Meat Cleavers

[T Toth]

Antiquety? if a meat cleaver is old and bad shape rusty and nicked up, how much restoration should and should not be done?

 

[Curtis_Lowe]

Is it a rare and/or valuable old meat cleaver? If yes, besides using mineral oil, I'd leave it alone. Otherwise, restore it however and as much as you want to.

 

[T Toth]

Now that was an easy answer? So which is it? do I take them apart, anneal them, grind, polish and harden back up. Then deep line etch art into them meat cleavers, finally put a righteous handle on them. Or do I lightly steel wool it to death, and linseed oil the handle, and hide them from my view, since it still the original boring old knife, but it has great nostalgia?

 

[Curtis_Lowe]

break out the bedazzler

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Are you a maker?

I say if it's valuable to you (only) do whatever you want to it. Make it truly yours, then post pics!

I love cleavers!

 

[delmas2nd]

and why would you anneal it? that will only soften the steel.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

To make an assessment regarding restoration I'd need to see a photo.

 

[David Martin]

What ever you do enjoy it and try not to use it. I got my hands on an old meat cleaver stamped, Case XX. I got the blade looking mostly good and used mineral oil on the old oak handle. After it layed around for 5mos. then winter came and I needed to simply split some slivers of oak off a 1" thick slab for kindling. So, looking around, I grabbed that cleaver and after the second hit I heard something bounce on the floor. Looking around I found it, a dime size piece of metal had split out of my old cleaver and ruined it for original value. DM

 

[Magnaminous_G]

Depends on what you plan to do with the cleaver. If you want to use it, definitely get the rust off. If it's heavy surface rust, a little sandpaper will do the trick. If it's light/spotty surface rust, I'd use metal polish (I prefer Wenol). Then give it a good edge, which in the case of bad nicks will mean a good reprofile. A rub down with mineral oil, and she's good as new.

 

[mykel m]

I'd say mod it to your liking.
I did this old Village Blacksmith not long ago.
I cut it down to a profile that is pleasing to my eye,lightly polished with scotch-brite & 400 grit,gave it a convex edge and blued it with some Birchwood Casey Super Blue,then replaced the old handle that was cracked & missing chunks with some pallet Oak.

For this Case's Tested I just replaced the badly cracked handle with some more pallet Oak,hit it with some 000 scotch-brite & gave it a good convex edge.

I reamed the handle rivet holes out to 1/4" on both pieces also.