Cleaning my pits

GB940Rookie

GB940Rookie

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Joined
Apr 19, 2016
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Found this old WWII USMC Corpsman’s Knife at a local antique shop. Handles rotted off.
Gave it a rust remover bath along with a light hand sanding.
What’s the best way to go forward with cleaning the pitted areas? I don’t want to take away any metal unnecessarily, just want to clean the black pitted spots.
Will the spots turn back into rust if not cleaned?
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I like the way it’s turned out so far. Still a solid piece at just over .250. New handle and new edge and she will be ready to go.
There are a number of forging marks, especially on the tapered handle. Pretty cool.
 
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Cool old knife. I had to look it up. Definitely worth restoring, in my opinion.

Just a quick note.......Even though that knife is obviously issued by the USMC, there is no corpsman rate in the Marine Corps. They are actually Navy Hospital Corpsmen, who are attached to Marine Corps units.
 
You’ve removed the active rust. Now is the time to force a patina then oil it, or just oil it now. You can’t clean the pits without doing damage.

If there still seems to be crusty stuff in the pits a pencil can be used to knock it off.
 
eveled said:
You’ve removed the active rust. Now is the time to force a patina then oil it, or just oil it now. You can’t clean the pits without doing damage.

If there still seems to be crusty stuff in the pits a pencil can be used to knock it off.
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Thanks. As you mentioned, the active rust is gone.
Would it take a blueing wilth the colored pits?. If it’s not perfect, black dots in the bluing, that would be ok. The originals were blued to my understanding, and it would be an inexpensive means of protection.
 
Bluing and patina are very similar. I think it would turn out fine.

Be sure to degrease really well then folllow the directions on the blue
 
Bill DeShivs said:
Don't use cold bluing. It looks terrible, stinks, and offers no protection.
There is a method called rust bluing. It is not difficult, but it requires a bit of time.
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I was thinking of hot blueing, but ran across the rust blueing process while researching. Haven’t made up my mind, but cold bluing is out .
 
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