Need help identifying small blade and mystery rods.

[PineMartyn]

While at a Salvation Army discount store a while back I came across a small plastic bag that contained a small knife in progress and some rods. It cost only 50 cents, so I thought I might be able to do something with it.

Knife and rods (note powder on my fingers)


As it turns out the blade appears to be homemade and is incredibly sharp. Whoever sharpened it really knew what he or she was doing. I managed to cut myself twice while handling it. Also in the the little bag were three rods of different diameter. The rods in the package are a mystery to me. They are quite heavy for their size, suggesting a dense metal composition. The little bag these items came in was coated inside in some sort of fine powdery grey dust that looks like some sort of oxidization byproduct that's comes from the rods. When the dust is wiped off, it's clear the rods are the same grey color, but have some sort of black shiny paint or coating on them.

Close up of rod:


I'm hoping you knife aficionados will be able to suggest what those rods are. I thought initially they might be some sort of sharpening tools, but they are smooth along their length because of that black coating. Any ideas?

- Martin

 

[Shotgun]

They look like ferro rods to me. Try sparking one. If so, the dust is oxidation like you said. There was probably some moisture buildup in the bag. Looks like you got a nice score there.

 

[crom]

Looks like a little convexed PSK or personal survival knife and a few ferro strikers. Scrape the knife's spine against one of the rods and see if it produces a spark. Cool find BTW.

 

[9blades]

Couldn't say about the knife...but the rods could be metal chalk (I forget the proper term so there called chalk now) you can just rub one across the blade and it should leave a black/white mark.

-niner

 

[PineMartyn]

I should have mentioned that the rods are not ferro-rods. That's the first thing that came to my mind also. Sadly, they don't throw any sparks.

9blades: I'll give your suggestion a try to see if they are "metal chalk".

My thanks to all who responded so quickly.

- Martin

 

[crom]

Magnesium rods?

 

[HoosierQ]

Got a Geiger counter?

 

[PineMartyn]

Magnesium rods?

From what I recall of my chemistry, magnesium is a lightweight metal and is highly lustrous. These rods are very heavy - heavier than iron I'd think - and they aren't at all lustrous. The exposed parts are a flat, dull grey. So I don't think they can be magnesium. Thanks for the suggestion though.
- Martin

 

[PineMartyn]

Got a Geiger counter?

Honestly, given how heavy they are...some irrational part of me is worried they're radioactive. haha. Unfortunately, I don't have a geiger counter.

- Martin

 

[PineMartyn]

Okay...I'm a complete idiot. I took a bit of sand paper to scrape off the paint on one of them and I got down to the familiar dull black oxidization layer of a ferrocerium rod. Once that paint was gone...it worked as it should. Ferro-rods! I feel lucky and stupid.

My thanks to all who helped me sort this out.
- Martin

 

[Shotgun]

Okay...I'm a complete idiot. I took a bit of sand paper to scrape off the paint on one of them and I got down to the familiar dull black oxidization layer of a ferrocerium rod. Once that paint was gone...it worked as it should. Ferro-rods! I feel lucky and stupid.

My thanks to all who helped me sort this out.
- Martin

No sweat. Now if only I had as much luck at second hand stores.