Dug up an old Camillus, literally

lentuk

lentuk

Joined
Jun 21, 2005
Messages
717
Years ago my Dad and I were digging a hole in our back yard when I saw something in the pile we had already excavated, I reached down and saw what looked like an old slipjoint, I put it in my pocket and do not remember what I did with it.
Last week I was looking for a screwdriver in the kitchen tool drawer and saw that old pocket knife, I am real sorry I did not take a picture of it at that time but it was in bad shape, full of rusty dirt and i could not budge the blades, I filled a small mason jar full of mineral oil and dropped it in.
The knife was in the oil for about a week, every day I would check it to see if there was any progress, slowly the dirt was coming out of it like the sands of time from an hourglass.
I pulled it out today and here is an old Camillus 64, looks like Delrin and the shield is missing but the blades came loose and it still has that walk and talk.
Any suggestions for removing the remaining rust from the blade?
https://imgur.com/oEWxZgl
 
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I wonder if evaporust would work. I use it on rusty bolts and car parts. Not sure what it would do to the handle though and after the rust is gone you would still need to put oil on it as it will rust once out of the solution. Ive also used 0000 steel wool before to clean blades and gun barrels of surface rust but those blades may need a fair amount of work with steel wool.
 
Less is more when it comes to cleaning old knives so you can keep the knife as original as possible. I feel this is important regardless of the value of the knife. Fine steel wool should do all you need but using a pencil lead and eraser also works well. After that a good oil wipe down will finish the job. Ballistol is very good for this, and could help bring some color back to the delrin handles also.

I would stay away from chemicals and anything powered.
 
Penetrating oil , steel wool and elbow grease.
 
50/50 acetone and transmission fluid works, as does white vinegar. Since even water is a chemical staying away from those won't help.

I also have very good luck using a ultra sonic cleaner. It gets out what you can't reach. Quite amazing amounts of rust can come out of otherwise clean knives.
 
I would use some 50/50 and steel wool ( 50% acetone, 50% automatic transmission fluid) or w49 and steel wool.

This knife doesn't look like it was used much at all before it was lost, those blades are extremely full.
 
Lovely find!
If it were me I'd use some fine wire wool and wd40, just enough till the steel could show through.
Tracing paper impression of the sheild hole edges and cut it out of thin sheet and glue er in.
Now, where's my shovel so I can go dig up my garden! :)
 
Skip the wool and try wiping with Mother chrome polish. It will take the rust out without much damage to the blade.

n2s
 
scrteened porch said:
It looks fine to me as it is.
Acetone is pretty poisonous and flammable, I believe.

I never thought of it for knives. Great idea.
Click to expand...
Use them myself on some knives but only with warm soapy water. I have found it to leave any horn materials with a very washed out slightly bleached effect afterwards though so perhaps avoid it with them?
 
Looks great after the steel wool!

Now find another half dead Camilus knife on the bay for a shield donation.
 
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