Regardless of the materials out of which your knife is made, it is always important to use proper care and maintenance to ensure optimum performance levels. Always keep your knife blade sharp. A dull knife requires additional force to use and is potentially more dangerous to use than a sharp one. There are a variety of products available when it comes to sharpening your knife. As for which one is best, it pretty much comes down to choosing the one you’'re most comfortable with using. Never sharpen your knife on a power grinding wheel as this can burn the temper out of the blade and weaken its integrity.
Always keep the locking areas of your knife clean- accumulation of dirt or debris could adversely affect the locking mechanism creating a potential safety hazard. To clean these areas we recommend using compressed air and lubricating with the specialty lubricant, MILITEC-1®.
Many high quality blades have a very high carbon content which enables them to hold a superior cutting edge. Unfortunately, carbon is also the element that causes rust so, preventive care is needed if the knife is used in humid or marine environments. To aid in the cleaning of rust on the blades, we recommend using a fine grade, semi-chrome polish. A product such as marine Tuf-Cloth™ works well to not only wipe down the blade for cleaning but, also adds an invisible coating for added corrosion protection without leaving any oily film which may attract dirt and debris. Lightly lubricate the pivot of the blade periodically to keep it operating smoothly. A thin oil or lubricant such as MILITEC-1® works well --- and remember a little goes a long way.
Never attempt to use your knife as a screwdriver, pry-bar, chisel, or punch. Never throw your knife, unless it was designed for that purpose. Use for any purpose other than cutting is considered abuse and is likely not covered under the manufacturer’'s warrantee. Disassembling your knife will also likely void the manufacturer’'s warrantee.
Most of all, enjoy your knife and always remember to use it in a safe, responsible manner.
Courtesy of Benchmade Knife Company. For more information, visit www.Benchmade.com.