How To Properly Clean And Take Care Of Your Swiss Army Knife

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Since they were designed for war, Swiss Army Knives (SAK) are generally pretty sturdy things. In its fascinating history, SAKs have evolved from being used by soldiers, outdoorsmen, IT professionals, to even ordinary citizens going about their day-to-day life. With time, Victorinox has developed different kinds of Swiss Army Knives for every kind of battle. However, like many things in life, maintaining your Swiss Army Knife can mean the difference between a few months or a couple of decades with it. While it's generally believed to be sturdy, it can become less effective with regular and consistent use. Thankfully, with the right type of attention, your SAK can serve you, your children, and even your grandchildren.

When it comes to taking care of your Swiss Army Knife, there are four main aspects: regular cleaning, managing electronic components, broken or lost part replacement, and preventive care. In many ways, having a cleaning routine is also just another way to do regular inspections of your knife, so you can spot issues before they can become real problems. In this article, we'll share all the different ways you can keep your SAK both sparkling and working flawlessly. But, before we can go into detail, you must first take an inventory of your existing tools. Previously, we've mentioned how Swiss Army Knives can have up to 73 tools, which may require different ways to maintain them. Once you've done that, here are all the ways you can do it.

Depending on your specific Swiss Army Knife, it may be getting different types of action. For example, the Cyber Tool M and Cyber Tool L are designed with tools meant to address IT-related issues, which are typically indoors. If you find that your Swiss Army Knife isn't usually exposed to the elements, it's likely you're only going to need light cleaning. To get started, the first thing you should do is remove all the loose parts, like the toothpick, ball pen, and tweezers. Victorinox cautions you should also take out any electronics, like batteries or USBs, to avoid damaging them. 

According to the company, the first thing you can do is submerge your Swiss Army Knife in warm water, while simultaneously opening and closing it. While it can be tempting, it also mentions avoiding using the dishwasher. In general, you can use toothpicks (including your SAK toothpick) or toothbrush to lightly scrub away the little dust and debris that may have been caught in the corners and hinges. With your SAK with a plastic scale, you can run it through warm water and use tools like sponges or brushes to get rid of the trapped particules. While you can use mild cleaning solutions, like dishwashing liquid, make sure to rinse it thoroughly to avoid soap scum build up. Lastly, you need to wipe down the SAK with a clean cloth or a hairdryer to dry it fully.

While Victorinox pocket knives are generally known to be pretty resistant to corrosion and prides itself on durability, the company specifically mentions that its knives' electronic components are not waterproof. While Victorinox adds that the battery contacts are built with protective coating, it shares that you'll want to dry it throughly if there are any signs of moisture or liquid build up.

On the other hand, Victorinox cautions that its USB components are the most at-risk when it comes to water exposure. Throughout the years, Victorinox has released several Swiss Army Knife models with USBs, such as the  Victorinox@work, Jetsetter@work Alox, and the Midnite Manager@work. In some cases, flash drives may not appear on your computer when rust or corrosion appears on the connectors. If you notice any of these issues from forming, you will need to fully remove your USB from your Swiss Army Knife and manage it like any other rusting electronic component. In this case, you might need to spray isopropyl alcohol on it and use a Q-Tip or paper towel to gently wipe off the rust. 

For harder-to-remove rust, you might also want to use your Swiss Army Knife to scratch it off. Alternatively, you could also use WD-40, but it's important to use the WD-40 Specialist Rapid-Drying Contact Cleaner variant which is formulated specifically for USB connections. Take note, Victorinox does not sell the USB separately, so you'll need to be careful about losing it or damaging it.

There's no shortage of different third-party Swiss Army Knife scales that you can choose from, including ones with unique designs and even glow in the dark. But take note, although there are a ton of third-party scale replacement options, they may not always adhere to the same standards that your out-of-the-box SAK scale does. If your SAK is still under warranty, you might as well make use of that instead of taking an unnecessary risk. Should you need to replace the battery on your Swiss Army Knife, you'll need to confirm whether your specific know uses the Battery 389 or the Battery CR1225. If you've accidentally misplaced the Ball Point Pen, it's only a little under $12 to get a replacement on Amazon.

That said, if you want to get creative, you don't always have to replace the parts with the exact ones you previously had. For example, we've mentioned before that you have the option to replace your Swiss Army Knife toothpick and tweezers with a ton of different colors. For the toothpick alone, you can get one for under $5, while the toothpick and tweezer combo will set you back $9.95, regardless of the size. In fact, with so many uses for the little toothpick slot, you can even use third-party add-ons, like the Firefly fire starter (in lieu of a toothpick). On Amazon, it has a 4.4 star rating from over 200 reviewers and a pack of eight goes for $41.49.

After you've done the standard cleaning and repair, the last step is to take preventive measures. And of course, when it comes to knives, this means making sure that they're as sharp as possible. Whether you're in the kitchen or the work room, dull knives can lead to danger because it increases the likelihood of slipping.

When sharpening your Swiss Army Knife, there are two ways. For straight cuts, Victorinox mentions that you should aim for a cutting angle between 30 to 40 degrees with a whetstone. For the best results, it recommends using water for cooling, if you decide to do this process with a grinding wheel. On the other hand, serrated knives require a different strategy, which involves pulling a sharpening stone on the flat side of your knife that you should try to get a 15 to 20 degree angle.

While there are a ton of tools you can do this with, Victorinox offers a few official options that may be well worth the investment. If you want a budget option, the Victorinox Sharpening Stone with Pouch only goes for $10, which also comes with a leather pouch that gives it an elegant touch. Alternatively, the Victorinox 4.3323-X1 Pocket Knife Sharpener has an average rating of 4.7 stars from over 16,700 Amazon reviews. For only $20.36, it is compact, lightweight, and looks like a pen. The German-made sharpener has a honing stone and ceramic disc for your blade sharpening needs.

Once your Swiss Army Knife is sharp enough, the last step of the preventing care process for your SAK is oiling. To keep your knife and its various hinges working smoothly, Victorinox also offers a Multi-Tool Oil, which you can use to keep your knives in top form. Although it is possible to use different kinds of oils, Victorinox mentions that other types of maintenance oil in the market may not fit one key criteria: food safety. Apart from being specially formulated and tested to work well with their knives, one of the key reasons you should be using the official Victorinox one instead of other types of oil is that it also passes NSF H1 standards. This means it's considered safe to use on things that may come in contact with food, plus they take into consideration its taste and smell. Not to mention, the specialized oil also fits other useful criteria, like corrosion protection. 

On Amazon, the Victorinox Multi-Tool Oil retails for $21.99 and has earned itself 4.5 stars on average from over a thousand SAK owners. Despite its small 20g size, several reviewers have mentioned that you don't need much of it to get the job done. In addition, some buyers have praised how the needle-nosed tip is useful for targeted application. Apart from your Swiss Army Knife, reviewers have also claimed to use it successfully with other multi-tools as well.