Work in progress shots wanted?
If W.I.P shots are not put up it will be because I have ruined the knife - smashed it to bits in a child like fit of fury with a ballpein hammer, and I will deny all knowledge of the knife ever existing
Duncan - I may not sleep well tonight, just thinking about that ballpein hammer on that beautiful old red bone! Goodness gracious!
Looks like you know where you want to go with this one Duncan. Fixing the high pin on the bolster requires a loss of patina, so I think I see where you are going here.
Pictures of progress would be great! :thumbup:
It might be desirable to try and decide about the re-patina ahead of time - if that is your selection, then I personally would not go any further than to remove surface scars and the scratches - leave minor pits, etc. - they will enhance the aged look and overall beauty when re-patinaed. If the bolster is steel, it could also be re-patinaed.
I will just add a few tips for now: This is good advice for working on any knife,
especially an old historic knife.
This is posted more for readers of unknown skills and/or origin, rather than you Duncan.
Knife Hackers Tutorial - the basics to avoid messing up your knife:
Patience is the key - if you begin to feel anxious to finish - lay the knife down and come back to it later, with re-newed vigilance to maintain a slow and steady pace.
Use hand tools - remove material slowly and methodically. Stop and examine often.
For the most of us, power tools can and most likely will ruin your old knife, and in a hurry!
Only an expert knife craftsman should use power tools on a knife - they just remove material too quickly!
The sandpaper choices that Duncan mentions sounds fine to me. I also like the grit in a Knife Eraser block - I use them frequently.
I use a Rocket bulb blower, a photo accessory, to blow the residue out of the knife, every now and then as I go.
I lay the knife blade(s) on a block of bare lumber to support the blade or knife as I work on it.
The 2000 grit seems a bit of over kill - I guess you/we will see - maybe 1000 grit - which is about the grit of the Knife Eraser.
If you go slow and steady, about the only thing that cannot be undone is the loss of patina - otherwise you can most likely even start over, if need be.
If you follow my simple advice - it will be highly unlikely that you will ruin your knife - patience will have it's rewards!
If you re-introduce patina:
Duncan - my friend - if you know Charlie's vinegar method or have used it - that sounds fine to me.
I use a cold Balsamic vinegar wrap, followed by a drying blot, oil, and then a 0000 steel wool rub. I usually examine the blades every thirty minutes and re-wet and re-wrap, a total time of around two hours per blade. The main key is to elevate the knife handles on the wooden block and make sure the handle material remains dry and is not sitting in vinegar. The Balsamic vinegar can dull the gloss on the bone, etc..
Duncan - if you or anyone else, want more detailed patina instructions, just say so and I will follow this up.
Best regards,
Primble
