Help with restoring old knife

[skillgannon]

A friend wants me to restore this old knife. It's pretty straight forward except for the handle bolts. How do I flatten them without damaging the scales?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I'm going to be "Uncle Stacy" here.
Considering the fact that you say you are in a rut and have messed up your last 5 knives, and that you are still pretty much in the beginner stage, I would set it aside for a while. When you have more experience, the answer to how to do the cutlers rivets will be more obvious.

 

[Fish30114]

I'll have to agree with Stacy on this one--the only thing I might do as a part of sitting it aside for a while is spray the blade and guard down with a rust remover and brush the rust off--the other thing about this knife is that if the owner is wanting you to save the scales, they need to be removed because the steel under them will most likely be rusted and need to be addressed so there's another challenge for you it sounds like.
Good luck with your decision!

 

[skillgannon]

I'm going to be "Uncle Stacy" here.
Considering the fact that you say you are in a rut and have messed up your last 5 knives, and that you are still pretty much in the beginner stage, I would set it aside for a while. When you have more experience, the answer to how to do the cutlers rivets will be more obvious.

I think you might be getting me confused with someone else. Lol. I'm pretty sure that I am pretty happy with my last 5 knives. Other than changing the handle out that was experimental anyway.

Let's just say I'm not planning to by extra parts for what will probably be a free repair. I have Corby bolts and round stock. I have been told that they will be ok with my best effort. I'm just trying to get the rattle out of the handle and the blade shiny. Yes the handle does need to come off. The guard will need to be shimmed as well.

Maybe I can try a brass Corby and file it flush and polish with a dowel. I have my grinder drill press and basic hand tools. If anyone has any advise let me know.

I know that these are far from perfect but I'm happy with where they are going.

 

[Greenberg Woods]

I'm going to be "Uncle Stacy" here.
Considering the fact that you say you are in a rut and have messed up your last 5 knives, and that you are still pretty much in the beginner stage, I would set it aside for a while. When you have more experience, the answer to how to do the cutlers rivets will be more obvious.

I think you are thinking of Justin, Valknut.

 

[i4Marc]

Is there sentimental value attached to the knife?

 

[skillgannon]

Is there sentimental value attached to the knife?

Some but I don't know how much. I gather having function restored is enough. It's a friend's friend's knife. All the questions I have asked just ended up as "do your best." Defenitly not my favorite things to do. That said when a good friend ask you do your best. It's not that nice of a knife and everything is lose on it. I'm just trying to clean it up and cut down on the rattle. There isn't anything hard on it except I'm not sure how to get the handle pinned or rivets back on without screwing up those scales

 

[Bill DeShivs]

The rivet will have to be drilled out. Then new cutlers rivets will have to be installed.
The scales are old, hard plastic and will be easy to break.

 

[i4Marc]

Maybe after you get it disassembled you can try this:

https://www.evapo-rust.com/

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

My apologies. In the check I did on your posting history, valnut's info came up. I don't know how that could happen, but I will keep an eye on it to see if there is a glitch in the system.

Drill out the rivets and after restoring the blade, replace with either Corby bolts or cutlers rivets. The blade would best be treated with a rust stabilizer treatment first by soaking in Phosphoric acid containing solution like Naval Jelly. Then wire brush off all the loose crud to see how deep the corrosion goes. I would then lightly sand the surface to add some metal sheen, and leave the pitted black deeper places. This will give it an "artifact" look. When done and sanded to 400 grit or more, oil well and keep the blade protected from moisture. Renaissance wax is good for that.

 

[skillgannon]

Thanks. I'm pretty sure that the handles are bone. That makes them the nicest parts of the whole knife. Lol