A push button automatic knife is a significantly more complex tool than an assisted opening knife, and much more complex than even a basic folder - immeasurably more so than a fixed blade. That being the case, and with the presence of moving parts, keeping a push button automatic knife clean and well-maintained is one of the keys to ensuring smooth, fluid operation with no hangups or misfires. Granted, just how to clean and maintain your auto will depend on the model, so let this guide serve as a high-level introduction to automatic knife maintenance, exclusive of taking the knife apart first. With that said, without taking your knife apart, you’ll need to do the following to keep it in good working order.

The first step in cleaning your push button automatic knife is to deploy the blade. You don’t need to take the knife apart and remove the blade from its bearing for the purposes of this guide; just fire the knife so that it locks open. With the blade deployed, you can then clean the blade.

Using rubbing alcohol or a mild detergent, moisten and then clean the knife blade. Pay close attention to the edge and belly where adhesive and other gummy materials can accumulate, because these will attract dirt. You can use a brass brush or a cotton swab to help clean the blade, to dislodge deposits from the metal. You should also look carefully at the base of the blade to ensure that it is clear. If you have used a solvent or detergent in this step, you will have stripped any protective coating from the blade. Therefore, after you have cleaned the blade, allow it to dry thoroughly and then apply a light coat of protective oil. Now is also a good time, if there is any dirt or grime on the handle of the knife, to clean that off. While it won’t necessarily interfere with operation, it will damage the aesthetic of the knife and will potentially accelerate wear or corrosion.

Once you’ve cleaned the knife blade and the handle of the knife, you’ll want to get a can of compressed air to blast out any dirt or dust that remains in the recesses - at least those which you can access. Here’s a trick to getting to the interior of the knife without taking the whole thing apart. Loosen the handle screws till you can partially - but not fully - separate the scales. With the knife blade deployed and the scales partially lifted, you can use the narrow nozzle of a compressed air spray can to dislodge any dirt or dust that’s in there. Once you’ve blasted out some of the dust and dirt, try cycling the knife blade a few times to break up anything else that’s left in there, then repeat the process of blowing it all out with more compressed air.

Once you’ve cleaned the blade and used compressed air to blast out any particulate matter that’s lurking anywhere in the interior of the knife, you can lubricate it. Use a specially-designed knife oil or mineral oil to prevent the oil from oxidizing and thereby breaking down, and apply a little to the base of the blade. Then deploy and retract the blade a few times to distribute the oil. Use as little oil as possible, as oil is sticky and will attract dust and other particulate debris which you just spent valuable time removing.

Whether or not you partially opened your push button automatic knife in order to clean it or not, the final step in basic maintenance is to tighten all the fasteners. This is because the operation of an automatic knife action can slowly cause fasteners to loosen over time and you don’t want to lose any. Therefore, before stowing your push button automatic knife, inspect all fasteners and tighten any that appear to be loose.

Our final note for cleaning and maintenance of a push button automatic knife is that periodically, you will need to fully disassemble the knife to clean the interior. You will also want to do this any time the action of the knife becomes gritty or unreliable. However, our caveat is that there is no standard protocol for disassembling automatic knives since they are all different, and extreme care must be exercised as the blade is activated by a spring, so opening the knife if you don’t know the proper way to do so can be dangerous. Therefore, you should only attempt to disassemble a push button automatic knife if you are aware of the method by which to safely do so. If you are unsure, either do not disassemble it or contact the manufacturer so you can learn how to take it apart properly.

Here for a new push button automatic knife? Check out our collection and get yourself something new today - just make sure to observe these basic notes for maintenance!