How To How to clean scales on a really dirty Buck 110?

A

At1Rest

Joined
Apr 11, 2019
Messages
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Hi there,

What might be the best way to try to restore the scales on this Buck 110?
A good rubbing with Formby's Lemon Oil would be safe but I'm not sure if that'll get the grunge out.

Any and all thoughts are welcome.

Thank you!

P1060128.jpg
 
Looks like your main problem is tarnish on the brass.
Keep in mind the "wood" is Diamondwood. Basically wood like material. Think wood with epoxy like finish injected into it. It isn't going to soak up oil, lemon flavored or other wise, like plain furniture wood.

I'm sure some of the people here will have even better ideas but I would start with paint THINNER (not stripper) to get the oily dirt and grunge out of the pivots etc. and then go onto some brass tarnish remover. Once that is looking good wash the knife with soap and warm water. Dry it out well with compressed air or hair dryer on just warm.

Oil the pivots. I just oiled a couple of knives with my fav Starrett Instrument Oil. You could use mineral oil . . . food grade like from the drug store if you like.
Once it's looking good wipe with a coat of Renaissance wax to help keep the brass and Diamondwood looking good.
 
I have used dawn and a tooth brush. Brasso or Even camp fire ash will polish the brass. Just oil with a little mineral oil when done. Less is more.
 
I don't think that 110 has dyminwood. That 110 has a square frame and those are called the 2 dot 110, because there are 2 dots on the stamp.
(I maybe wrong) But those have real, solid macassar ebony. I would clean it with WD-40 on a cloth and elbow grease. Then use a metal polish
like Flitz to shine the frame. DM
 
David Martin said:
I don't think that 110 has dyminwood. That 110 has a square frame and those are called the 2 dot 110, because there are 2 dots on the stamp.
(I maybe wrong) But those have real, solid macassar ebony. I would clean it with WD-40 on a cloth and elbow grease. Then use a metal polish
like Flitz to shine the frame. DM
Click to expand...

Thanks DM.
Really close inspection seems to show 1 dot to the left and 2 to the right, even though the 2 on the right aren't perfectly level to each other,
http://www.sightsea.com/renders/new_05.12.19/P1060117.jpg (click to enlarge)
and yes, flatter bolster edges, so macassar ebony.
I'm going to be careful about the WD-40. I have no experience with that on hard woods.
I know that macassar ebony is also used in guitar fretboards and Formby's Lemon oil or Mineral oil is more of the recommendation for those
and lighter fluid / Naphtha for a harder cleaning when necessary, all of which are proven safe for that wood.
 
Thanks Wowbanger and Tjstampa.
Good ideas from both of you.

I'm not so much worried about the brass. It's less delicate than the ebony.
 
Update: The naphtha made quick work of cleaning the wood and also anything heavy on the brass.
Formby's Lemon Oil put some oil back into the wood and smoothed out the look of the bleached out areas.

I'll try to get a good picture when the sun comes up.

Thanks for talking everyone.
 
I have two old 110’s that I’ve used brake cleaner on. Then oil it all with mineral oil.

Keep in mind Buck has an awesome spa service. They will make that knife look new. For a very reasonable price.

I’d send it to them for it’s initial cleaning/ preservation.
 
David Martin said:
I don't think that 110 has dyminwood. That 110 has a square frame and those are called the 2 dot 110, because there are 2 dots on the stamp.
(I maybe wrong) But those have real, solid macassar ebony. I would clean it with WD-40 on a cloth and elbow grease. Then use a metal polish
like Flitz to shine the frame. DM
Click to expand...

Agree with this. I have both a 2-dot Buck 112 and a 4-dot 112. Both with solid ebony handles, and not the stabilized, laminated wood of later Buck models. If OP's is a 3-dot as described, I'd assume it likely has the solid wood handles as well.

Something like the WD-40, or mineral oil, or the 'lemon oil' (almost entirely mineral oil with the lemon additive) would work OK, used on a rag. I've occasionally used so-called 'lemon oil' on mine, and it's fine. And the metal polish, like Flitz or Simichrome or Brasso, would handle the tarnished brass.
 
A 3 dot model would put it at 1980-81. This is still solid macassar ebony. Not a laminate and the blade is 440C steel. Yes, Pledge furniture cleaner would work too with a worn toothbrush. You'll need to get it in the blade well and pivot. So, plan on using plenty of elbow grease.
At that time frame Buck did a different grind on the blade, a little fuller hollow grind. Still, a good find. Did you get the original sheath? DM
 
eveled said:
I have two old 110’s that I’ve used brake cleaner on. Then oil it all with mineral oil.

Keep in mind Buck has an awesome spa service. They will make that knife look new. For a very reasonable price.

I’d send it to them for it’s initial cleaning/ preservation.
Click to expand...

