occurring reactions with th steel. For hundreds of years, carbon steel has been the standard for kitchen cutlery, and requires a slightly higher amount of care than your standard stainless steel. When using a carbon steel knife, best practice is to keep a towel nearby and wipe the knife down between uses to keep moisture from accumulating on the knife and accelerating the formation of corrosion.
Cleaning
Dishwasher? Just Say No. This is especially for carbon-steels, but also applicable to stainless steels the dishwasher creates conditions that are excellent for sanitizing kitchenware, but hell on custom knives. The heat and moisture will cause materials to move relative to each other, making gaps form, as well as causing certain handle materials to swell and shrink. One of the fastest ways to destroy the fit and finish of your custom knife is to put it in the dishwasher.
Handwashing is the preferred method for cleaning really any knife, but specifically a custom handmade knife. After washing be sure to dry the knife immediately as moisture sitting on the steel can cause spots on stainless steel and is a sure way to develop rust on both stainless and carbon steels. Although stainless is more resistant to rusting, some stainless steels will rust with prolonged exposure to moisture.
Storage
When you store your custom knife, a few things should be considered. Even with stainless steel knives, but especially with carbon steel, moisture is the enemy. Storage is best in a dry enviorment. For kitchen knives, a magnetic knife mount is ideal. Knife blocks, while aesthetically pleasing, can trap moisture inside them and wreak havok on your knife.
A light coat of oil can also go a long way to helping keep your carbon steel knives free of rust and in great condition for a long time. For kitchen knives or knives that will see culinary usage, vegetable oil is great for a wipe down before storage, for more utilitarian knives, 3 in 1 oil is also a great choice. Additionally for leather sheaths, I've found that spraying a small amount of WD-40 on the inside can help to keep the rust demons at bay.