EXTREMELY rusted knife fix?

A

amweenie

Joined
Feb 23, 2010
Messages
3
I secretly 'stole' or 'borrowed without him knowing' my boyfriends knife. It is a dull knife that he and his dad made together. He likes it dull b/c it is used for a prop for the Boy Scout Troop is is involved with. However, the knife is EXTREMELY rusted and starting to decay some. His father passed away and I know it would mean alot to him if the knife would look all shiney again. I know absolutely nothing about knives and I know it is nothing store brand or anything. He made it from some type of kit with his dad...that is all I know. I also know the he does NOT want the handle thing.....the wooden part you hold [sorry for my lack of knowledge of proper terms]....to be taken off or re-stained or anything.

Is there anyone that can clean the knife for me THAT LIVES NEAR Ruston, LA? And that wont charge me and arm and a leg? I saw near Ruston, LA because that is where I am attending college so I dont wanna be driving to Wisconsin...even if I'm out of cheese. lol And I also say Ruston because I am VERY VERY VERY hesitant to ship this knife anywhere. With this being an item of such a big sentimental value, I dont wanna take any chances of it getting lost.

Or can someone explain to me in GREAT GREAT DETAIL how to do it myself? And when I mean great detail, I mean down to what brand of stuff to use and really in-depth instructions. =]

Picture of present knife condition comming soon.

Please help me in anyway you can....and if you cant help me, do you klnow anyone who can?


Clueless and confused,
Amanda :confused:
:jerkit:<--is that guy jerking off? thats so sick but so funny lol
 
I'm sure someone will come along with some suggestions. It might help if you could post up a picture or two of the knife you are talking about. Welcome to the forums!
 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7710310@N08/4382611937/

i couldnt figure out how to upload a picture. ha can someone tell me if that link works?
4382611937
 
thats a nice looking knife. for the rust i've always used fine sand paper and rubbed towards the edge until gone and then put it on a buffer to shine it up but i'm sure someone here has a better way...
 
That knife doesn't look so bad, but I think it would take some hours with sandpaper to get it all shiny again. Or if someone is skilled with the right power tools then it could be done quicker.


amweenie said:
:jerkit:<--is that guy jerking off? thats so sick but so funny lol
Click to expand...

No, the emoticon isn't jerking off - think of someone making that gesture in the air to someone else. i.e. the icon is used where you want to call someone a jerkoff, but if it is used to insult another poster on these forums then the moderator may give a warning for being rude & insulting.
 
Hi amweenie -

I might offer that your boyfriend may like the knife with it's current patina.

Many people, especially ones on this forum, go to great lengths to produce a lovely aged patina like the one on your boyfriends knife.

Only if you are certain that he would prefer the knife cleaned up and buffed would I do anything to the knife.

I admire your willingness to get on here and ask questions - you are quite a good girlfriend!

I might suggest you go pick out a knife that can be from you to him and start a new tradition / heirloom for him.

best regards -

mqqn
 
Welcome to the forum. Those are cute cakes.

I would bring it up to your boyfriend and suggest you and he clean it together. It'd be a nice bonding activity. Read the following blog post and get an idea of what you're in for. It features guns but the process is the same for knives or other valuable rusted items. The two items you need (CLP and 0000 Steel Wool) can be found at Wal-Mart. CLP in the firearms/sporting section and 0000 Steel Wool in the painting section. May want to get some gloves as well since the rust/CLP mixture turns into a dark sludge as it comes off.

http://carteach0.blogspot.com/2009/01/cleaning-surface-rust-one-way-to-deal.html
 
4382611937_fd22de63aa_b.jpg

That is known as a patina its a form of rust but does not eat into the blade like red rust, If i were you i would leave it as it protects the blade from red rust.
If you are set on making it shiney use some 0000 steel wool on it.
 
I'd be willing to refurbish it for you if you're absolutely sure this is something that he'd want done. I live in Ohio though, so you'd have to ship it, but I'm willing to do it free of charge.
 
amweenie said:
His father passed away and I know it would mean alot to him if the knife would look all shiney again. I know absolutely nothing about knives and I know it is nothing store brand or anything. He made it from some type of kit with his dad...that is all I know. I also know the he does NOT want the handle thing.....the wooden part you hold [sorry for my lack of knowledge of proper terms]....to be taken off or re-stained or anything.

