How to Clean and Maintain a Swiss Army Knife

Nothing lasts for a lifetime, they say. Think again, we say. Think swiss army knife; it will change your perception. 

A swiss army knife is one solution to all your tool needs. At least it covers the basic daily tool needs. 

If you are a proud owner of a Victorinox swissarmy knife, chances are that it has a fixed place in your pocket, and you carry it everywhere you go. However, all this travel can get your swiss army knife dirty. Well, you get dirty too, so why cannot your knife? If you wish your swiss army knife to last you a lifetime and that too in its optimum state, you need to show it some extra love and care.

Cleaning and maintaining your swiss army knife is an unsaid rule. Get rid of all that lint, debris, and gunk, and keep your knife fit for use. It promises to be by your side every day, especially in the case of survival. 

Follow these simple steps to have a perfectly working swiss army knife for life.

            Remove everything removable:

Remove everything that is detachable; this includes all the tools that can come off and the batteries, if any. 

Some examples of detachable tools are toothpicks, tweezers, ballpoint pens, mini screw drivers, etc. All of these should be cleaned individually in warm, soapy water while they are out of the knife's case. Be sure to dry them completely before re-inserting them.

A warm for both your warrior:

Who does not love a long, warm, and soapy bath? Just make sure your knife does not have electronic components. 

Once your knife has spent a good time in the warm bath, swivel it gently. Now open and close each implement so all the loosened gunk falls off. Use a soft scrubbing pad to get rid of any stubborn grime or dirt. 

At this point, if you feel you can add a dash of dishwashing liquid. Be careful, the liquid can make your knife slippery and difficult to use. 

One smart way to get all the stubborn dirt out of all the nooks and crannies is to use your knife’s toothpick. It is sturdy enough not to splinter like a traditional toothpick and is safe enough not to cause any damage to the knife and its components.

Once your swiss army knife is clean, rinse it thoroughly. Make sure to dry it clean.

Just in case, your swiss knife needs special treatment, make sure to use a solvent on the spot where needed. Do not use it on the plastic part as it may get damaged.

 Points to remember:

·         Do not put your swiss army knife in a dishwasher. The heat and abrasive cleaners can cause damage to the knife’s blades and hands.

·         Never use harsh detergents or cleaners on your swiss army knife, like steel wool, a brill-o pad, or sandpaper as these can scratch the metal of the tools. Rust remover can also cause damage.

·         If your knife has electronic components, never submerge it in the water. Instead, take out each implement and clean it separately, while the knife rests on a clean towel.

·         If your swiss army knife gets submerged in water, do not panic. Carefully remove the batteries and let everything dry on its own. There is a protective lacquer coating on the contacts for Victorinox electronics components, so they should be OK after they are completely dry.

Dry your swiss army knife:

If you wish your swiss army knife to last forever, dry its implements and the main body thoroughly before attaching everything back. If you are using a cloth or a towel to wipe off water, make sure to use anything that does not leave behind lint.

Polish your knife’s handles:

The handles of your swiss army knife tend to get dull, scratched and may develop a patina of its own. You do not want a knife that is clean, works properly, but is not pleasant to look at. Use flitz or any other polish and a microfiber cloth to bring back its lost shine and smoothness.

Lubrication-all the way!

For a smooth working knife, cleaning is not enough. You need to lubricate it from time to time. Once you have treated your knife with all the warm and soapy bath and wiping, the chances are quite high that your knife has lost all the much-needed lubrication by now. So, you need to fix this now.

Get hold of a nice lubricant oil and a few newspapers and old rags to clean any oil drips.

 Put a drop each in every hinge that you can see. Every implement is joined to the main body of the knife with a hinge. After that, open each implement and lubricate every moving part of each implement. Move all the parts turn by turn to ensure that oil reaches every joint. If needed, add another drop of oil. 

If your knife has scissors, oil them thoroughly too. 

Once you have oiled the knife, let it take some rest on a paper towel. Wipe excessive oil afterward.

The best and ideal choice for lubricating a swiss army knife is something that is highly viscous, neutral in smell, age-resistant (will not seize up over time), food-safe and has good corrosion protection qualities. 

WD 40 is not a good idea to use here due to its viscosity.

Replace damaged and missing components:

If your knife has a few implements that are damaged, or you have lost them over time, you can always shop them from the authentic victorinox resellers. You can even get a few components in different colors for a different look.

Take away:

A swiss army knife is something that needs to sit in your pocket everyday. You never know when you may need it. It is therefore to get hold of authentic and best quality swiss army knife. Shop for a Victronix SAK from Hazaris