Care and maintenance of your HutchMade Knife
A note about High Carbon Steel:
I use 1095 High Carbon steel in my knifes. Like any steel there are benefits and drawbacks. 1095 is a simple steel that takes a fantastic edge and is very easy for the user to sharpen however this steel needs a little more care than the stainless steels you may be used to. The main thing is... don't let it stay wet... If it gets wet dry it. For kitchen knifes I use a magnetic knife holder to hang them. After washing I dry with a clean towel and hang them. Thats it. For Hunting and edc knives same treatment but if they are going to be stored for a long time I will put a light coat of oil on them. Any kind of oil will do, and just a light coat will do the trick.
Additionally: High Carbon steel with spark with a flint or fire starter. You can use the spine of the knife for this purpose...
Patina:
Your knife comes with a starter Patina. this will only richen and deepen with use and age. High carbon steels will patina over time, even if the knife is mirror polished to begin with. Short of vacuum sealing the knife in plastic wrap this will happen. I force a starter patina on all my knives for this purpose. This dark coloration is intentional and will help protect the knife from oxidation that will pit the steel if allowed to.
Sharpening:
I stone finish all my knives by hand on Japanese style wetstones. This is my preferred method of sharpening as it gives the best results for me, however in reality whatever method you choose (oil stones, diamond, honing guides, etc.) should work great for this type of steel. It is very user friendly, sharpens well, even in the field, and is easy to handle. No special equipment required, just use your favorite sharpening method and go... plenty of information out there on this subject, and if you want more feel free to contact me.
Use:
It should go without saying that my knives are cutting tools and are ground to a fine edge. They are not for prying or whacking with things. (duh)
A note about High Carbon Steel:
I use 1095 High Carbon steel in my knifes. Like any steel there are benefits and drawbacks. 1095 is a simple steel that takes a fantastic edge and is very easy for the user to sharpen however this steel needs a little more care than the stainless steels you may be used to. The main thing is... don't let it stay wet... If it gets wet dry it. For kitchen knifes I use a magnetic knife holder to hang them. After washing I dry with a clean towel and hang them. Thats it. For Hunting and edc knives same treatment but if they are going to be stored for a long time I will put a light coat of oil on them. Any kind of oil will do, and just a light coat will do the trick.
Additionally: High Carbon steel with spark with a flint or fire starter. You can use the spine of the knife for this purpose...
Patina:
Your knife comes with a starter Patina. this will only richen and deepen with use and age. High carbon steels will patina over time, even if the knife is mirror polished to begin with. Short of vacuum sealing the knife in plastic wrap this will happen. I force a starter patina on all my knives for this purpose. This dark coloration is intentional and will help protect the knife from oxidation that will pit the steel if allowed to.
Sharpening:
I stone finish all my knives by hand on Japanese style wetstones. This is my preferred method of sharpening as it gives the best results for me, however in reality whatever method you choose (oil stones, diamond, honing guides, etc.) should work great for this type of steel. It is very user friendly, sharpens well, even in the field, and is easy to handle. No special equipment required, just use your favorite sharpening method and go... plenty of information out there on this subject, and if you want more feel free to contact me.
Use:
It should go without saying that my knives are cutting tools and are ground to a fine edge. They are not for prying or whacking with things. (duh)