Storage or Protection?

[sharpguytoo]

Hey guys, a little help please. I think that this is the right subforum to ask this cause I have been impressed with the stuff I have learned. Enough rambling.
I have recently accuired my a couple of my grandads old slippies. They were kept by another relative in her basement. I dont know the age of these users but he was just an "old farmer" and I assume that they were the last one that he went thru before his health failed. One is a Barlowe and the other is a Tree strockman. Both were heavily patined and he had rebeveled the blades to a "full flat" (hope that is the right term) so that they "cut like a knife"
My question is: Due to lack of recent use, the blades were very hard to open. Seems like maybe a buildup of dried oil? Anyway, when I got them open I found that there appeared to be a toothpick or small sliver of wood coated with oil under each main blade. Is this a common practice? Was he trying to protect the edge from the backspring or to inhibit rusting? Any other ideas?

 

[artmichalek]

Anyway, when I got them open I found that there appeared to be a toothpick or small sliver of wood coated with oil under each main blade. Is this a common practice? Was he trying to protect the edge from the backspring or to inhibit rusting? Any other ideas?

Probably edge protection. I have a piece of wood stuffed into my Buck 110 because the tip of the blade was smacking into the lock spring when it closed.

 

[glennbad]

Also to look for is if the kick on the main blades were worn down at all, making the blade sit too low in the handle. Perhaps that is why the wood/toothpick was put in there.

Or maybe, he never cleaned the gunk out out of his knives..

Probably what Art said, though, but I haven't really heard of anyone doing that sort of thing.

Glenn

 

[d.parker]

sharpguy2, There are a several reasons he had the shims in there. Take them out and wash the knives in hot water and dish washing soap, dry them out good and oil them and see what they are doing. The kicks could be wore, the tang backs could be worn. The pivot holes in the tangs may be enlarged out making the blade loose.. Just see what they act like after clean up.......

 

[sharpguytoo]

Thanks guys, Im sure that when he used these that they were well maintained. Just been stored for a decade. I'll get them cleaned and working again and see how the blade tang looks.

 

[65hoss]

Let us know how it goes. Many of those old guys are gone now. We can make sure we remember them by using some of the same tools they used.

 

[Shore08]

I've never heard of that myself, but your theories sound good to me. Maybe someone with a little more experience will chime in...