Finally found my HI on my property today

Daft Slice 1986

Daft Slice 1986

Joined
Jun 3, 2012
Messages
1,118
A while ago I lost my 18inch Ang Khola, and thought it was gone forever. We got some sunlight today so I decided to do a little storage shed cleaning. I came across it while moving some boxes (stoked). I guess I had set it down in there after doing some chopping, and couldn't remember where it was for a few months. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to me the roof was very leaky this year and the Ang Khola happened to be in the rite place at the wrong time. It got drenched. Ohh well. Any Ideas how to get the rust off without affecting the wood handles?

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For light rust I use Lansky sharpening oil and 0000 steel wool. That.... Needs a bit more. Maybe a wire brush on a grinder? I used that on my axe head.
BUT! I would wait for a more experienced user to lend his or her opinion.
 
wow, that needs serious rehab. i would do a vinegar soak to disintegrate the rust on it, then use a structured regimen of increasing sandpaper grit to get it to where you want it, starting with 180. I've restored a few ax heads that looked like that.
 
From the research I've done, Naval Jelly seems to get rid of rust very well. I just can't find any information on weather it will effect the wood handles. Nor would I know if it would effect whatever bonding agent Himalayan Imports used to put the scales on this knife (it looks like a black goo)
 
You could wipe it with a rag and call what's left a patina. :D

All kidding aside. I would use steel wool and sandpaper to take the rust off the blade. Start with rougher grades and work finer and finer until you get a nice satin finish. You might actually end up with a nice looking patina.

The same method should work on the exposed tang, but you have to tape the wood handle carefully while working with the rougher grades ot steel wool and/or sandpaper. When you get to the finer grades (600-2000 grit) you can do the wood also if you like.

I would start with steel wool to get the heaviest layer of rust off, because rough sandpaper (100 grit) might scratch the blade too much.

-- Dave
 
I would not sand it down! That is an honest to goodness finish, earned by accident!

Vinegar soak, and scrub with steel wool would be my choice. I don't think it would sand it or wire wheel it!
 
Believe it or not. If you let the blade sit in classic coca cola for about a week it will be rust free and have a nice patina after rinsing it off.
 
Karda said:
Believe it or not. If you let the blade sit in classic coca cola for about a week it will be rust free and have a nice patina after rinsing it off.
Click to expand...

This sounds like a great method. It also explains what happens to the teeth of people who drink a lot of coca cola over a long period of time.

I think Daft is also concerned about rust on the exposed edges of the chiruwa tang, which is the only part near the wood scales. It would be hard to apply any liquid rust remover there without some of it getting into the wood even if you tape the wood. I would go with the steel wool or sandpaper for the edges.

The wood seems to have held up pretty well, though the photo doesn't show it very clearly. Given that it has been exposed to moisture, a long soaking in tung oil might be wise.
 
Naval jelly and steel wool for the blade. Scotch brite for the handle. Then boiled linseed oil for the wood.
 
I would think a thick coat of wax would keep the cola off the wood, but I'd still be concerned that there is rust under the wooden scales. I think I'd probably think about taking the wood off to make sure all the rust is removed.
 
My first HI AK spent about a month underwater when the toolbox in the back of my truck sprang a leak when I was out of country. It looked pretty much like the pictures you posted. I wrote up a thread somewhere about the cleanup. As I recall I knocked the worst of the rust off with a wire scouring pad, and then used a scotch brite pad. I'm still using that knife. The sheath, karda and chakma didn't survive.

(Found the thread - http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...e-testing-or-The-evolution-of-a-working-blade )
 
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Yep, that looks like pretty much the same situation. Just goes to show that if it's happened to you it's probably also happened to somebody else.
 
You could grind away a 1/4" of steel on both sides and still have a 1/4" in the middle to work with :D
 
Thats how you get a real patina...Its going to look good!

Want to kill rust, try ospho, good hardware stores or marine/boat supply types of stores should have it, or it can be found online.
 
I also vote for naval jelly followed by steel wool, but I would treated the wooden handle first with either something like Danish oil or linseed oil. If by chance you take flaxseed oil you can use it too. I get my flaxseed oil (eatable linseed oil) in those little gelatin capsules. I use it to treat my Kuksa every month or so. Let whatever oil you use on the handle soak in and if by chance you did get some naval jelly on the handle, it should not matter. John
 
I would take the advise of some and remove only the red rust. That thing is gonna have an award winning patina (were patina contests held) and it will be all natural. I vote Coca Cola, a high pressure water rinse, followed by an oiling up. I don't think sanding would produce a very attractive result unless you want to use this piece as a test piece for developing mirror polishing skills...in which case, knock yourself out. Wire brushing will likewise just look scrubbed.

If the wood is nice and dry (or when it becomes so) you oil it up good. Some oils will displace the water if there's water in the handle. Rapid drying may cause a crack? Not sure. Ballistol will displace water slowly. So will something called Obenhauf's Leather Oil which I used on wooden tools more than I do leather. WD-40 is for displacing water from metal not wood.
 
I have had good luck using an electrolysis process using a tub of water, baking soda, some copper wire, an old iron bar, and an old phone charger. Do an internet search for removing rust from a muzzleloader barrel and you should stumble across the process in detail. It takes about an hour and youre left with a dark rust free blade.

Pretty cool process, but BE CAREFUL. You're using a 110 volt charger in water. :eek: Great results though.
 
I have had good luck using an electrolysis process using a tub of water, baking soda, some copper wire, an old iron bar, and an old phone charger. Do an internet search for removing rust from a muzzleloader barrel and you should stumble across the process in detail. It takes about an hour and youre left with a dark rust free blade.

Pretty cool process, but BE CAREFUL. You're using a 110 volt charger in water. :eek: Great results though.
 
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