A knife is one of the most important tools in the kitchen, and it must be protected well so that it remains sharp and rust-free for years. But how can it be achieved?
Especially, carbon steel blades get highly exposed to water, humidity, and food. Soon the blades get covered with rust which can affect the performance of the blade.
Also most of them wash their knives inside a dishwasher and the temperature and harsh chemical rust the knife blade.
The best way to prevent your chef knife from suffering from rust is by forming a protective layer of oil on the surface of the blade.
Oiling a knife will help in creating a protective film and will repel water, moisture, humidity, acidic foods, and salts.
But which oil you should buy? As there are a lot of them and most of them are not food safe and not recommended to use in the kitchen use. That’s why you have to read this complete article.
Because in this article I have covered all the 7 best oil for a carbon steel knife, and that will help you narrow down your selections.
Also, I have shared a buying guide that will help you know which product you should consider buying.
But wait!!.
Are You In a Hurry? Check Down Below
If you are in a hurry, and you don’t have much time to read the complete article then you can simply go with this knife blade oil.
Because this oil has been specially made to protect your carbon steel knife and it’s among the best knife oil to prevent rust and corrosion from your blades.
The oil is composed of 100% food-safe natural organic material and you can use it with any type of kitchen knife.
Well, if you want more details about the product, you can scroll down below.
Buying Guide For Best Oil For Carbon Steel Knife
It’s very important that you have the correct knowledge of which oil is safe to use, as this can help you find the correct oil for your knife. That’s why you should read the complete buying guide carefully.
It’s significant to choose the right quality of oil, or else you might not get the outcome that you are looking for.
- Food Safety: Note that this is one of the most essential factors you have to look for while getting oil for your knife. You must know that not all oil is food-safe. You must make sure that you avoid oil that has a strong smell, as that can easily transfer to your food. It’s always recommended to get food-safe knife oil for your kitchen knife.
- Preserve Blades: The oil that you are using must preserve your carbon steel blade, or else there is no point in using the oil. The knife blade oil must create a barrier between your knife and the other harmful elements of the environment and protect the blade from oxidation.
- Easy To Apply: The oil must be easy to use and need no extra effort is needed to apply the lubricating oil to the knife. A few oils require heating, and it’s not convenient to use such a type of oil. Moreover, I don’t recommend using such oil for lubricating your blades.
- Drying Time: Some oils dry faster and some take a longer time. Well, it’s possible to save a lot of time by getting a product that dries faster. If your oil has a fast-drying agent, then possibly you can save a lot of time.
- Cost: Knife oil should not cost you more than $35 if you are getting it in a low quantity. Most of the carbon steel knife oil will cost you from $15 to $30.
The Best Oil For Carbon Steel Knife: Make Your Work Easy
You know that every oil doesn’t have the quality that you need, but if you can define your motive then you can find out the perfect oil that you need for your carbon steel knife.
If you want to make things easy for yourself, then you can simply check down below.
1. Premium Quality 8 Oz Knife Blade Oil
The 8 Oz knife blade is one of the top lubricants for knives and it has been certified by the NSF and tested in the lab. The oil is composed of 100% natural food-safe ingredients and it’s one of the best food-safe knife oil.
Using this knife blade oil can make your work easy, and it will easily create a barrier between your knife blade and the harmful environment.
It can easily resist water and prevent your blade from getting oxidation. So, if you really want a good quality knife oil for carbon steel, then this is one of the best choices.
The oil can be used with any variety of knives. However, it’s recommended to use on blades that are made from high carbon metals that have a carbon content between 0.60% to 2.00%.
One of the best things about the oil is it’s made in the US and as you know products made in the US are of high quality.
Also, the product has a customer rating of 4.5 out of 5 which has been given by 1000 plus happy customers.
2. Knife Oil With Rust Erase Kit
Do you want to clean the rust from your knife blade? Do you want a clean knife? Then this can be one of the best products that have been recommended by most professionals.
The knife oil comes with a rust-erase kit through which you can completely clean your blade. The oil works perfectly with any type of blade and provides superior protection.
The oil is a perfect blend of mineral oil and camellia oil, and the best part is its food grade. It’s tasteless, odorless, and has a low viscosity.
It helps to maintain your carbon steel knife by making a protective barrier between your blade and the harmful environment.
The kit has a knife oil, lint-free cloth, and a rust eraser, and with the help of that, you can easily remove the rust from the blade.
Believe me, this is a fantastic tool for cleaning your blades and getting rid of rust from your blades. It can easily remove rust in just minutes.
3. Organic Camellia Knife Oil By KPL
The KPL is one of the leading manufacturers of knife maintenance oil that makes high-quality camellia oil for carbon steel knives and cast iron.
Camellia oil is a universal knife lubricating oil which is rich in Omega-9, and it has been in use for years for protecting Samurai swords and other tools.
You can just spray the oil on each side of the blade and wipe it evenly through the blade, and this will completely protect your blades.
The knife oil has been designed for kitchen knives, but it goes well with saws and other woodworking tools. It’s a lubricating oil that can be used on multiple surfaces.
I highly recommended this oil as the perfect solution to avoid rust and protect your blade. You can use the oil once a month for oiling your blades.
Also, it’s less viscous and keeps your knives and cookware clean and non-sticky.
4. Yoshihiro Japanese Knife Maintenance Oil
How important is it to have a clean knife? Using a rusted knife can easily spread infection and it can cause serious problems to your health.
Because without knife oil, it’s difficult to protect your knife from suffering rusting. However, there are some other methods to protect your blade from rusting.
However, all these methods are not as effective as the periodic oiling of your knife.
The Yoshihiro TSOIL is a 100% knife maintenance oil specially made for high-carbon steel knives. Just apply a few drops and it will prevent corrosion, rust, and discoloring.
