Help Me Rescue My SARsquatch --- If it needs Saving

Rob_Mob

Rob_Mob

Joined
Oct 16, 2013
Messages
2,087
Hello All,


I've got a fantastic blade here that's got some black spots that are the size of a quarter in a few places. Now this knife is going to be a user --- so I don't need it to be pretty and perfect. However, i'd like to avoid pitting/problematic rusting if possible. I don't see any red/orange at all -- which is good, but the dark spots got me nervous. Can someone provide me with more information as to what I'm seeing, why I'm seeing this particular color formation, and why the size of the spots are as big as they are? Also, any immediate remedies to resolve this possible issue would be wonderful.

For those unfamiliar --- this is a 2008 Special Edition SARsquatch. I believe it's Competition finish, but I could be wrong. Thanks for any and all tips!!



 
I beleive its because someone already took off the rusty color. Thats what a couple of my old comp finish blades look like . After i found them surface rusting in an old gun cabinet and steel wooled the rusty color off. I havent found anything to take the blackish tint/pitts off . But beating on it should help.
 
Beat on it I certainly will ---- should I just oil it --- or should I go at it with sand paper or something?
 
Rob, I've got the same model and with a little searching here you'll find this species of Squatch had some issues with decarb and surface patina forming <staining? IDK :confused:>...heck there was one HOG who got his out of the top of his closet <IIRC> from original release back from 2008 and it was covered in ugly surface rust. Not the cancer kind...just on the surface. After initial cleaning it was all spotted up like yours but, in effect, no structural damage.

The bad news is it's kinda unsightly...if looks matter to you. :(

The good news it's only a few microns deep and you can sand down past it. :)

Some say those splotches are decarb or some kind of staining or something else...I don't know, but it don't look like any decarb I've encountered, it's more like a patina of sorts. :confused:

Now this particular blade was sold to me by Sigaret and the blade faces were already in good shape.

I only ran it back thru the grades of 500, 1000, 1200, 1500, and 2000 alternating scratch patterns at right angles to each other with a little wood & felt sanding block I have and my fingers.

The pommel and talon guard were a little more patina'd up and they took some time.

While I was at it, I refined the convex edge with my block by hand, finished off with my strop & green compound...relaxing! :)

If that was my blade I'd sand down past the stains. It'll look better, IMHO, and it'll perform better...mine slices like a madman.

A tall blade profile like on the SARSquatch really benefits with a primary grind finished out as close to mirror as you can get.

I broke down a refrigerator box with mine a couple weeks back...it was crazy how smooth it sliced that mutha!

Plus when you scratch it up again, hit it with the sandpaper again-- you've already done it once so NO FEAR.... very liberating!!!! :thumbup:

now pics of mine:

NOTE you can barely make out the "2008 Special Edition" on mine from the sanding :cool:
I'll eventually wear down past it but I'm not gonna rush things till I scratch her up good again on another
appliance box or some similar garbage!
Sanding protocol for me is on an "ONLY when really needed basis!"



Sorry about the poor lighting, I would've taken her outside if it wasn't 12 AM :o
But you still should be able to see how far the finish has been polished by me & previous owners
It's kinda a satin, smoky high polish
2sPiImt.jpg

nbNopBs.jpg

vFdEQsi.jpg

cItyIWZ.jpg


I didn't hand smooth the handles, a previous owner did, but they're NICE! :thumbup:
N5Y8309.jpg
 
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Of course, you can leave it like it is...it's INFI.

I just like making blades my own, so when I see something like what you're faced with it gives me a challenge that I can't leave unanswered!
 
PeteyTwoPointOne said:
Of course, you can leave it like it is...it's INFI.

I just like making blades my own, so when I see something like what you're faced with it gives me a challenge that I can't leave unanswered!
Click to expand...

Awesome brother --- I definitely want to do what you did. I've never hand sanded/polished any blade profile. So I definitely want to do it right. Your SARsquatch is gorgeous btw
 
Rob_Mob said:
Awesome brother --- I definitely want to do what you did. I've never hand sanded/polished any blade profile. So I definitely want to do it right. Your SARsquatch is gorgeous btw
Click to expand...

Thanks Rob...it's a lot of monotonous hand sanding, but it's totally doable.

Maybe some other HOG will step forward with a quicker motorized version of how to do the same thing. But I like hand sanding. Some think I'm crazy, but it's my therapy.

Plus I'm able to do it till I get sick of it, put it away, then come back to it when I'm ready for more.



Now, I'll remind you to look back at my Squatch's Special Edition etch-- now compare yours.

It may not look like it at first blush, but that's a good deal of sandpaper of various grits and a 55 gal. drum of elbow grease just to get to that crude level of refinement I got there from where you're at presently!

The polished look is an upgrade in my eyes also, but there's a noticeable <not a quantum leap> difference in slicing that I get even more enjoyment out of.

I've kinda subtlety thinned out the spine a tad more than factory specs also. I remember reading Sal Glesser posting about how he learned from some of his Japanese steel suppliers how the old Katana's were shaped like a skinny almond shape <in cross section> to cut down on resistance on through-and-through slices.

Now mine's not Katana level :rolleyes:, but it does have noticeably less drag with the blade fully embedded...NICE!
 
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Try a Scothbrite wheel first, that may get it. If not, then you can sand it down, as noted above.
 
Perhaps a very small bit of auto polish compound - the gritty stuff - very lightly scrubbed in, with an old toothbrush? Let dry, buff out then oil. I have tried this with some success on a couple of non-Busse's. I have also used Break Free CLP on a couple of Busse's.

Legal Info. 1) I have not tried on a Comp finish Squatch. Mine has been used and carries a couple of blotches, but none as large as yours. 2) Do not use said toothbrush for dental purposes. Good luck, Jim.
 
Oh shoot!! I was expecting a blade someone broke a welded together or something...shit, I'd put a good edge on her an love her exactly how she is!! Scaring and staining at that level is just cool...gives her personality...
 
That's the only problem with serving fudge brownies with a CF blade... the dark smudges.
There is nothing wrong with your blade and it doesn't need saving, it just has some odd birthmarks from it's creation that only showed up with time & moisture.
Worrying about dark/rusty decarb ruining your blade is like worrying about bird poop on your car's paint making your frame/unibody rip in half.
The rest of the decarb can be removed if you wish, but it will take some work and may lower the visibility of the logo areas to do it right as it isn't the easiest to completely remove.
 
I think its lost cause, either PM Me to help you get rid of it, or post it on the Exchange lol
 
No, those are actually Bob Pitt's. Brad's ugly brother. :p


I can verify that this is totally normal in that series of competition finish knives.

It is the decarb rusting, not the infi. It won't penetrate the infi or pit. Jerry explained this at the time but I'm drinking and too lazy to look it up at the moment.

It's really a non-issue. 3M sanding wheel (scotchbrite) takes it off muy rapido.
 
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