Refurbish old knives

[Verzejd]

Found some folders that I picked up several years ago after a move; what are your suggestions for refurbishing them & making them nice again. Not a sharpening question, but a cleaning/refurbish question.
Thanks.

 

[KBR]

I suggest using a multi-purpose eraser and Flitz metal polish. The eraser is great for removing tarnish and rust, leaving a satin brushed finish, while the polish cleans and protects.

You can find erasers here

 

[steve1701d]

You can use Brasso on the bolsters and blades, although it will not remove heavy rust. I use Q-tips to clean out any gunk that accumilated inside the knife. Just use a pair of sissors to cut them at an angle to get into the tight spots (don't use the hollow plastic tube Q-tips: must be the paper ones). I have also heard that mineral oil will re-vitalize old wooden and bone bosters, but I haven't tried this yet. Fiberglass brushes work well, too, but leave little splinters of glass, so be careful. Clean them off before opening or closing the knife.

Look at an electrical/electronics service type of catalog for small tools to clean them with. Techni-tool or Jenson are good places to start, and they both have websites. They carry a wide assortment of tiny brushes, swabs, small tools, ect.

Re-vitalizing old knives is kinda fun. It's not knife making, but it's like bringing a dying knife back to life again.

 

[bob bowie]

Hi,

I would check with Bernard Levine before cleaning up any older knives. I personally oil older knives, and just pick off any active rust with a dental pick, or razor blade.


HTH.

 

[steve1701d]

Right, good advice, Bob. I have fixed up a few old Camillus's, but those aren't worth much anyway. I would hate to ruin the value of something really worth anything.

 

[Tightwad]

I do a little of this work now to have "work" knives to sell at the county fairs.

I cruse yard sales to pick up old knives for pennies fixing them up to have in box
on our display table for the husbands to look at while their wives shop. Several
fellas , farmers and mechanics mostly, pick them up for the rough break a knife
work they do daily. I sell them for a buck or two , never more than five, and am
finding a good market. Had one fella buy the whole box last season to give to
field hands to use. It's fun and a good way to put new life in good older knife.

 

[pahl]

Tightwad:
Great Idea, next weekend I'm going to look around at some yard sales to see if I can find any used knives I could fix up just for the fun of it.