A Victorinox Swiss Army Knife is nothing short of a miracle of human ingenuity. The company has its origins in the mists of time - well over 100 years ago and over the sea - and their modern designs are exemplary for utility, ergonomics and user-friendliness. If there’s something you can’t do with a Swiss Army Knife, well, maybe it just can’t be done.

They have lots of tools and illustrating this point will leave us nearing the development of a list. On any given model, you’re liable to come across a nail file, ballpoint pen, ruler, wire stripper, bottle opener, key ring, several blades, saws, phillips screwdrivers, and much, much more. Elaborating on the number tools these multi-purpose instruments contain, however, is not our intention here.

Because of the number of small and moving parts, Swiss Army Knives will require periodic care and maintenance. This guide should serve most of your needs for basic care of your Victorinox Swiss Army Knife.

Remove Rust and Clean out the Hinges

Most Victorinox products are made with what are effectively rust-proof components such as stainless steel alloys, aluminum scales or synthetics. However, if you do notice spots of rust on your original Swiss Army Knife or multi tool, you can use a brass brush, a wire brush or a bit of steel wool, coupled with a little bit of vinegar, to remove it.

Assuming your Swiss Army Knife does not have any rust - and it shouldn’t - the first step in routine care will be removing the dust, grime and particulate matter from the moving parts, the joints, and the crevices. All that time riding in your pocket and you’ll probably have your share of lint, dust and other not-so-good stuff accumulated in the recesses of the tool.

To remove it, you’ll actually want to avoid rinsing it under water if you can. The reason for this is that water will remain in the tight spaces because they’re hard to dry without taking them apart, and can cause aggravate rust and other issues.

You should be able to remove most dust and lint with a cloth, a toothpick, or a metal pick. Use the point of a pick to get into the small spaces and coax out the dust and other gunk that has accumulated in those tight areas.

Assuming your tool doesn’t have too much grease or other lubricant in the moving parts, you can also use a can of compressed air for spraying out some of that debris, just like you have seen done on a keyboard. It’s gentle and it can be very effective.

Lubricate if Necessary

With all of the particulate matter removed from the recesses of your Victorinox tool, you may actually be done cleaning. Remove dirt and debris will limber up the action of the hinges and your tool should feel brand new.

If it doesn’t, however, you’ll need to lubricate the hinges and moving parts with the right oil. It’s a good idea to use food-safe oil, since many people use their Victorinox knives for food preparation, but that’s up to you.

Here at White Mountain Knives, we have food safe lubricants like Benchmade Blue Lube, although you can also use a food grade mineral oil which should hold up well.

You don’t need to coat the blade, since they’re stainless steel. All you need to do is apply a drop or so to the hinges and other moving parts of your Victorinox tool. That should limber up the action of all of the parts.

However, this next part is important. Make sure you remove all visible oil residue from all parts of the Victorinox Swiss Army Knife. You need far less than you think, and leaving excess oil is just asking for dirt and grime to make their way back into the action. Oil is a great lubricant, but it’s also sticky, and grime clings to it like no other.

Dry It off and Store Responsibly

That’s about all you need to do to take care of your Swiss Army Knife. Unless something is really wrong or significantly gumming up the works, you shouldn’t need any solvents or serious cleaners. Just wiping everything off, removing dust and debris from the workings and applying a light coat of oil is all you’ll need, most of the time.

Once you're done, remove any excess oils or liquids, make sure the knife is dry, and replace it in the location where you store it - or, as the case may be, return it to your pocket.

If your tool needs more specific maintenance or you aren’t sure how to proceed with bringing it back to peak performance, just get in touch with us and let us know what you need and we’ll help the best we can. You can reach us at WhiteMountainKnives@gmail.com.

Otherwise, check out our collection of Swiss Army Knives - including the Classic SD and many other, along with other great multi-tools from acclaimed manufacturers like Leatherman. We have one of the biggest collections online, have great prices, and offer free shipping!