opinions wanted

M

Mitch W.

Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Messages
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If you acquire a vintage knife (not necessarily a Buck), should it been sent to someone to clean it up and polish it back like it just come out the shop or just clean it up to where it's presentable. I just acquired a Schrade-Walden fixed blade hunter and am trying to decide if I should send it out or keep it the way it is. It's dated to between 1953 & 1973.

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My considered and irrefutable opinion. It depends. In general, I like a knife, or firearm for that matter, that tells a story. If the items shows honest wear and even hard use, I am inclined to clean it lightly, remove rust, oil it up. Then either use it or add it to a display. If a valued (not the same as valuable) knife blade has been subject to someone's power grinder, I would consider having a professional work on it.

I had this choice recently. I picked up a Buck 124 with sheath for $50 at a gun show. It was splattered with what looked like JB Weld that had been mixed on the back side of the sheath. The guard and butt were scratched and dinged, as were the wood handle slabs. My first thought was to send it to Buck for the Spa treatment. I've send in a badly damaged 102 Woodsman and a 112 with a broken lock, and been very happy with the results. However, I went to work on it myself. Polished out the grind marks where someone had tried to sharpen the top of the end of the blade (swedge?). Polished the aluminum and the handle. Polished the blade to remove some scratches. The JB Weld or whatever come off the knife and the sheath with only minor remaining damage to the sheath. I dyed the sheath with black leather dye and put on some leather conditioner. Sharpened the blade. I'm very happy with the results.

I also know that collector value, especially in firearms, is reduced if it's refinished.
 
I wouldn't do a thing. Just wipe down the blade with an oily rag, and rub some snow seal into the leather handle. Only snow seal or other plain bee''s wax, nothing with oil that would soften and break down the leather. Same for the sheath.

That old knife tells a story with it's aged patina. Cleaning it up would ruin it.

Carl.
 
I've been wondering about the same thing myself for some time. I see folks sending old Bucks in and having them refurbished to nearly new condition. I have some old vintage firearms that were my Dad's and Father in Law's that I've been advised against having "restored" or refinished because they would lose much of their collectors value if that was done. The advice came from gun dealers and gunsmiths.

Wouldn't the same thing hold true for vintage knives? :confused:
 
All I did to the knife was to remove the oxidation from the blade and remove the surface rust and polish the blade and pummel. I also got the saddle soap out and cleaned the handle as it looked like it had water marks on it. In my opinion the sheath isn't serviceable as it looks to be heat damaged (in an attic or storage shed for many years). I am looking at having the sheath duplicated to keep the knife in. The knife actually looks like it was never used.
 
I would just keep it honest, and use it... The knife has what looks like some deep scratches and or pitting, and if you have it highly polished, they are really going to show up.

It should be a great knife, and the old Schrade steel takes a fantastic edge.
Keep an eye out on the auction site. A lot of times you can find someone just selling the original sheath with no knife for a decent price
 
Looks great to me as is. I say make sure there is no rust, sharpen it, and use the heck out of it.
 
jest my thoughts
i see buck sent in all the time and sent some in my self
of all collectables i have ever known
a Buck Knife is the only one i know of that can increase in value after a
spa treatment at buck!
now if it is some thing like this was in the war or some thing notable
then no dont send it in ..
but it is my experance that a knife that has been though buck spa
many times will bring more on ebay not always but most times..
\
 
110 Dave said:
jest my thoughts
i see buck sent in all the time and sent some in my self
of all collectables i have ever known
a Buck Knife is the only one i know of that can increase in value after a
spa treatment at buck!
now if it is some thing like this was in the war or some thing notable
then no dont send it in ..
but it is my experance that a knife that has been though buck spa
many times will bring more on ebay not always but most times..
\
Click to expand...

I aggree with Dave, I think Buck knives are the only thing I have ever seen cleaned up that could possibably increase in value. Most antique collectors won't touch a cleaned Item with a ten foot pole. I would leave that knife as is. I would put some oil on the blade and wipe it with a soft rag, to remove any loose rust or debre and stop any further rust. Other than that I'd leave it the way it is, It tell a story!!!:thumbup:
 
Depends on the knife itself, its design and rarity.
I spa most older knives I want in the case but I havnt come across something like a 1-2nd gen 110 or a 60 year old lucite fixed blade. Something like that, I would probably just clean as well as I can and leave as is.
 
Spa to re-sell...Hmmmm...Clean it up enough to slice a apple with and be safe to eat it..
 
I've decided to leave it the way it is. I just took it out and the patina is starting to show. I will keep it wiped down with light oil to prevent rust and enjoy it as is. I did find a local saddle shop that will duplicate the original sheath for 25.00. I will then put the original up as it is so dry rotted I don't like to handle it much.
There is a local knife dealer that has one that has been cleaned up and polished and I don't think it looks as good as mine.
 
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