You can easily remove stains from your knife by gently rubbing the blade with a clean cloth. This is a perfect maintenance kit that has been made in japan.
This product has an amazing customer review of 4.8 out of 5, which has been given by their 2000 plus happy customers and it’s amazing.
5. Tinyroots Choji Knife Cleaning Kit
Our next product is the knife cleaning kit from Tinyroot Choji and this product has been specially designed for removing stains and rust from Japanese knives and swords.
Japanese knives are mostly made from high-carbon steel and required high maintenance and periodic oiling or else the blade suffers from rust.
This oil can be used for cleaning rust and removing stains from your blades. It can perfectly restore your blade to a new-looking knife.
You will absolutely love this product because it’s just amazing. Simply put 2 to 3 drops of Tinyroot Choji knife oil and buff it with a lint-free cloth and restore your blades.
The low-viscosity oil is ideal for all types of knife maintenance and it’s food safe. That means you don’t have to worry about using the oil in the kitchen.
It works instantly when you apply, and it has less drying time that separates the oil from other varieties of knife oil on the market.
6. Premium Kitchen Knife Oil By Wolf
How much are you concerned about maintaining the sharpness of the blade? As everyday knives are used in the kitchen and it’s a common thing.
To maintain the sharpness of the blade, the blade requires proper maintenance like sharpening and oiling at regular intervals.
However, I have seen many people just leave their knives and even expensive knives suffer from corrosion, and in this way, your blades get damaged.
That’s why you must oil your blades so that your blades can last for years.
You can use this for all varieties of knives like the professional chef and kitchen knives and other kitchen utensils that need to maintain sharpness.
Oiling with this oil lubricates your blade leaving no oily residue which is the best part about this oil.
7. Food Grade Mineral Oil
Our final choice of knife oil is a multi use knife oil and it can used in cutting board and butcher block as well.
The food safe knife oil can be applied on most of the kitchen items unlike mineral spirit. It’s safe for skin and food and it treats the blade and protect the blade from corrosion.
The best part part is it can be applied on the handle of the blade and it gives extra shine to the blade and make it look fresh.
The butcher block knife oil is best for houseware wooden items and kitchen blade. Take a small amount of mineral oil and apply on the knife and this will help to seal it with an extra layer and make it sure it arrives undamaged.
How To Clean Carbon Steel Knife
Carbon steel knives are prone to corrosion. Rust develops in the blade when the blade gets exposed to oxygen and water. Also the high humidity can speed up the corrosion process.
The rust starts to decay on the knife blade and as a result the carbon steel lose some of it strength.
However you don’t have worry as you can remove those rust and stains from the blade and prevent the blade and protect the steel itself.
1. Using Baking Soda To Remove Rust
Using baking soda and a scrubbing pad are always an excellent combination and it can clean your carbon steel knife.
Take water and baking soda and mix them well and let it form a paste. Apply the paste on both side of the blade and wait up to 30 minutes
Now scrub the blade using a scrubbing pad. Once one side is clean clean the other side of the blade.
Once both side of the blades are clean, apply a small amount of mineral oil and for additional protection.
2. Using Vinegar
Similar to baking soda you can also use vinegar for cleaning your carbon steel knife. Start with soaking your carbon steel knife using a paper towel in white vinegar.
Let the blade soak to about 30 minutes, then you can remove the blade and start cleaning the blade by using a scrubbing pad.
Finally finish it off by with mineral oil or re-sharpening the blade using any type of knife sharpener.
Wrap Up On The Best Oil For Carbon Steel
If you haven’t used your knife for a while and you are worried about the rusting on the blade. I’m not sure whether you are keeping your knives properly.
But from now onwards you don’t have to worry anymore, as this oil can remove the rust from any type of blade from a stainless blade to a high carbon steel blade.
It is not necessary to apply the oil every time you use the cutlery but regular maintenance is always important.
Additionally, mineral oil and camellia oil can be used for cleaning and oiling other tools in the kitchen. So if you are getting the oil it won’t go waste.
That’s why I have shared the 7 best oil for carbon steel knives so that you can find out the best one according to your needs.
But if you want to check others, then make sure you note down all the important things that should be in oil for carbon steel knives.
However, if you are looking for some other ways to protect your knife from rust then, you can follow my other post on how to keep a knife from rusting for a clear understanding.
FAQ: Best Oil For Knife Blades
Finding the best oil for blades is quite difficult as there are many varieties of oil available in the market. That’s why many people ask many questions.
That can be solved easily. That’s why I have added some of the most commonly asked questions and provided appropriate answers to them.
1. Is Mineral Oil Good For Knives?
We use oils for a variety of purposes like protecting the blade from getting corrosion and also for lubricating the joints. Pocket knives typically require lubrication so that the joints function well. They require periodic oiling so that the knife works properly.
2. How Often Should You Oil Your Knife?
Well, the answer to this question totally depends upon how often you use and wash your knife. For an average person, once a month is probably sufficient.
Usually, premium quality knife requires less maintenance as they are made from a high-quality metal like titanium or other premium metals, and don’t suffer from rust easily.
3. Is Honing Oil The Same As Mineral Oil
Honing oil and mineral oil are quite similar, but the major difference between mineral oil and honing oil is the viscosity of the oil.
Mineral oil is a better oil for knives because it does not get sticky or rancid over time. While honing oil is also used with a high carbon knife because it goes well. Also, it’s food-safe oil.
4. Can I Use Rubbing Alcohol To Clean My Knife?
Rubbing Alcohol is only recommended for use with knives that are not used in the kitchen for cooking purposes.
It’s a good way to clean a knife you take a little bit of rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab and clean your blades. As the alcohol evaporates quickly, you must rinse the knife as soon as you clean it.