All About Pocket Knives

Knife is a 2000 Case mini copperlock...it has what I thought was a crack running fron the rear bolster to the backsrping pin...stoping at the front handle pin...I have been told it could be called a run...what is the difference between the two ? I can barely feel it ...sure would like to hear your opinions on this....Thanks, Robert

Hard to tell from a picture, but it looks like a crack that runs the length of the knife.

Sometimes you can see what looks like a crack, but is really a vein. I'm told you can't feel those. I know someone with more stag knowledge should come along shortly.

Thanks Hukk...The more I look at it I think it's a crack...have had the knife put back for about seven years...I don't remember seeing it when I bought it....Robert

If it is a crack, and it does look like it, CASE will replace that slab if you send the knife to them.
I'm curious though-is that actual stag? or 2ndcut or 6.5?

Hi Bob,

It looks like a crack in my opinion, sorry to say...You might want to consider using some Formby's Lemon Oil on your remaining stag pieces.

Sunburst

stress crack i would guess from the schrinkage at the bolster and it looks like it's flaking at the bolster end of the crack.

Thanks for looking guys...win some lose some...yes it's a 51749L...thanks for lemon oil tip Sunburst will give that a try....Robert

Question...what is Formby's Lemon Oil made up of?

Is it lemony-scented mineral oil?

I guess my question is: Is mineral oil good for stag? (As well as being rust-protectect, lubricant, and general slipplie wonder-juice.)

I know the very talented Tony Bose endorses lemon oil, particularly Formby's, for stag. So I'd guess Ralph's suggestion is spot on.

I don't have any Formby's right here, but I'm about 99% sure it doesn't have mineral oil in it. However, I have used another brand of lemon oil that I had on hand , and it seems to work well also. Gives everything a nice shine.

I've been using plain old food grade (the laxative) mineral oil, on wood, bone, ivory, and stag, for about 20 years, with success. Seems to keep those natural products from drying out and cracking. First started on a cutting board, to keep it from warping. Don't use too much for regular maintenence, as it doesn't seem to evaporate, although it will "soak in" if the material is really dry. Some folks suggest a handle soak in mineral oil once a year. I find that may slightly darken up the scales. JMO there.

I also think it can be used sparingly as a lubricant, especially if you cut food with your knife. Just a tiny drop in the pivot area. There are better lubricants...but not as handy, and for the price. I'm pretty sure Ballistol and Japanese Sword Oil contain mostly mineral oil. I don't find it to be an effective long term protector against rust, if you are going to "salt" something away in storage.

Sorry for the windy post. As always, JMO.

Bill

Thanks Bill..I'm sure that question has been addressed a million times before....

Once and a while I take a Q-Tip dipped in generic drug-store mineral oil and rub it all over my EDC carbon slippies. Scales, joints, bldes...then wipe the excess off.

I wasn't sure if it was a good thing to do to stag, so thanks for the input.

Also thanks on the "long term storage" point.

If I want to put something away for "long-term storage" I usually use Rem Oil on the joints, then wipe the blades & handles down with Ren Wax.

Just the way I do it.
Dale

orvet wrote:If I want to put something away for "long-term storage" I usually use Rem Oil on the joints, then wipe the blades & handles down with Ren Wax.

Just the way I do it.
Dale

Me also, if it is good enough for the Smithsonian, it's good enough for me. JMO

Rem oil on just the metal parts, right? If I get the oil on stag will it hurt anything?

Also, the Ren wax I put on everything - stag, bone, blades, etc. That's OK, right?

Also, if I'm using Ren Wax, do I still need to use the lemon oil? I'm guessing so, to keep the stag from drying out.

Some people in the know say 'no wax, ever'.
I'm like Hukk, I use Ren Wax. I use it on everything except plastic and cloth because they don't need wax.
I believe certain other waxes buff out better then Ren-Wax but Ren'wax is good enough for protection to use in most museums on pieces most of us will never be able to afford, so I'll sacrifice a little shine for ultimate protection.
If you want to 'lube' your folder's joint, put a couple drops of 'Corrosion-X' in the joint for ultimate protection.
I would not put lemon oil or mineral oil on after waxing.
One thing about oil-it is lighter then moisture and can trap moisture underneath itself which is just one reason a nicely oiled knife may still change color.

