Removing black epoxy coat!!

J

jrc123

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I was at the pawnshop and scored an Ontario knives spec-plus Tanto with a 10 inch blade for 15 bucks!!! I want to take the black epoxy coat off and polish the steel so it's super shiny.and I have a blade magazine that has an article with step by step file work and I want to do that too.I'm new at all this. Does anyone know the best way to remove the black coating and what I need to shine it, sandpaper emery cloth ect.. Any info is much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 
I used paint stripper on a Ranger RD7. I soaked the blade for about 20 minutes then started peeling the epoxy away with a razor blade. Use a tooth brush in the corners scrub till you have a bare blade.

I then started hand sanding with 200 grit paper and progressively finer till I had a satin finish. Be prepared to do this for awhile unless you know someone with a grit wheel polisher.

I also grooved the micarta starting with a 3 sided file then widened the grooves with a Dremel tool. Mark the cut lines first so you can see what you are doing. I didn't but on second thought it would have been less eyeballing.

Just have at it. You're only out 15 bones....

Here's what I ended up with:

rm1.jpg

rd7_6_20.jpg
 
I recently removed the coatings on a Cold Steel Recon Tanto and a Becker BK-9 using Citristrip which I purchased at The Home Depot. Works like a charm. Two applications with about a 20-30 minute wait between was all it took. I used a plastic scraper (made for removing pinstriping) to scrape the dissolved coating off. I started with 60 grit to remove the grind marks and progressively worked up from there alternating the sanding direction (lengthwise then widthwise) between changes to the next grit. It's a lot of work but well worth it and to me enjoyable. Remember to use a spray lube of some kind when sanding, don't sand dry. I'm far from an expert so hopefully others who are will pipe in with advice as well. I just started on the Becker but the Recon Tanto is finished and looks pretty nice. I also played with using vinegar to map etch and blue the blade. That is really a fascinating process with some very cool results.
Good luck!
Nice job on the Ranger, hatchetjack.:thumbup:
 
Talos said:
I just started on the Becker but the Recon Tanto is finished and looks pretty nice. I also played with using vinegar to map etch and blue the blade.
Click to expand...

We need pics, man! :cool:
 
I just used paint stripper and a brass "toothbrush" (from a gun cleaning kit) to remove the epoxy from my Becker Crewman. There was a LOT of pitting hidden by the epoxy and it will take me a lot of sanding to remove it. I have to admit I don't dislike the coating enough to do this again.
 
Menocu said:
I just used paint stripper and a brass "toothbrush" (from a gun cleaning kit) to remove the epoxy from my Becker Crewman. There was a LOT of pitting hidden by the epoxy and it will take me a lot of sanding to remove it. I have to admit I don't dislike the coating enough to do this again.
Click to expand...


I found the same thing on my Becker Necker, Rust too!
 
Here's a couple of (crappy) pictures of the Recon Tanto I refinished and map etched. Because I had to do so much sanding to get rid of the grind marks and pitting I wasn't able to maintain the nice sharp blade lines that the knife originally had. I would also like to be able to figure out how to put a new handle on this. Anything would look better than the existing handle. I also plan on playing around with aging the blade with vinegar some more. Give it a little more character.

100_1192.jpg


100_1189.jpg
 
what did you just put vinigar on it? It looks awasome!! I'm going to do that to mine too. So how exactly did you do it?
 
When sanding a blade, always do the flats last, and back the paper with something flat. This will help keep the lines crisp.
You can use a knife to cut the rubber handle off, or chuck the blade tang in a vise and burn it off with a torch. The vise will act as a heat sink and protect the blade. Be prepared for lots of smoke and mess!
Bill
 
I used a flat file to back the sandpaper with but because the blade was so pitted everywhere I was forced to sand along the lines to remove them (the pits) which was the pits as it did round off those nice sharp lines. But that is very good advice for anyone wanting to refinish a blade. As Bill DeShivs noted make sure the sandpaper is backed by something flat. As mentioned I found a flat file very handy for that.
jrc123, thanks. the pictures really don't show it off very well but it really is a very cool effect. I wrapped the blade in a paper towel and then soaked the towel in vinegar and left it for a few hours. When I took the towel off the blade was very gray with some red rust. Then I took a polishing cloth and some Mothers Aluminum Wheel polish and started polishing. I took the corrosion off completely so the only obvious effect is the map etching. I then took a rag and some vinegar and hand rubbed just untill a blue haze came back on the blade. I think I am going to do it again but not remove as much of the corrosion next time. I will post pics if it turns out ok. There is a limitless number of looks that can be given a blade just by how long you allow the blade to soak and then how much of the corrosion you decide to remove and how you remove it. If you don't like the result just start over. You can use vinegar or lemon juice, anything acidic really.
Most of this I learned by reading posts from other Bladeforum members, by the way. There is a LOT of knowledge here and I want to give credit where credit is due.
 
On removing the rubber handle...
I cut one off of my Buck 619 with an Olfa snap off blade utility knife and it was alarmingly easy.

On the poorly finished blade under the epoxy and the pits there in...
Be sure to start with a low enough (rough enough) grit paper.
IIRC I started the RS with 220 and worked progressively up through the grits to 1500.
Following the tutorial that I posted above.
After all that I scratched the heck out of it when I decided to knock down the bevel with a coarse stone. Not alot of scratches but a few good and deep ones when I had a doh moment...
DOH!
 
I've decided to go ahead and remove the handle and then try my luck at either Tsukamaki or a Strider wrap and hopefully not go nuts in the process. Should be an interesting challenge and a huge improvement over the existing handle if I can pull it off.
 
That never occured to me. Thanks, you just saved me from doing something really stupid. I guess I can live with the existing handle.
 
Glad to help.
With a little effort (OK, more than a little ) the bare blade in the middle and the stag piece on the left turned into this:
scanicker3.jpg

Give it a shot.
This is my 3rd handle job. (handle job #2 is the white knife in the first photo)
I'm learning as I go.
Poke around Shop Talk, search for the tutorials. Check out the "newbies" forum at 'the other' forum down the street.

If I can do it so can you :D
 
Very, very nice.:thumbup:
Thanks for the links, too. I was not aware of those forums!
 
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