Ownership
Care & sharpening
A carbon steel knife asks a little more of you than a stainless one and gives more back. None of this is complicated.
The short version
- Wipe it dry after use. Every time. That's 90% of it.
- A thin film of mineral oil before it goes away for a while.
- Let it take a patina — the grey it turns is what stops it rusting.
- Strop it often, sharpen it rarely.
- Never leave it in a sink, a dishwasher, or a wet sheath.
Guides
Looking after a Kydex sheath
Waterproof and nearly indestructible. Keep grit out of it, and keep it out of a hot car.
Sharpening without overthinking it
Strop often, sharpen rarely, and stop chasing the number on the stone.
Living with carbon steel
Wipe it dry, oil it occasionally, let it go grey. That is genuinely the whole thing.