Mastic or Glue in Jigging - Was/Is This Done On Purpose?

Vaporstang

Vaporstang

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I purchased an older Shrade Walden #899 a while back (on another site). The jigging looked a little different, but I thought it was the lighting. Shame on me; I should have looked closer and/or asked more questions. When I received it, the jigged bone was filled with what looked like tile mastic or some kind of glue. (I am happy with it overall but a little disappointed.)

I assumed someone laying tile got their knife covered with mastic and just quickly wiped it down with a rag and didn't bother to do a thorough job before the glue dried. (I cannot get it out without damaging the jigging). Tonight on the bay an older knife sold that looked like a similar thing happened.

So my question is did/do people fill in the jigging on purpose, either to smooth out the scales, and/or visual effect?
 
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After looking at the seller's picture I realize that I really need to pay more attention LOL.
 
Ernie1980 said:
I have been zipped before on the bay by not looking enough at the pictures! I hope you didn’t overspend on it...
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Nope - got an okay deal with its condition. Actually, it is a little bit of a blessing in disguise. Since it is definitely not a collectible, I won't hesitate to carry it. Good snap, no wobble and it doesn't look like it has been sharpened much if at all, although it does need it.
 
You are right, sometimes slightly rough condition is better because there are no concerns about putting it straight to work!
 
I don't have an answer as to whether it was done on purpose, but I've come across a few knives like that. Here's an old Taylor that @Jack Black sent me a while back.
Taylor lambfoot and gifts 1 cropped.jpg
 
I think most of the time when I see this, it's simply that the knife was a work knife, and not "taken care of" like we do nowadays. A knife is a tool, and I imagine tradesmen worked them hard. Painters might have paint splatters on their knives, and I have seen knives with what looks like roof tar in the jigging. In your case, it also looks like the threading on the bolsters have that gunk in them, so I am guessing yours was not done on purpose.
 
I'm with Stubby on this. Use an old toothbrush while running under warm water to clean out the jigging.
 
glennbad said:
I think most of the time when I see this, it's simply that the knife was a work knife, and not "taken care of" like we do nowadays. A knife is a tool, and I imagine tradesmen worked them hard. Painters might have paint splatters on their knives, and I have seen knives with what looks like roof tar in the jigging.
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Yep. Every knife I have inherited from a family member has had some sort of stuff needing removal. My dad's work knife (not his EDC pocket knife that he carried as an older man) had specks of paint from painting my sister's room long ago.
 
I watched a roofing contractor doing some resealing work on our roof a few years ago. He was using some rubberized/polyurethane sealing material, made for the purpose, to close up some gaps around skylights & such. The sealing material was in tube made for a caulking gun, and he was using an old serrated kitchen knife to cut the sealed tip off the tube when opening a fresh one. The knife's blade was a mess from having done this many times, and he was also in the habit of wiping away drips from the end of the tubes with his fingertips as he worked. So, in handling the knife, the stuff was getting all over the handle as well.

Not hard to imagine how it could happen, after watching that guy do his work. :eek:
 
WD-40 sprayed on and left to soak - several times, with intermittent "picking" has gotten glue/caulk out for me on more that one knife. Sometmes takes several sessions, plus looooong soaks!!
 
Thanks for the feedback! I actually soaked it completely immersed in mineral oil for well over a week, probably over two. The gunk did not budge, even when picking at it. I will try the warm water and soap with the brush and pick; hopefully it is water soluble. I may have tried WD-40, but definitely didn't give it any time to soak. I have the spray foam kind, so will have to find the liquid; that will be plan B.
 
I imagine that what works will depend a lot on what's actually stuck in the jigging, but I'm another person who's had success sometimes with just scrubbing with soap and water. Here are a couple of photos of a Girl Scout knife I picked up at a flea market while on vacation. I had an old toothbrush in the toolbox I took with us, and worked on the knife handles in the kitchen sink with Dawn dishwashing foam and warm water. (I think I probably used WD-40 and 0000 steel wool on the metal parts.)
edMDvjF.jpg


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- GT
 
Nice cleanup, GT. Most "stuff" doesn't adhere to synthetics as well as more porous bone, so chances are better for a good cleanup!!
 
Another product to try for those hard to reach areas like dirty springs and liners is a spray can of Birchwood Casey Gunscrubber. I have used this product so many times to thoroughly clean the liners and springs of knives. It won't remove patina but it will get rid of all grit and grime, where you can't see. Also use a can of compressed air to blow it out after each application. I think you can find this on Amazon. Probably cleaned close to 50 knives with this amazing product.
 
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