Cleaning off rust

[Lion's Roar]

Hey y'all,

I've been in the city too long. What grade of sandpaper would you use to clean rust off a khukuri? I've got a WWII that I used to clear some brush several months ago, and forgot to wipe it off before I sheathed it.

Any follow up treatments to the sandpaper?

Thanks,

 

[ferguson]

If it was me, I'd use 0000 steel wool and oil. This will leave a satin finish, which makes a good user.

If you want to go back to mirror, look HERE

Steve

 

[Aardvark]

LR, how bad is the rust? You may not have to resort to sandpaper, since steel wool and the green ScotchBrite pads will take light rust off just fine, especially with a little WD40 as lubricant. They WILL take a mirror finish down to satin, though. So if you want the shine back, you're talking about a buffing wheel.

 

[Aardvark]

Dang it, Steve, you're too fast!

 

[ferguson]

Dang it, Steve, you're too fast!

I do try.

Steve

 

[Lion's Roar]

thanks!

The rust isnt that bad. Steel wool and WD40, I've got around the house.
I'll give it a shot.

 

[FallingKnife]

...and as long as you're not going to have a mirror finish, you might want to think about going ahead and etching it with a vinegar soak, mustard paste, or whatever.

Maybe first you should just leave it satin. After a while, maybe a few weeks or months, etch it to see how you like that. And then after a while, buff it back to mirror finish. Then after a while...

 

[Rusty]

Thanks for good help.

 

[hollowdweller]

1500 worked well for me although steel wool is better like they said

Also I have a little bitty buffer wheel that fits on a drill I keep on a drill press and it will take minor rust right off and leave it shiny

 

[cliff355]

---deleted---

 

[DrClckWrk]

I recently used Flitz polish to clean some light corrosion off of my Siru. Cleaned a couple of spots and then I did a quick polish of the whole blade, which wasn't necessary. The Flitz cleans and shines it a little but it didn't change the original finish much so I think of it as a good alternative to refinishing the whole thing with sandpaper if you are short on time.

 

[Lion's Roar]

Thanks for all the good suggestions!

Cleaning and sharpening your knives is one of the best simple pleasures in life!

 

[ddean]

Again with the satin finish,
Liquid (pump type) Lava hand soap works (pumice).
Many people have this on hand.

Bon Ami & SoftScrub cleansers
are calcium carbonate ["whiting", chalk].
----Don't---- use any 'Bleach' version.
Some CaCO3 is chemically precipitated,
and so is pure & non-abrasive to steel.
Any CaCO3 (Bon Ami definately)
which is powdered sedimentary rock (limestone/chalk)
contains some silica,
and can be abrasive;
Especially if used with harder applicator
or great vigor / pressure.


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