Thanks eveled. Yes I know about the spa service but I think maybe I want to preserve the beat up character.
It's not too bad now. Clean enough to pocket in my best jeans.
P1060139.jpg
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
Agree with this. I have both a 2-dot Buck 112 and a 4-dot 112. Both with solid ebony handles, and not the stabilized, laminated wood of later Buck models. If OP's is a 3-dot as described, I'd assume it likely has the solid wood handles as well.

Something like the WD-40, or mineral oil, or the 'lemon oil' (almost entirely mineral oil with the lemon additive) would work OK, used on a rag. I've occasionally used so-called 'lemon oil' on mine, and it's fine. And the metal polish, like Flitz or Simichrome or Brasso, would handle the tarnished brass.
Click to expand...

Yes. Thank you.
After cleaning and a close look I'm sure it's ebony. I'm gonna wait a bit on the brass.
 
David Martin said:
A 3 dot model would put it at 1980-81. This is still solid macassar ebony. Not a laminate and the blade is 440C steel. Yes, Pledge furniture cleaner would work too with a worn toothbrush. You'll need to get it in the blade well and pivot. So, plan on using plenty of elbow grease.
At that time frame Buck did a different grind on the blade, a little fuller hollow grind. Still, a good find. Did you get the original sheath? DM
Click to expand...

Thanks DM on the date verification and 440C.
I did the blade well and all nooks and crannies that I could get at with a few drops here and there of isopropyl alcohol to loosen up the gunk and then scooped it out with a tiny flat screw driver,
the ends of kitchen matches and the handle end of a small file wrapped in old t-shirt to wipe down the inner sides.
I've oiled it with Blue Lube. The action is nice and smooth now.

Yes. I got the original sheath also. It's a mess.
I'm going to try some Kiwi saddle soap on it to see if I can get it looking cleaner.

Interesting on the "little fuller hollow grind."
Do you mean that it's slightly thicker, less hollowed, than my 2017 110?
 
Last edited:
No, fuller = more hollow grind. i.e. closer to your 2017 model. With the 3 dot it is the last of the 440C models and with the better grind. So, 2 pluses. The Kiwi saddle soap will work, use a brush and the same brand name leather conditioning oil works. Good luck, DM
leatherOil.jpg
 
image.jpg I prefer to not polish my brass as I like the worn look derived from actually using the knife vs a showcase knife. If I am bored while by a camp fire I might rub some cool ash on the brass which will brighten it up some. Did the ash thing while camping with my kids scout troop
 
I don’t polish brass either, but oil that would if you haven’t already. Cutting board oil, Mineral oil or baby oil.
 
At1Rest said:
Thanks Wowbanger and Tjstampa.
Good ideas from both of you.

I'm not so much worried about the brass. It's less delicate than the ebony.
Click to expand...
You're welcome.
I have a four dot so what do I know. I bought it in about 1981 or '82
 
Wowbagger said:
You're welcome.
I have a four dot so what do I know. I bought it in about 1981 or '82
Click to expand...

That's way back in the time when I first ever heard of or saw a 110.
My band was playing this club in a Pittsburgh PA suburb (McKees Rocks) called Mancinni's, and we were on a break. It was a Fri. or Sat. night and pretty busy,
but not 'real' crowded, and I was sitting on the edge of the slightly high carpeted stage talking with 2 of the 3 guys in the road crew and the sound man pulled his 110
out of his leather belt sheath in a kind of unconscious way, not even looking at, it and started partially opening in and then flicking his wrist to snap it into locked position.
I was becoming mesmerized, (ooo shiny object) and asked him what are you doing?
He explained that it was new, he just oiled it and was trying to loosen it up.

Well, ever since then I've always wanted a 110 but never acted on it until about 2 months ago when I started looking for a used one on eBay and got my 2017.

What started me back into an appreciation of knives was once again, my girl friend. I was helping her clean out her garage.
Her deceased husband (almost 2 yrs since his death) was a tool slut in a pretty cool way, but with no sense of maintenance. He just seemed to buy stuff and just hoard it away in the garage.

So, we're getting down to the small stuff about 3 months ago, like coffee cans and buckets full of tools and hard ware, and I grabbed a coffee can that was about 1/2 filled with small rusty nails
and a few other things at the bottom.
It was a bit dark in there so I walked it out onto the drive way and sat down and started tilting it to the side to uncover what ever might be under the nails
and I see the edge of a yellow knife of some kind and immediately got excited. Dug it out, had no idea what it was.
The blade was rust covered but I was big and sexy as hell.
So I'm like, "wow, look at this" and eventually she told me to keep it.
It turned out to be a Cass xx 3138 "Large Yellow Sodbuster" 5 dots 1995 ... and figuring that out, and how to clean it, led me back into
... well ... here I am.
Having fun and thankful for you folks at this great forum.
 
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