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Three Things Admiral Byrd Didn't Do With His Knife Which You Shouldn't Do Either, And Why

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Admiral Byrd was a famous polar explorer, one which the U.S. government awarded the Medal of Valor to for his expeditions and discoveries. You can bet that one of the tools Admiral Byrd always took with him was a decent knife, one which could clean fish and field-dress any wild game he and his troop of explorers caught for food. When you buy Byrd knives (so named for the famous explorer), you can do many of the things he probably did, but there are also several things you should not do with your folding blade knives. Here are just a few things you should not do with your knives and why.

Never Use the Knives to Slice Through Packing Tape

While the multiple thick layers of packing tape on your packages may be obnoxious to try and rip through, you should never resort to using your folding or pocket knives to cut the tape. The adhesives on many types of packing tape can stick to the blades, gumming them up and dulling them. Trying to clean the adhesive gunk off your knives can lead to more problems, since most adhesive removers can damage the blades and pit them. If you need something sharp to cut through the packing tape on your packages, use scissors or a key, which will poke big enough holes in the tape that you can then remove it by hand.

Never Use Household Cleaners and Water to Clean Your Knife

Many household cleaners contain chemicals that can eat through the protective finish on these kinds of knives. This exposes little areas on the knives to rust and/or corrosion. Also, you should never repeatedly submerge or leave your knife in water. While a lightly damp cloth to clean off the blade once in a while is okay, you do not want to make the blade consistently wet. Between the water and the household cleaners, you can completely ruin these kinds of knives, and then they'll become unusable and potentially more of a risk to your health if they slip and cut you.

Never Use Anything Other Than a Whetstone to Sharpen Your Blades

It is much smarter to have a professional sharpen your knives, but if you really want to sharpen your knives yourself, never use anything else but a whetstone. Hacking or scraping the blade of your knife on granite or some other hard, jagged stone will only scratch the blade up and not have the desired sharpening effect. Then you not only have a dull blade, but you also have one that looks as though someone continually tried to smash it with a rock, too. 


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