Knife Oil

Knife oil for pocket knives, EDC folders, hunting knives and fixed blades. A knife faces the same two problems as a firearm: rust on bare steel, from moisture, fingerprints and sweat, and friction at the pivot of a folding knife. GNP Defend Gun Oil is made to fight both. It stays where you put it instead of running off, repels water, and leaves a thin film that keeps carbon steel from rusting between uses. The same oil that protects a gun protects a blade.

The routine is three products. Gun Cleaner lifts the gunk out of a folder's pivot, the sap and tape residue off a blade, and the grime out of a lock. It is water-based and has no chlorinated solvent, acetone or MEK, so it is safe on G10, Micarta and polymer handle scales. Gun Oil goes on after: a wiped-on film over the blade, and one drop worked into the pivot of a folding knife. Gun Cleaner Wipes are the same formula as Gun Cleaner in a wipe, for a quick clean of a hunting knife in the field before it goes back in the sheath. Clean first, then oil.

The full spot-by-spot guide, including fishing reels, bows and tools, is gun oil on knives, reels and tools. For the firearm side, see the gun oil collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use gun oil on a knife?

Yes. Gun oil reduces friction between moving metal parts, repels moisture and protects steel from corrosion, which is exactly what a knife blade and a folder's pivot need. Wipe a thin film over the blade and work one drop into the pivot. Wipe off any excess so the blade does not attract lint and grit.

Is gun oil safe on kitchen knives?

Not for a knife you are about to cut food with. GNP Defend Gun Oil is a firearm lubricant, not a food-grade oil. The one kitchen use is long-term storage: oil a carbon-steel kitchen knife before putting it away for months so it does not rust, then wash it with soap and water before you use it again.

How do you oil a folding knife pivot?

Clean the pivot first with Gun Cleaner so the oil is not sealing dirt in, let it dry, then put one drop of Gun Oil on each side of the pivot and open and close the knife a dozen times to spread it. Wipe off what comes out. One drop is enough; more only collects pocket lint.

How often should you oil a knife?

A carry knife every few weeks, and any time it gets wet. A hunting knife after every use, before it goes back in the sheath. A knife going into storage gets a heavier wipe of oil, and a carbon-steel blade gets it every time, because it rusts fastest.