Saving an old knife

[huntnfishin]

So I bought this old fixed blade maybe 10 years ago here on the exchange for a song on a whim. Had a bit of recurve and after it got dull I got frustrated sharpening it and tossed it in the top of the toolbox. Abused the hell out of it. Reground the blade on a beach grinder and never did much more with it. Have some chatter marks from my first attempt. Let it rust to complete crap a couple years. Every time I looked at it I though I should give it away…anyhow during the last few years I really got into hand sharpening and picked it up today as I had my stones out. Hit it with some sandpaper to get off the red rust, used some files to reprofile an edge, that took too long so I used a diamond plate like a stone on a bench. Then ran it across the coarse medium and fine stones and a stroppin and it’s good to go. Shaves hair drifts magazine pages etc. It has an “L L” makers mark. I have no idea who that is. I need to do something with the crap blocky handle but it has that old world charm…kinda primitive. Felt good to resurrect something. I stuck it in the kitchen and the little lady will be moving that one soon I am sure…prolly back to the garage and the toolbox. Needs more work anyhow. Just thought I’d share and see if anyone else has brought a turd back into the sunshine.

 

[screened porch]

Nice job.
I think the handle's fine.

 

[BrotherJim]

NICE !!! ... some mineral oil on the handle couldn't hurt

 

[cudgee]

I need to do something with the crap blocky handle but it has that old world charm…kinda primitive.

Nice knife and a good get, if i was going to do anything to the handle this is what. I would clean it with some ph neutral leather cleaner or saddle soap, then a couple of light coats of RAW linseed oil. Would come up a treat but still retain it's old world charm.

 

[meako]

Nice going!
Re the handle...if it is mostly still solid...some very light sanding and a buffing with some orange oil will clean it up nice.....I did similar with 2 old knives that belonged to a friends Father who was an old school butcher in Wollongong...they looked like they had been in a sunken ship for 50yrs....the spa treatment re nourished the timber and brought them back....she was very happy with the way they turned out...with the proviso of never ever put them in the dishwasher ever never again.
Cheers.

 

[cudgee]

Nice going!
Re the handle...if it is mostly still solid...some very light sanding and a buffing with some orange oil will clean it up nice.....I did similar with 2 old knives that belonged to a friends Father who was an old school butcher in Wollongong...they looked like they had been in a sunken ship for 50yrs....the spa treatment re nourished the timber and brought them back....she was very happy with the way they turned out...with the proviso of never ever put them in the dishwasher ever never again.
Cheers.

. Yeah, that'll work too. That orange oil is good stuff.

 

[Ernie1980]

I enjoy finding old kitchen knives at garage sales and giving them new life, you did well on that one! I don’t have any pictures to share right now unfortunately…

 

[Bastler]

I got this Buck 500 in an auction because the wood cover was damaged. When I got it, the liner was so bent that it wouldn't close, a detail conveniently missing from the description. I bent it back into shape and decided to make it a bare head, not thinking that the integral liner and bolsters are stainless steel. After lots of grinding, it became what you see here, part custom and part cussed-'em.

 

[Hickory n steel]

I like to just clean a handle with some 0000 steel wool and oil.
this 6" butcher here is from the 20's or so and the handles have held up very well, it's dishwashers and being left in the sink that does it.
This one came in a homemade sheath and seems to have avoided that, likely having been use for hunting.

 

[meako]

Thuur dishwasher!....