Removing Blade Scratches - Affects Collector Value?

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boy&hisdogs

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Dec 9, 2015
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I just won a knife on everyone's favorite auction site. It's a 1977 Case Texas Jack 6244. The body of the knife looks really good, but the blade has those swoopy "bad sharpening job" scratches on it and little to no patina.

I want to get those scratches out, but would hate to destroy any potential value. I was actually shopping for an Old Timer of the same pattern to EDC but couldn't pass up a Case with a near-Old Timer price tag. I intend to carry it, but also don't want to commit some sort of knife sin like destroying an old patina.

I don't think it's worth very much anyway, even NIB, but for future refrence this would be good to know.

Here's a picture from the auction:
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The knife has already been sharpened and used, and since you intend to carry it, if the scratches bother you, Flitz will probably get rid of them, they don't look deep. I think greater care should be taken with older knives, particularly those in fine condition, or heirloom knives where you might want to keep the sharpening scratches grandpa made, but in this case, I don't think you're committing any 'sin' ;) :thumbup:
 
Yep, the collector value is already gone - do what pleases you and use the knife, because it is a nice knife. I routinely buy (inexpensively) older Buck Knives with blade scratches and then sand out the scratches - makes me happy! OH
 
Sharpen it and drop it into your pocket:) You wil be adding your own scratches soon enough as you use it!
 
Good to know, thanks guys. It might just be me, but I hate these scratches on my knives. They remind me of the "idiot scratch" on a 1911 and the terrible, sloppy, sharpening (if you can even call it that) jobs I did as a kid. :barf:

When it comes to knives like this, do you keep the condition evaluation simple like "New", "used but still use-able" and "broken wall hanger" like you would with a kayak, surf board, etc or is it more of a gradual scale like with car mileage and coins? In other words, once a knife actually has problems worth fixing, you can't hurt the value any more by fixing them, right? I know it'll never actually be new again and not valuable to that type of collectors, but of course it still has SOME value, or else it would have got thrown out, not bought by me. :p

In mean this in general for all middle-aged, entry level collectible knives, not just mine specifically.
 
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Like everyone's already said, sharpen and enjoy, the potential value has already compromised but the enjoyment value and future memories to be made are unlimited. If you're really looking to return the blade to a polished or mat finish then you'll have to become a cutlers apprentice and hand sand the blade to the finish you desire. The more polish and refined the finish the more work it takes and the longer it takes.

Basically you'll have to start out with a grit size comparable or even a little coarser to get a uniform scratch pattern and use successively finer grit paper until you get the finish you want. Also bear in mind the original grind on the blade, if it's a flat or hollow grind you have to match it too using enter something flat or concave respective of the original grind.

It's a lot of handwork without a belt grinder so be prepared to invest a weekend into it. Honestly though, I'd sharpen it and put it in my pocket. Here's a 100+ year old knife that would probably be worth a fortune considering the company only existed for 2 years between 1911-1913 and I just reground the broken blade to a more useful shape, put an edge back on it and in the pocket it went. Here's a pic, as you can see it's got scratches dings and a broken blade, as a collectible it has more value historically than monetarily and now since I've carried it for 10 years or so it has tremendous sentimental value to me but to sell it I doubt I'd get more than $30 or $40.

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Then there's knives like these below, both my Old Man's last carried by him 40+ years ago and the last time he went hunting and we saw him alive. The blades were sharpened on a grinding wheel and are loaded with deep scratches, I just put an edge back on it and used it, the sentimental value of those scratches surpass the desire to make it look like new again. :)

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I don't think you will hurt the value in any significant way by removing the scratches. It is already a user grade knife, so there won't be much value loss with additional clean up. This is not a 100 yr old collector grade pattern so I wouldn't worry.
 
You might take a peek in the maintenance subforum and/or post the same question there.

I assume they would recommend silicon carbide sandpaper 400 then 600. Make sure you are going in the same direction.
 
Take it up to an as ground look. Best finish Case has, most easily,relatively, to replicate. Can you do it mechanically or is it by hand?
Neal
 
I have a 1x30 belt sander but I don't really trust it/myself for this project. I have a bench buffer as well as a dremel, a variety of jewelers rouge colors/grits, and of course hand sand paper.

I'm not sure about as-ground but I defiantly want a satin finish of some sort for an edc knife.

I'll have to wait until it gets here to see if it's flat or hollow ground, I hope it's flat so I can block sand it and make this a little easier on my fingertips.
 
You mentioned that you have a dremel and various buffing compounds. When a blade has pitting or carbon spider webbing like on the end of the pen blade, using a buffer will make those pits spread like wildfire. Sanding is the only way to remove them.
 
DWWEBBER said:
You mentioned that you have a dremel and various buffing compounds. When a blade has pitting or carbon spider webbing like on the end of the pen blade, using a buffer will make those pits spread like wildfire. Sanding is the only way to remove them.
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Wow, I didn't know that. Thank you for saving me that headache!
 
The deed has been done. The scratches are always deeper than they seem. I went down to 320 then back up to 800, ending with a "pulled" finish. I cleaned it with simple green, then water, then brake cleaner, then into the hot vinegar for about 20 minutes. A good scrub down with scotchbrite, sharpened and oiled. It's a night and day difference in both the way it looks and the walk and talk. These pictures taken under a lamp don't quite do it justice.

Edit: I almost forgot to say just how much I like this knife! The fit and finish is pretty dang good, both blades are pretty well centered, both blades have a great snap open and closed, that CV steel takes a keen edge in no time at all, and it's just the right size to fit in my watch pocket. Just outside the frame of those pictures, there's four Old Timers on my workbench. Two old USA ones and two new-ish Taylor ones. The overall quality of the Case is noticably better than the USA OT's and completely blows the China OT's out of the water.

This is my first ever Case knife, and I now completely understand why they have such a massive following.

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I wouldn't worry about whatever you decide just stick in your pocket and enjoy that great EDC knife.:thumbup: I remember when I first started sharpening knives I left scratches near the tip on a lot of knives.
 
It depends on the collector and how much they need that particular knife in the collection.Scratches might not be of concern or conversely they wont buy the mona lisa with a rip down the middle .
Pardon my ignorance but is Case XX stainless?
One mans crows foot is another mans laugh line.
 
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