Stripping finish off blade only?

C

Col. Cornelius

Joined
May 20, 2009
Messages
648
I've seen some pictures of RAT's with all the finish stripped off, and they look very nice. Based on reading the threads, I understand how to use the spray on stripper to remove all the coating.

However, I am concerned about corrosion under the handle scales without any finish. I have also seen pictures of knives with just the blade stripped. This appeals to me more than the entire knife, since the knife steel would be protected under the scales.

I am waiting on recieving a RAT RC-4, Desert Tan, that would be the basis for the stripping. I would let the blade patina naturally.

Questions:

1. How do you/can you, use the chemical strippers on just the blade portion and maintain a clean/straight junction between the stripped and non-stripped portion of the knife?

2. What grit sandpaper can you use to still maintain the RAT logo on the blade after stripping (ie. What grit would you start/finish with to maintain the logo)?

Thanks,
 
One more question,

So far, I have seen this done on the black blade version only. Has anyone done it on the Desert tan model, and if so, could you post a picture?

Thanks again,
 
Oh, SAY IT ISN'T SO! Why kill a lovely RAT?

I'd play with it a bit first, before immediately removing the finish.
Don't forget, Rat Blades are 1095 High Carbon, and stripping that finish will just expose more metal to rust. :P
 
Thanks for the input. I won't immediatley remove the finish. I will definately play with it a bit first.

But, I do favor the more traditional look of a well used blade with an honest patina on it.

In my mind, its not killing the RAT, its just making it look a little better, in an old fashioned way!
 
I know some folks have used liquid strippers on their knives. To do the blade only they suspended the knife by the pommel so the stripping agent only covered as far up as they wanted to go.

The blade of my RC-4 is stripped but only because I had a fully convex grind put on it. This grind goes all the way from the spine to the edge so it required removing the black coating in the process. I keep a little mineral oil on it and haven't had any problems with rust so far.
 
Thanks for the info. Does the liquid stripper want to migrate up under the coating when you hang the blade in the solution?

Any pic's of a Desert Tan RC-4 with just the finish removed from the blade?

Thanks again.
 
try putting some singles in its sheath, that works when you don't want them to take everything off all at once.
 
Here's a tan RC4 that i stripped with BIX gel stripper.
I was concerned about the handle area also,so that part was left alone:

054.jpg


067-1.jpg


Still had a little more polishing to do at this point.
I just brushed the gel stripper on where I wanted it & didn't have any problem with it running anywhere else.
Took it off with a razor blade & then started polishing with wet/dry paper.

Cliff
 
The RAT RC-4 I got today in a trade has the coating removed just on the blade. It is now convexed and looks SWEET!

I get the protective coating thing, but I like the looks better without it. Not into the whole "rhino-liner" look.

Just preference...
 
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