Cleaning & Care Of Your F-S Knife
Advice On The Safe Way To Clean, Preserve & Care For Your Vintage F-S Fighting Knife
Each and every day, I wake up to a plethora of F-S related emails from the world over, perhaps one of the most often asked questions I get is “how do I clean my F-S Knife?” to which my answer is usually a resounding … DON’T….! Of course it’s not always that cut and dry and the reasoning behind my somewhat panicked initial reaction is to stop the F-S owner in their tracks in order to prevent them from doing any damage. Sadly, I have lost count of how many emails I’ve received over the years from well intentioned owners who have; cleaned, polished, sharpened or even (brace yourself) completely diss-assembled their rare original F-S and in doing so effectively destroyed any historic or monetary value it may have had. So my general advice is to ‘leave well alone’.
Of course it’s not always quite so simple and sometimes one does need to care for, clean and preserved a vintage F-S Knife and it’s scabbard or sheath, so here are my tips to ‘safe’ care for your F-S but remember the golden rule ‘less is more’ and NEVER take it apart.
Tip #1: Always try NOT to store your knife in it’s scabbard or sheath. Leather will always hold moisture and this will eventually have a negative and unwanted affect on the blade. However, keep track of which scabbard goes with which knife. This can be accomplished by storing/displaying them side by side, in the same box or by attaching a numbered tag. Do not affix a sticker or any kind.
Tip #2: Never use any abrasive cleaner or polish. However ‘gentle’, this will eventually remove and/or damage the finish.
Tip #3: The only cleaner/preserver I recommend and use is Renaissance Wax. This was developed by the British Museum and will not harm your knife or scabbard. Importantly, it can be used on ‘any’ surface, metal, wood, leather etc. For the F-S enthusiast who’s knife & sheath may be composed of a number of different materials, this is a real plus.
Tip #4: Use a soft toothbrush along with the Renaissance Wax to get into difficult to reach areas. Use it sparingly and wipe it off with a soft cloth afterwards. It will gently remove dirt and grime and leave a protective, invisible residue. If you have a very dirty or tarnished knife or scabbard, I suggest you plan on repeating the cleaning process every week for a while, the Renaissance Wax will gently remove dirt and grim in small amounts each time without being too aggressive or harmful. I personally find this process enjoyable and relaxing and a great way to spend time with a treasured knife.
Tip #5: I recommend you wear cotton gloves during any cleaning (or even handling) of your knife. This way you prevent the natural harmful oils in your skin from leaving an unwanted residue and beside if you (or your significant other) has any odor sensitivities (mine does), you won’t have to spend too long washing your hands to remove any smells. Cotton gloves can usually be found at drug stores/pharmacies in the first aid section. They are inexpensive and it’s worth keeping a small stock, so you always have a nice clean pair on hand.
Tip #6: Be aware of the environment you live in, as this will impact how often you need to check and clean/preserved your knife. When living in the UK and Washington State (US) where it can be very damp, I found I needed to check and reapply some Renaissance Wax sometimes every few months. However, when living in the American South West, states like Arizona, Texas or New Mexico which can be very dry, I only needed to glance and check annually.
Tip #7: Remember the golden rule LESS IS MORE..! If you’re not sure or have concerns, please just write me.
And finally - just enjoy your collection, cleaning/preservation of your treasured knives is NOT a chore but a wonderful way to enjoy and appreciate these fabulous knives.
I’m aways here to help you with your collecting questions. Please follow the ‘contact’ link at the top of the page and I will get back to you at the earliest opportunity.
Cheerio & happy collecting,