How to Store Your Knives Properly

A problem I see that plagues a lot of knife owners is the proper storage of their blades, especially fixed blades. Many people will receive a knife with a sheath and naturally believe the sheath is meant for storage. That would make sense right? Unfortunately, this is not often the case for most knives. Sheaths can and will trap moisture inside them and over an extended period of time, your blades with start to show corrosion from improper storing. I’m not going to lie to you, I use to be the guy that would fully clean my blade after some extended use and then place it back in the sheath it and throw it in a drawer. As I’m sure you can imagine, after leaving a couple knives in that drawer for a couple of months, I ended up with a few really nice, high end blades showing the signs of corrosion. Not what you want to see when you’re getting ready to go on a trip or need a specific knife quickly. This lead to my main point: The best way to keep your knives clean, sharp and attractive is to clean and store them properly.

Let's start by dispelling some myths about knives, knife storage and knife sheaths.

1. A sheath is intended to be used as a means to carry your knife around safely, not to protect your knife when it is not in use.
2. All stainless steel knives will corrode eventually if not properly taken care of. Stainless steel is an amazing material, but it is not nor has it ever been 100% anti-corrosive.
3. Kydex sheaths are not okay to store blades in long term. It’s true that Kydex sheaths are more “breathable” than a leather sheath and less likely to trap moisture, but the fact remains that they will block moisture from escaping and will form condensation on the inside surface of the sheath.
4. Even if your sheath has an open end with a ‘drainage hole’, this still doesn’t create enough breathability to stop the corrosion of your blades.

Ideally, you’d have a specific space to store your knives. I know collectors that have display cabinets and even moisture regulating enclosures to ensure their knives stay in tip-top condition. Now if you’re like me, you end up tossing your knives in a drawer or a bag. Not terrible high end I know, but it’s what I have and it works for the time being. Now, I don’t just leave my blades bare, we need to make sure there is at least a little protection. My solution is easy; I make a simple cardboard blade sheath for each of my blades. That’s right, 2 seconds of work is all you need to protect your stored blades. The cardboard sheath’s are very open and will help regulate the moisture accumulating around your steel. Enjoy! 

Be Smart, Be Safe and Stay an Edge Above the Rest!

-Billy