Knife care
Lone pine forge uses American made, high carbon steel to forge knives. High carbon steel is a fantastic medium for knives, as it can achieve great hardness, toughness, edge retention, and sharpens relatively easily. Unfortunately a downside to HC steel is the ability for it to corrode when it is not cared for properly. This care can be as simple as rinsing and drying after each use. The steel develops a patina over time- which is good, it protects the blade, and makes it unique to the user. This patina does not affect the blade’s performance whatsoever. The steel can also easily be refreshed to a “new looking” blade if eventually desired, again, not affecting performance. The issue comes when a knife gets submerged for a period of time, ran thru the dishwasher, or if the knife isn’t rinsed/dried properly after use. Foods can be acidic, and actually etch the steel if left on for long enough. Liquids can cause rust. This is easily preventable. My personal chef knife I use heavily on a weekly, sometimes daily basis. With veggies and certain fruits I simply rinse the knife in the sink after I’m done using it, dry it carefully with a hand towel, and put it away. With meats or highly acidic foods like onion or lemon, I sometimes use a little mild dish soap on a soft sponge while I rinse, then dry and put away. I have yet to find any reason to soak the knife, or put it in the dishwasher.
A lot of my knives use natural handle materials like wood, and soaking or dishwashers can be devastating to those as well. The wood is cared for similarly to the blade, where a easy rinse and dry usually handles about any mess. I polish or wax all my knives after completion with a furniture wax or similar. This adds another layer of protection from any elements, and helps with a positive grip and handfeel. I recommend re applying a wax of some sort periodically, depending on use. I usually refresh mine every few months or year, being a typical at home user. A light coating with your finger or soft cloth is all it needs.
To keep your blade sharp regular honing as needed helps tremendously. Using a wood or poly cutting board is much better on the cutting edge over a stone or glass board, and will improve longevity of the sharpened edge as well. Most knives leaving my shop get sharpened with either a diamond stone or whetstone. This is what I recommend when it is time to resharpen your blade. Professional sharpening is recommended, but learning to do this is a fairly easy process I will go over in a later post.
All my knives come with a basic care card that lists my recommended care as well as a personalized list of the materials used in your build. I do know accidents can happen, so reach out with any issues or concerns, and I’ll do my best to get you back on the cutting board with the performance you’d expect from a quality, custom built knife.