Advertising removal

[filedog]

I'm thinking of removing some advertising from the scales of a pocket knife. The logo is somewhat faded,
the scales are cream colored (delrin?). Anybody done this? Could I start with fine steel wool, with a
scotchbrite pad as the next option?

 

[edbeau]

I think it is a good idea to use scotchbrite and fine steel wool to remove the writing. If it is already faded it may not take to much to remove it. Some knives I have from Colonial seem like more of a plain soft plastic rather than Delrin. If it is a softer plastic, the writing may have bleed into the plastic.

 

[Codger_64]

While some advertising was added to knives using surface pad stamping, a more durable and usual way was to heat stamp it in. A hot die was pressed to the plastic with an ink tape between. Thus you can feel and see the depressions where the ink was applied. If it was simply top printed then the ink may be removable with a gentle solvent without scuffing the Delrin/plastic with an abrasive. Derin in particular was a popular material because it resisted abrasion. Yet it could be buffed (glazed) to add highlights and reduce it to flush with adjacent bolsters and shields.