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Care and maintenance of outdoor/pocket knives/scissors

 Properly maintaining your knife/scissors not only extends their lifespan, it also ensures a safer and more enjoyable cutting/snipping experience.

We recommend that you follow these five rules to keep the knife in top condition:

1. Keep your knife sharp.
An accident can easily happen with a blunt knife. A general rule is that you should regularly touch up or sharpen the knife with a fine ceramic rod or a fine grit before the edge becomes too blunt. If you do this, you will no longer have to spend time with harsh abrasives and your knife will remain in good condition for longer.

There are numerous methods to place a cutting edge on bladed tools. From whetstones, bench sharpeners, beveled ceramic rods, diamond stones, leather straps and fixed angle sharpeners, there is no shortage of excellent tools on the market to meet your needs.

When sharpening, consider the purpose of the blade and the proper edge angle to get the best cutting performance for the job at hand. A low edge angle of 15° ensures high sharpness and is suitable for kitchen knives, while a high edge angle of 25° is more suitable for universal outdoor knives.
Keep these guidelines in mind when choosing your corner:

Outdoor knives:

  • Hunting knife for light use and detail cutting: 20°
    • Heavy duty hunting knife and cutting: 25°
    • Heavy duty camp/survival knife, typical fixed blades: 30°
  • Pocket knives for EDC:
    • Heave use: 25°
    • Light use: 20°

Additionally, choosing the right abrasive grit will depend on how dull or damaged your knife edge is. The coarser the grit, the more material is removed. To re-profile or reshape an edge, start with coarse-grained materials, such as a 320-grit diamond stone, and gradually use finer abrasives to grind and then sharpen the edge. For general sharpening, a 600 grit diamond stone is suitable, followed by the use of fine ceramics to sharpen the edge. For a mirror finish, complete the process with a leather strap with a polishing compound.

2. Keep your knife clean.
For average daily cleaning, wipe the blade with a dry or slightly dampened lint-free cloth or paper towel to remove dirt. If there is abrasive material on the blade, such as sand or gritty dirt, gently run the blade under water before wiping it off to avoid scratching the blade.

You can also use a mild detergent such as dish soap to clean the blade and remove any caked-on material. Make sure you dry the knife immediately.

If you notice that the knife is difficult to open or close, you may need to clean the inside of the handle and around the blade. While the blade is dry, use an old soft-bristled toothbrush to gently scrub away the grime wherever you can reach the toothbrush. For hard-to-reach areas, use a dry cotton swab, toothpick or fine-tipped brush. Compressed air can also help remove stubborn lint and dirt.

For hard-to-remove areas, such as tree sap and tape residue, use rubbing alcohol on a cloth or cotton swab. Make sure to rinse your knife immediately after using rubbing alcohol and dry it thoroughly.

3. Keep your knife dry.
A surefire way to get rust on your knife is to leave it wet after use or store the knife in a humid environment. After washing or using your knife, simply wipe the blade and allow the knife to dry completely before storing. This is especially important for fixed blades stored in leather cases, as leather tends to retain moisture and can cause rust to form on the blade.

4. Keep your knife well oiled.
There are some excellent lubricants on the market to keep your folding knife pivot running smoothly. Once your blade is dry, apply a small amount of oil to the pivot or other moving parts of the blade. Applying a thin layer of oil to the blade can also increase corrosion resistance. If you find that wet petroleum-based lubricants, such as the recommended 3-in-1 machine oils, attract lint and other debris, you may also consider using a Teflon-based dry lubricant. If you use your knife for food, consider using a food-safe lubricant such as vegetable or mineral oil.

5. Keep your knife in good condition.
A bent pocket clip or missing screw does not make your pocket knife unusable. There may be replacement parts for most and sheaths.

Most simple adjustments, such as centering the blade or replacing a handle shell, can be done using a Torx bit screwdriver to make fine adjustments to pivot or handle screws. It is important not to overtighten the screws. You run the risk of damaging the screw head or misaligning the threads.

For more serious problems where the blade does not open or close properly, it is best to contact our customer service for assistance. It is important to check the manufacturer's warranty before modifying or completely disassembling the blade; doing so may void the warranty.

Scissor maintenance
Scissors have four sharpening edges and are therefore sensitive to resistance.

  • Regularly apply a drop of oil to the pivot point of the screw with your scissors.
  • Regularly wipe the cutting blades with a dry tea towel.
  • Much of the above advice also applies to scissors.

If you have any questions or comments please contact: For customer service see: CanyonZone Customer Service.

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