Morakniv knives are some of the best knives available, perfect for outdoorsy folk, no matter what you use your knives for.
I love taking my Morakniv knife camping, for example, which is why we’re talking about them today.
But one thing you can’t deny is that when they rust, they’re difficult to clean. Of course, you have the black carbon steel and stainless steel versions, so the stainless steel blades don’t rust.
But if you have a black carbon steel Morakniv knife, then rusting can be a problem.
But don’t worry, in today’s article I’ll take you through everything you need to know about caring for both black carbon steel and stainless steel versions of the Morakniv, and tell you exactly how to clean rust off a Morakniv knife with a black carbon steel blade.
Ready to find out more? Then I’ll meet you below!
Cleaning Rust Off A Morakniv Knife
If your Morakniv knife is rusty, then you definitely have a black carbon steel blade.
They’re the only types of Morakniv knives that rust because they aren’t stainless steel, meaning they can oxidize and corrode when exposed to moist environments without efforts being made to dry them and prevent them from rusting.
But don’t worry about preventing rust just yet. I’ll tell you how to do that in the next section.
For now, let’s concentrate on how to clean the rust off your black carbon steel Morakniv knife:
- Get together a mixture of water and baking soda, making sure the mix is quite thick
- Rub the mixture along the blade, being careful as you do so
- Take aluminum foil, scrunch it up, and rub the blade
- It may take a few minutes to rub all of the rust off
- Wipe the blade clean to see if there is any rust remaining and repeat the process if necessary
- Make sure the blade is completely dry before storing away again
This method works wonders. The mixture of baking soda and water is non-toxic, meaning it will gently clean your knife’s blade without staining it or marking it in any way.
Some people online suggest using steel wool instead of aluminum foil, but this can often be too abrasive and result in scratches on the surface of your blade.
I personally wouldn’t risk using steel wool, unless you have really deep set rust in your blade.
By that stage, a few scratches on the blade are much easier to stomach if it clears up the rust.
I’d still recommend trying the aluminum foil trick first though, as I’ve always found it to be helpful in the past, and I’ve never struggled to clean rust off my Morakniv knife with this method.
Preventing Rust On Black Carbon Steel
OK, so now you know how to treat your knife once it’s gotten rusty so you can fix it, but what do you do to prevent rust in the first place?
Well, because black carbon steel isn’t treated in the same way as stainless steel, it’s vulnerable to moisture, which can then oxidize the metal and cause it to rust. Preventing it, though, is simple enough.
After each use, wipe down the black carbon steel blade of your Morakniv knife. Doing so will prevent any moisture from hanging around and making your blade rust.
Morakniv themselves also suggest oiling your blade after each use.
As we know, oil and water do not mix well, so by keeping your blade well oiled, water won’t be able to affect it and cause it to rust.
Be mindful of where you store your knife when not in use too. If you store it in a moist environment, such as the shed or a garage, and fail to cover it properly, it is more likely to rust.
Of course, buying one of Morakniv’s sheaths for your blade is a good idea if you want to keep your blade as dry as possible when storing for long periods of time or even when outdoors and it’s not in use.
Finally, you can create a patina for your blade. Patinas work by forming a thin layer of oxidation, not too dissimilar to rust, on your blade, but this oxidization actually doesn’t damage the blade at all like rust does, and helps to prevent rust from forming.
You can do this in two key ways: A) sticking your blade in fruit for a few hours to allow the citric acids to form a patina, or B) treating with warm vinegar.
Patinas aren’t for everyone, as some say it ruins the look of the blade, but if you choose not to create a patina for your blade, then focus on the other steps above to prevent rust instead.
Caring For Stainless Steel Morakniv Knives
Thankfully, stainless steel Morakniv knives don’t rust at all. That’s because they are _stainless_, and have been treated to prevent corrosion and rust from damaging the blade.
Still, you should care for them to prevent other marks, such as salt marks, from ruining the look of your blade.
It’s best practice to wash your stainless steel knife in running warm water and gentle dish soap after each use.
This just helps keep the blade clean and looking its best, and will stop salt marks from ruining your blade.
Once clean, you can simply leave the knife to air dry. Remember, because the stainless steel blade has been treated, you don’t need to be as cautious about moisture as you do with Morakniv’s black carbon steel versions.
Round-Up
There are black carbon steel knives and stainless steel knives available to buy from Morakniv, but no matter which one you own, some basic care and maintenance is essential to keep them looking their best.
Sure, you don’t need to worry about rust with stainless steel knives, but salt marks can still affect the blade – so cleaning is key.
Rust is a problem for black carbon steel knives, but by taking active steps to prevent it from forming – such as avoiding moisture, keeping your knife dry, and forming a patina – then you won’t need to worry about rust at all.
And, if all else fails, you can always return here to re-familiarize yourself with my super quick and easy rust removal technique for black carbon steel Morakniv knives!