Restoration Tips...

[Guyon]

Took the plunge on SchradeBay and got an 858OT for $22 ($28 with shipping). Seller described it as "THE KNIFE IS GOOD CLEAN SHAPE, MINOR SCRATCHES, NO RUST, THE BLADES HAVE BEEN POORLY SHARPENED AND NEED TO WORKED OVER."

From the rather blurry pic, it looks as though it has some life left in it. Hoping that the blades don't need too much "working over."

I figure on at least three tasks:

1. Reprofile to 15 degrees and put a working edge of 20 degrees (microbevel of sorts) on each blade.

2. Polish bolsters and blades with Flitz.

3. Wipe down and lube with some Tuff Glide.


Any good tips on restoration, polishing, etc.? Anybody here brought an old one "back to life"?

 

[El Lobo]

I've found that you can put on a pretty decent "satin" finish (oh, and cover up some scratches ) using just a medium Scotchbrite pad, going perpendicular to the edge of the blades...especially if it's a user.

Bill

 

[Guyon]

Bill, that's the kind of thing I'm looking for. Thanks.

 

[TedGamble]

Guyon, I also got an 858 about a month ago. The blades were badly scratched from the previous owner not taking proper precaution when sharpening.

My favorite method of removing light scratches and restoring 1095 steel to chrome shinyness is to use 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper. I have a 8" x 8" piece of rubber gasket material. I lay it flat on a workbench, then lay a piece of sandpaper on top of it. Then, lay the blade of the knife flat on the sandpaper and vigorously slide it back and forth. I slide it tip to heel, not side to side. You only have to move it about an inch up and down with each stroke. I continuously keep moving the blade to fresh areas on the sandpaper as the abraisive clogs very quickly. This will turn even a dull blade into a high shine as you can see from the photos below.

To polish the bolsters, brass liners, and backspring, I use a low-speed dremel with a cotton buffing wheel, loaded with white jeweler's rouge.

If there is any rust on the blades or inside the liner, I saturate it with WD40 several times and let it sit for a couple of hours between soakings. The rust usually comes of with just a wipe.

 

[Guyon]

Nicely done, Ted. Hope I can get mine looking half that good. :thumbup: