Knife cleaning uncertainties.

cigarrodog

cigarrodog

Joined
May 18, 2014
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Hello. Having read the many threads on traditional pocket knife cleaning, I’m still a bit confused. Just received a very nice, older A. Wright twin blade Barlow. It’s condition is generally good, but the action is stiff, and I can see that is is from some crude, mostly around the pivot area. My confusion is from when it is said to rinse or soak the blade and then flush out. How do you thoroughly dry the knife? Will it hurt the scales?

The other issue is that the tip of the clip blade is a bit proud, making it an accident waiting to happen. I of course want it sit properly. What would be the optimum solution. I don’t wish to ship it back to England or return it. Thank you.
 
Dry with compressed air or WD-40 then oil the joints.

For the proud tip(s), carefully and slowly, checking your progress often, file or hone the kick down a little bit.
It won't take much, so you want to check your progress often, so you don't make the blade sit too low. It is a lot easier to take metal off than it is to put it back on. :)
 
Yep, the only solution to the proud tip would be to lower the kick. Just make sure you don't go so low that the edge starts to hit the backspring when you close the knife.

I know some people swear by it, but I've never had a knife with so much gunk in the action that I felt the need to use soap and water. I'd start by just oiling it well, and cleaning out some of the gunk with a toothpick and/or some small gun cleaning patches if you got 'em. Wright's knives do tend to come with quite a bit of crud in the pivot (just leftover stuff from grinding and polishing that didn't get cleaned out at the factory), but it's usually pretty easy to clean out in the manner I described.
 
With an old knife it's important not to over do it when approaching cleaning. No harsh abrasives, certainly no caustic materials, buffers or bench grinders :eek::D But I'm sure you knew that.

I actually do favour a good wash&brush up with warm soapy water, old fang brush. Rinse, dry out with kitchen paper, hairdryer or comp.air. Use a pipe-cleaner in the well of the knife, bit of WD 40, wipe off and oil. The scales will be OK if you don't ever SOAK the knife or use insanely hot water on it. Mineral oil or wax over wood, horn, bone or stag scales. File down the kick a tiny bit yes, until the tip vanishes.

End result: an envy inducing beauty :cool::D:thumbsup:
 
btb01 said:
Yep, the only solution to the proud tip would be to lower the kick. Just make sure you don't go so low that the edge starts to hit the backspring when you close the knife.

I know some people swear by it, but I've never had a knife with so much gunk in the action that I felt the need to use soap and water. I'd start by just oiling it well, and cleaning out some of the gunk with a toothpick and/or some small gun cleaning patches if you got 'em. Wright's knives do tend to come with quite a bit of crud in the pivot (just leftover stuff from grinding and polishing that didn't get cleaned out at the factory), but it's usually pretty easy to clean out in the manner I described.
Click to expand...
If it's a new knife, I'll just use a bit of cloth and one of those wooden coffee stirrers to clean out the well. Then work the pivot with some oil, until no more dirt/buffing compound comes out.

If you have an old, rusty, filthy knife, it can take more work. If it's a nice vintage or antique, I use baking soda sometimes for a very mild (and acid neutralizing) abrasive, mixed with a little dish soap. If it's just an old wreck I'll use wd-40 and fine steel wool.

If you want to lower the tip, first make sure there isn't any chunk of dirt that's sitting under the kick that's keeping the blade from closing all the way. Then you either file the kick, or reshape and drop the spine of the blade. When I file down the kick, I put a little piece of oily tissue in the blade well, file a few strokes with a small jeweler's file, remove the tissue with tweezers, close the knife to see how it's sitting, put another piece in, file another few strokes, etc. The oily tissue helps to keep metal filings out of the pivot.

Good luck, and don't forget to post pictures. :):thumbsup:
 
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Good point Rachel, filings getting in there will be a nightmare to remove, almost as bad as dropping a knife in wet sand (that'll clean it but talk about gritty action :eek::poop:)
 
Thank you all for the great and easy to understand advice. I will post an update with images in the near future. Much appreciation.
 
Yes Cigarodog, would like to see before and after pics.
Good luck with the 'modification'. It's easy, and as others say, check your progress after every couple of file strokes.

Some may warn that dropping the blade deeper in the well by filing the kick, will cause the back spring to sink a bit, sure, but any resulting sharp corners of exposed liners can be broken with a diamond file or sand paper. Hardly a problem if the knife is to be used as a tool, and you don't mind a slightly less than perfect looking knife. You may enjoy the procedure, and the knife even more, in the end.

Michael
 
Unless the material won't handle it I prefer to soak the joint with oil, then use an ultrasonic tank to clean the junk out. 2-3 times thru this routine cleans out almost everything. One good way to see just how much stuff is in the cracks it to soak the knife in mineral oil for an hour or so. Then pull it out and place it on a folded paper towel. Any black or brown material is loose dirt/polishing compound/etc...If it's still stiff then you can induce with with a little clover lapping compound. Just put it around the joint and open and close the blade a hundred times or so. Then flush it clean.

I usually flush anything nasty with boiling water. Synthetic materials may not like that. But it does clean things out and dries too fast to worry about rust. Then add oil.

I almost never use a file on a knife blade. Use a medium stone like a gunsmith would use on an action or a tool maker would use on a pattern. Much easier to control, truly flush shapes, and cuts hard steel better.
 
Lot of options given already, but I will add mine! For cleaning out the well of a knife I use a q tip that I have smashed flat with a pair of pliers and dipped in mineral oil. You will be amazed at what even a new knife will leave on the used cotton!! I will also use a brass brush to clean the pivot area and blow out with compressed air.
As for the proud blade, I will either drop the kick or reshape the tip depending on the knife but lean towards reshaping.
 
Yep, you can bring the spine down slightly so the point is below the level of the scales. Photos would help folks with better advice, but, it's pretty straight forward, but still, we do love photos ;)
G2
 
Continued great advice(from every one of you)for which I’m grateful. It’s dark now, but I will post “before” images tomorrow. I love the blade(both blades actually). The tip of the clip sweeps up, and the blade’s grind, if I dare say this, is sexy.

If I might ask, what type of file is recommended?
 
cigarrodog said:
If I might ask, what type of file is recommended?
Click to expand...

I use the course (blue) side of my DMT diafold. I found it removes a little at a time while keeping it nice and smooth. It doesn’t bite as hard as a file might leaving a rough surface.

Really, any small metal file will work though.
 
cigarrodog said:
Hello. Having read the many threads on traditional pocket knife cleaning, I’m still a bit confused. Just received a very nice, older A. Wright twin blade Barlow. It’s condition is generally good, but the action is stiff, and I can see that is is from some crude, mostly around the pivot area. My confusion is from when it is said to rinse or soak the blade and then flush out. How do you thoroughly dry the knife? Will it hurt the scales?

The other issue is that the tip of the clip blade is a bit proud, making it an accident waiting to happen. I of course want it sit properly. What would be the optimum solution. I don’t wish to ship it back to England or return it. Thank you.
Click to expand...
What material are the handles?
Horn can be temperamental.
Wood, bone or stag, I wash it out with hot soapy water and then flush with WD-40 and blow with compressed air. Once it's all cleaned out I add a little bit of lube to the pivot and throw it in the pocket.
Congrats, on your new old A. Wright knife. I have several and really enjoy them.
Post a pic when you get a chance.
If it's a Lambsfoot pattern come by and say hi.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/guardians-of-the-lambsfoot.1406735/
 
DMT stone works well or a Sharpmaker Rod for filing, I use small Rat-Tail files as well.
 
flatblackcapo said:
What material are the handles?
Horn can be temperamental.
Wood, bone or stag, I wash it out with hot soapy water and then flush with WD-40 and blow with compressed air. Once it's all cleaned out I add a little bit of lube to the pivot and throw it in the pocket.
Congrats, on your new old A. Wright knife. I have several and really enjoy them.
Post a pic when you get a chance.
If it's a Lambsfoot pattern come by and say hi.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/guardians-of-the-lambsfoot.1406735/
Click to expand...
The handles are bog oak. This one isn’t a lambsfoot, but one is inbound. Thank you.
 
A good sharp mill bastard file will work just fine. The kicks in the A. Wright knives I've worked on are just soft enough to be cut with a file.

Michael
 
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