With this being an item of such a big sentimental value, I dont wanna take any chances of it getting lost.
Click to expand...

Amanda - I would recommend that you leave this knive just like it is. Your boyfriend is very aware of the way it looks and it is something that binds him with his father. My dad gave me a knife years ago and although it is not worth a lot of money to most people it is PRICELESS to me and I would not want anyone to refinish or do something to it. It is a wonderful touching gesture you want to do for him.....it says alot about you.:)

I suggest that you purchase him a nice folding pocket knife so that he has something special from you.

Just my $0.02 worth....

Randy
 
Yellow Lab said:
Amanda - I would recommend that you leave this knive just like it is. Your boyfriend is very aware of the way it looks and it is something that binds him with his father. My dad gave me a knife years ago and although it is not worth a lot of money to most people it is PRICELESS to me and I would not want anyone to refinish or do something to it. It is a wonderful touching gesture you want to do for him.....it says alot about you.:)

I suggest that you purchase him a nice folding pocket knife so that he has something special from you.

Just my $0.02 worth....

Randy
Click to expand...
Amen. I couldn't agree more, but I'll still do it for you if you're absolutely sure.
 
Yellow Lab said:
Amanda - I would recommend that you leave this knive just like it is. Your boyfriend is very aware of the way it looks and it is something that binds him with his father. My dad gave me a knife years ago and although it is not worth a lot of money to most people it is PRICELESS to me and I would not want anyone to refinish or do something to it. It is a wonderful touching gesture you want to do for him.....it says alot about you.:)

I suggest that you purchase him a nice folding pocket knife so that he has something special from you.

Just my $0.02 worth....

Randy
Click to expand...

+2

And to add to that thought... Let's say you were to buy an antique, any antique or collectible... Any knowledgeable person about such things will tell you not to alter it's condition, but to leave it, exactly as you found... In many cases, this will even include not repairing the item... If you apply this logic to his knife...

Though, you are a kind woman, and it is wonderful thing you want to do.

But, for reasons that you had not considered yet, don't.

Marion
 
I wouldn't do a thing to that knife.

Even if you were to clean it Shiny and new, it would look that that again in a couple of years.

A better idea..... contact a custom maker to create a new knife based on the design... and make it in stainless.

In my shoes, that would make me alot happier then cleaning off the rust.
 
I would suggest buying a kit knife (Stainless steel blade) and working on the new project together. That would allow the knife you started the thread about to remain in its current condition, and you can start a new valuable keepsake for him to cherish that will stay shinier longer. Perhaps a Spyderco Mule would be a good choice and perhaps the blog that Marion maintains would provide enough access to information to gather the necessary supplies to complete the project. There are two current options that are available at Spyderco.com.
 
I would probably not touch it either. Just protect it with some oil, which slightly removes rust. If you really do want to remove all the rust &#8212; it's an easy fix. No sandpaper, no shipping. Citric acid in water.

Get a glass of water within which the blade will fit (filled to your desired height), add a few table spoons of citric acid and leave the blade in there for about 3-10 hours in this citric solution (or repeat until desired result is reached). Obviously the glass must be at least as tall as the blade is long. Make sure you don't get any solution on the wooden handle!

What will happen to the blade now is that the rust will fall off. When you remove it from the solution you must clean it off with some soap and water, dry it off and IMMEDIATELY protect it with some sort of oil, because it is completely unprotected and will start to rust within minutes, if contacted with water or whatnot.

You can also leave a solution-soaked dishrag wrapped around the blade and get around that bend at the hilt (by the handle).

Please ask your boyfriend before you do this, because the blade will not look the same. You'll have all the bumps and signs from deterioration, but no rust &#8212; much like the surface of the moon. For this, there is only sandpaper and buffing &#8212; if you want it shiny.

After the blade has been treated with citric acid, it will have a grey tone. It's not deep, but it's there. Like I said before, in order to get it shiny, you need to buff it up; but to simply remove the rust &#8212; this is one way to do it.
 
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Odds are very good I know what that knife is for, and why it must be dull- is he involved in the Order of the Arrow?

If my hunch is right, I'd do precisely nothing. I know well the situation in which it would be used, and having it shiny and new looking wouldn't be right.
 
I agree, Sword and Shield. OA. I concur, leave the blade alone. Wonderful gesture, but definitely leave it alone.
 
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