Every knife needs care and maintenance from time to time. On this page, you can find instructions on how to care for and maintain your knives, whether they have stainless steel or carbon steel blades.
Every knife needs care and maintenance from time to time. On this page, you can find instructions on how to care for and maintain your knives, whether they have stainless steel or carbon steel blades.
Sharpening a Knife with a Sharpening Stone ›
Sharpening Kitchen and Fillet Knives with a Diamond Rod ›
Cleaning and Oiling a Knife Blade ›
All knives should be cleaned and dried after each use. Never leave a knife in a wet sheath or store it in direct sunlight.
Stainless steel blades are low-maintenance, requiring only cleaning and drying after use. Stainless steel is hard and, therefore, more difficult to sharpen than carbon steel, but the sharpening process is the same. We recommend using a natural stone, like the sharpening stones we offer, or a round diamond rod, which can be found in most supermarkets. The rod works particularly well with kitchen knives.
Carbon steel blades are exceptionally sharp and easy to sharpen. However, they require regular maintenance to avoid corrosion. Without proper care, the blade may develop corrosion spots quickly – leaving it in a wet sheath can cause black spots within a day and rust in just a few days. To keep the blade in good condition, it should always be cleaned, dried, and oiled after use. This requires no special tools or skills, just regular care.
Our knives are shipped with the blade oiled. We use CRC Sisu oil at the factory, which must be thoroughly cleaned off before using the knife with food. A safe alternative for food use is regular cooking oil, although it can become sticky over time, so it’s best to remove and reapply it every few weeks. Do not apply oil to the handle or sheath.
Carbon steel is easy to sharpen with a natural stone; the more frequently it's done, the easier it is to keep the blade sharp. Links to sharpening videos can be found at the top of this page.
Most blade-protecting oils are available in spray cans and can be found in any town.
At the factory, we apply CRC Sisu protective oil to the blade. It can be found in hardware stores and auto parts shops.
CRC 5-56 is a general-purpose oil available at gas stations, hardware stores, auto parts shops, and larger supermarkets. It’s a common household oil, also suitable for lubricating locks and squeaky hinges, among other things.
WD-40 is similar to CRC 5-56 but a different brand; usage and availability are the same.
CRC Gun Care is a gun oil.
Sewing machine oils are also suitable.
Sunflower oil works well as a protective layer and is safe for food use. Whether slicing sausages or cutting meat, no mineral oil should come into contact with the food. Over time, cooking oils can become sticky, so it's a good idea to wash and re-oil the blade periodically, even if the knife is not in use.
Canola oil functions similarly to sunflower oil but becomes sticky faster.
Note: Olive oil is not recommended for the blade as it may contain a relatively high acid content.
We offer five different handle materials/finishes in our production. Generally, the handle requires minimal care; cleaning off visible dirt is sufficient after use.
A lacquered handle does not require maintenance.
The handle is oiled with linseed oil, which can be found in hardware and paint stores. It’s good to re-oil the handle annually to keep it in good condition.
A lacquered handle does not require maintenance.
The handle is oiled with linseed oil. It should be re-oiled annually to keep it in good condition and supple.
A lacquered handle does not require maintenance.
The sheath does not require special care. After use, it should be dried at room temperature, with the knife removed. Our sheaths are made from vegetable-tanned leather, which, as a natural material, may get wet during use. It should never be dried in a hot environment, such as a boiler room or sauna. Heat can harden the leather, change its shape, and even cause it to shrink. Drying the sheath may take two to three days. The leather can be cleaned gently with a damp cloth, but leather conditioners should be avoided as they can alter the color of the leather.
The metal parts of the sheath can be polished using products designed for polishing chrome parts of cars. Autosol, available in auto parts stores, works well. Note that the metal parts of the sheath are lacquered at the factory, so using abrasive materials will remove the protective lacquer.
Our helavyö belts and jewelry do not require special care. If the leather parts get wet, drying at room temperature is sufficient. Drying in a hot environment, such as a boiler room or sauna, can harden the leather, change its shape, and cause it to shrink. Drying may take two to three days. The leather can be cleaned gently with a damp cloth, but leather conditioners should be avoided as they can alter the color of the leather. The metal parts of belts and jewelry are lacquered and do not require maintenance. If you wish to polish the metal parts, Autosol works well. Note that using abrasive materials will remove the protective lacquer.