I decided to order the Swisschamp pocket knife from Victorinox Swiss army. Very nice knife!
But, it is so oily it is disgusting! All of the tools have a film of oil on them. the knife handle is oily and I have to wash my hands after handling it.
I don’t see how a greasy tool can be handy to carry around. I just washed it with hot water and dish soap (probably a no no). I hope I can get it “clean”.
Any pocket knife owners here? How do you deal with the oil?
I’ve had loads of Victorinox knives/tools over the years. Recommend them highly.
When new, the joints should have a thin film of oil on them, but I’ve never known the situation you describe. That said, the SwissChamp is a huge thing, so might need more oil than the knives I have!
Their website has very clear Care Tips as a pdf - I’d suggest you read and follow those. It’s worth buying a pot of Victorinox tool oil - it’s not cheap but my tiny bottle has lasted for years.
Mark
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It would have just been excess oil from all the blade joints. Surely just a few wipes of kitchen towel would have solved it? I would never have washed it in water and soap. Now you have to re-oil the whole thing.
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It was simply oiled to prevent any corrosion in storage.
If it was oily then simply wipe off the excess with a cloth.
Imagine if you opened a new one and it was rusty. 
It’s better to have lubrication than none. 
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Sounds like the knife had too much oil applied. They always have a little.
The primary purpose of the oil is to lubricate the joints so that they operate smoothly and easily. It also provides some corrosion proofing, but in practice this is only necessary if you leave a lot of contaminants on the metal for a long time during storage.
Washing the oil off is fine. Just make sure that any soap is thoroughly rinsed off, and dry it. Then, if necessary, re-apply a little oil to the joints. You only really need to do this if they feel too stiff.
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Better to have lubrication than be too stiff.
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Agreed. But… too late now…
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Surely both is the ideal.
Unless you’re still talking about knives.
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“Ma! It’s that man again…!”
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I understand that the Swiss army was so confident of victory that they included a corkscrew with their penknives.
Indeed. ‘Victorinox’.
Wouldn’t it have been better to include a sabre to open the champagne though?
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That is the main and only reason that I carry it all the time, everywhere I go, except travelling by air (after the 911 incident), which is really a pity.
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A corkscrew is the only thing my SwissTool doesn’t have that I wish it did.
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I received an industrial degreaser! It did a great job removing the oil from the knife.
The knife is nice and clean now, and ready for service.
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No corkscrew? It’s no go for me !!!
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It’s hidden behind stuff, but just visible - on the right. Has a grey plastic insert to protect it.
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Oh yes, you are right! My knives never have the plastic insert, so this is why I failed to notice it in the first place.
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I quickly looked for my Swiss to photograph it - but typically its not where I thought it was - some survivalist I’d be 
Oh it has a corkscrew! 
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