If I get a knife that has old stag on it that I think is dried out, I will use the Formby's Lemon Oil on it. Maybe 2 or 3 coats until it looks good. Then I will coat the whole knife with Ren wax before storing.

Just the way I do it,
Dale

In the past I've just wiped down my mint knives really well then lubed the joints with a little oil, then used Ren Wax on the knives before storing. I've never used the Formby's Lemon oil on the stag. I think I might just remove the Ren Wax from the stag knives that I have already stored, use Formby's on them, then re-wax and re-store. I appreciate the input very much.

orvet wrote:If I get a knife that has old stag on it that I think is dried out, I will use the Formby's Lemon Oil on it. Maybe 2 or 3 coats until it looks good. Then I will coat the whole knife with Ren wax before storing.

Just the way I do it,
Dale

Hey Dale that's exactly how I do it and I have no complaints..

Sunburst

Thanks to all for the info on stag care...has been very educational...well I better get the knives out and get to work...Robert

whats the best way to care for knives that are in a display case? I dont buy them to store away in a box out of sight, i get way too much pleasure out of looking at them every day, kind of like looking at a playboy when i was a kid, lol.

Just routine cleaning, Bubba. And don't let 'em sit in direct sunlight (for days on end, I mean). Display them out of the sheath, if they have one.

thanks, they dont sit in sunlight, i have one that i bought that did and one side is bleached almost completely out while the other is like new so i learned from that. i guess the point being that it doesnt really hurt them to be displayed as long as they are routinely cleaned and cared for? when i grow up i hope i know as much about this stuff as all you guys do, problem is i'm 52 and dont see any chance of growing up any time soon!

BTW guys,
There are a couple other problems you might encounter when displaying knives:

Florescent Lights
These can cause fading just like the sun. I encountered this in my past retail life. I have one Old Timer that is badly faded on one side from exposure to florescent lights. It came from a cutlery store that was in the basement of a shopping mall. It is as badly faded as anything I have seen the sun do.

I don’t know this for sure, perhaps someone else has had experience in this area, but the UV rays may contribute to the off gassing of celluloid handles.
Does any AAPK member have any experience with this? I would like to know.

If you have your knives displayed in a room with florescent lights, you can check with a professional lighting supply house and they carry, or can order, sleeves (clear plastic tubes) you put around the florescent tube. They are supposed to block our most of the UV light that causes the fading. I found them to be about 60-70% effective, but they didn’t cure the problem for us. Just lessened it.

I suppose most of us who display our knives do so in our homes. It seems that florescent lights are almost universal in commercial & work environments, but not as widely used in the home.

Lighted Display Cases
I have had some problems with temperature build up with lighted display cases. This is especially true with cases that have incandescent lights. Although florescent lights don’t have as much heat, they can still get warm and there is the UV problem. It seemed to me that the display cases with florescent lights had worse UV problems than items exposed to florescent lighting that were not in enclosed cases, but that is just my perception based on about 12 years in retail. I don’t have any scientific proof of it.
The problem with the temperature getting higher is that it may accelerate the natural decoration of the handle material. It can dry out the stag & wood handles. I would imagine it might also contribute to the breakdown of celluloid as well.

These are a couple “Display Problems” I encountered when I was in retail. I hope they are helpful, and not too scary. I would be especially concerned it I had a high dollar collection. In retail where you have thousands of dollars worth of merchandise, these were very real concerns, and we lost a bit of slower moving merchandise each year. Most products sold fast enough to keep this from becoming a major problem, but I imagine the problem would be worse when the items are always on display, year after year and never changed.

Dale

Excellent post, Dale.

I had no idea, about the flourescent problem. Sure makes sense, tho'.

JR

Great post! Thanks so much! Fortunately my displays are in my home office where that type of lighting is not an issue. Because of these responses though I have repositioned the display cases to minimize any exposure to sunlight coming in through the window. Man, you guys are great!

Thanks!

When can I get Ren Wax and Formby's lemon oil? Does Walmart carry it, and if so where at?