Basic Maintenance for your knife

Care for your new knife: First and foremost, I believe what you have in your hand is a knife that is durable, simple, and functional. It has been hand forged and handmade from start to finish. I paid attention to every detail and tried to produce something that you can use for the rest of your life and be used by those that come after you.

Here are a few steps you need to take on your end to make sure your knife outlives you.

Keep it dry. After use, wash with a mild detergent and dry thoroughly. Do not put in dishwasher. Store in a dry place. High carbon will discolor a bit, and when left in a wet environment, it will start to rust.
Keep it sharp. It is better to keep your knife sharp. I suggest sharpening after every few uses. If you use it to do a large project, sharpen before or after. The principle here: keep your edge. It is much easier to maintain an edge than it is to restore it after you have lost it.
Keep it oiled. After use, sharpen, wash, dry, and use just a touch of Rock Bridge Farmstead’s board and blade balm (included when you bought the knife) and wipe down the blade and the handle. This does not need to be done after every use, but I would do it every 3-4 uses.

A few other things:: These blades are not perfect, many will have small hammer marks. This is simply character. I care more about the functionality than I do about taking out every little mark in the grinding process. It means this knife is truly a one of kind.

Enjoy the knife. Knives that are handmade have a different feel when you use them, they are grounded and after a few uses it will become an extension of your hand. So enjoy it!

If you have any questions or anything needs attention with your knife, do not hesitate to reach out.

Strength and courage,

Kevin Parido, Bladesmith

Phone: 859.771.6816