How to Care for Your Woodman's Pal
The Woodman’s Pal is designed and manufactured for long life and durability. Being built for a lifetime, it is likely to become a family heirloom. And because most of the prep work is done before this land management tool ever leaves the warehouse, there isn’t much to do to keep it in good shape.
However, a Woodman’s Pal is an investment, and as such there are some simple things you can do to keep it in tip-top shape and ready for use today, tomorrow, and for years to come.
Caring for the Blade
We make sure that the Woodman’s Pal is the best survival tool around by giving it a chisel sharp hook and a hand-sharpened blade. We go even further than that, though, to make it easy to care for. The blade itself is matte powder-coated, preventing rust and corrosion over most of its surface.
Owners of the Woodman’s Pal just need to follow two simple rules to keep their tool ready for use - oil the blade regularly and keep it away from moisture. While the majority of the blade is protected by the powder coating, the hand-sharpened edge should be regularly protected with a thin application of blade oil.
For occasional sharpening, the Woodman’s Pal comes with a sharpening stone. If you feel your blade is losing its edge, a few swipes with the stone should set it to rights.
Caring for the Sheath
The Woodman’s Pal also comes with a custom leather sheath, making it easy to carry the land clearing hand tool with you out to the back 40 or camping. Caring for the sheath, like any leather product, will keep it from cracking, splitting, or aging prematurely.
Maintenance on the sheath should include regularly rubbing the leather with a good quality balm or oil created for the purpose. Remember that a small amount of leather oil goes a long way - too much oil is not only a waste but could seep through the leather and on to your knife.
Also, all leather products are not created equal! For instance, avoid using shoe polish, which could rub off on your clothes later on.
If your sheath should get wet, don’t try and speed the drying process. Instead, place it in a dry location and allow it to air out naturally. Once dried, take the time to re-oil the material to prevent it from becoming stiff and dry.
Storing Your Woodman’s Pal
Storing your Woodman’s Pal is as much a part of its care as treating the leather sheath or oiling the blade. Store it in a dry location - while the powder coating will prevent corrosion, the sharped edge could still be damaged if left for a long time in a damp environment. If that should happen, however, clean the blade with a paste of baking soda and water and apply with a toothbrush or rag, rinse clean, and then dry. Then oil and sharpen as normal.