Tips on Buying and Maintaining Folding / Pocket Knives

This eBay Guide Copyright Rocky Mtn Home Solutions/Jim & Lisa Rodgers August 2009

Many folks like to carry a folding knife, whether large or small.  They're invaluable for a multitude of everyday uses around home and work, as well as hunting or fishing.  Here's just a few short tips on how to wisely purchase a folding or pocket knife, followed by a few tips for maintaining and using it.

ADVICE FOR BUYING

• Before you buy that that cool, wicked-looking knife (you know, the big one with the dragons etched on the handle) through eBay or another internet site...be sure that it doesn't violate your local weapons laws. 
• Some municipalities have very strict laws, such as restrictions on blade lengths or switch-blades, or even spring-assisted-opening.
• Spend a few minutes on your local city/town website, search the ordinances, and see what applies to you.
• DON'T TAKE THE RISK OF GETTING THROWN IN JAIL, it just isn't worth it.  No particular knife, no matter how cool or tough-looking, could ever add sufficient utility or even self-defense value to make it worth breaking your local laws. 
• So if you need to buy, for instance, a slightly shorter blade to satisfy local laws...we promise you, the bad guys won't be measuring your knife in an emergency self-defense situation.
• You can AND SHOULD find a knife that meets your needs and is still legal in your area. 
• When you buy a knife...you'll always do better to buy a higher-quality knife in the first place...
• It will hold its edges longer, sharpen easier, and be more dependable
• Should the time come that your life depends on your knife...whether in the outdoors in a survival situation, or cutting yourself out of a seatbelt after an auto accident, or even in self-defense...you won't regret a dime that you've spent.
• What is the best knife to buy??? 
• We often get this question, or variations thereof, from potential customers or friends.
• The answer, of course, must always be:  IT DEPENDS!  Factors include...
• Whether you'll use it for hunting, fishing, camping, boating, self-defense, whittling, just carrying it around it your pocket, or perhaps self-defense purposes. 
• What your local laws are (see discussion above).
• Literally, where you live...not just in terms of laws, but also whether you live in the country or the city; in an arid climate, a damp climate, or a highly-corrosive salt air environment (e.g., you live next to the ocean!).  Or will you use it primarily in cold-weather conditions (and thus, often while wearing gloves)?  Perhaps you're use it while fishing, and thus need something especially moisture-resistant?
• What kind of grip do you prefer on a knife? 
• This is a much more intensely personal topic than you might think. 
• Some prefer soft, cushioned grips, others hard rough grips.  Others like hand-shaped grips, or perhaps with some kind of design. 
• The thing is to select what works for you, in the conditions you most typically expect to use it in. 
• That understood, for an everyday, working folding knife that you're going to use frequently and keep in your pocket, we recommend a tactile, low-slip grip; personally, we also recommend a slightly cushioned grip, but again, that is highly personal. 
• Ultimately, when buying a knife, that old axiom holds true in spades:  you get what you pay for!
• So, if you're paying $10 for a knife...you're NOT going to be getting good-quality blade steel, good design, safety features, or good joint mechanisms that will stand the test of time. 
• And, you're not really saving anything if you're having to buy a new knife every couple of years, anyway.
• You will pay at least $25.00 for a decent folding knife; at $30 you can start getting some very nice knives, especially on eBay. 
• While some would disagree, we believe most casual knife buyers with limited knowledge & experience should stick with the big, well-known knife-makers, including GERBER, Kershaw, Buck, etc.
• IN OUR OPINION, you should stay away from the cheaper imports with popular U.S. names (e.g., Smith & Wesson). 

ADVICE FOR MAINTAINING YOUR KNIFE or KNIVES

Keep your knife sharp; it's safer for you and those around you

• Most men know, understand and apply this advice, since they received such training in various youth or military organizations. 
• Unfortunately, many women haven't yet received that message, and many ladies today have started carrying small purse knives, whether for personal defense or just plain convenience. Even these small "purse knives" will be safer if sharpened periodically.

Just as you need a good-quality knife, you also need a good-quality sharpening system.

• We recommend ceramic rods system....you can check eBay for many possible sources.  

Don't use your knife blades as screwdrivers or pry bars; that's not what they were designed for...they may well snap off, also creating a risk of injury. 

Remember to cut cleanly and evenly, without twisting the blade of your knife (same reason as above) 

Keep your knife dry, to avoid rust; even "stainless steel" will rust if exposed to moisture long enough, and salt water is especially corrosive. 

Apply light oil to your folding mechanism occasionally, for lubrication  and protection against rust. 

Keep your knife's folding/locking mechanism clean; use a toothpick to reach into the nooks and crannies to remove accumulated dirt and grit (the wood won't harm your blade or folding/locking mechanism).

DON'T store your knife in a damp basement, garage, bathroom or other moisture-prone location...choose a dry location instead, and wipe them down with a light oil & cloth to clean and protect the blades.

That's all for today...just a few easy tips and advice.  Good luck!!!

Click here to be taken to the Rocky Mountain Home Solutions eBay Store !!