Tactical AK from Bex for Sarges Knuckleheads

Excellent stuff Steve. What did you use as a resist on the brass bolster? When I did my AK with brass I used Elmers now looking for something a little more simple to remove
 
Originally posted by sweet
What did you use as a resist on the brass bolster? When I did my AK with brass I used Elmers now looking for something a little more simple to remove
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Hi Sweet,

I just used masking tape. A little of the blue leaked under, but it polished right off with a little flitz.

Steve
 
flat black nail polish
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That stuff takes forever to apply to your gear! And, comes off easily. I'd use flat black paint on it first, like we did with our e-tools.

(No, I didn't do this with mine when I was in the Army. Then again, I never hit a combat zone.)

John
 
Originally posted by ddean
Are you sure the paint will stay put?
I'd be concerned about it chipping off.
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Heck Dean, The black paint on the bolster and buttcap didn't even last 1 day. Scratched off with a fingernail. Went to a gun show and 3 sporting goods stores looking for some Birchwood Casey Brass Black. Nobody had any, so I tried some gun blue. Worked ok, kind of plumb brown. At least it's not shiny. One more chemical I need to keep on hand.

Steve
 
You might try taping the edge and spraying it flat black. It'll eventually come off, but will only take a few seconds to reapply.
 
Hey Ferguson - Nice Blade.
I miss the Triad. I lived in W-S for more than 20 years, and made many trips down to Randy's on High Point Rd.
Is it still around?
I have been stuck in snowy Illinois since '98. Flatlands is not as pretty as NC.
 
Been away for the weekend and just got back. Steve emailed me to let me know he'd done the work. Great stuff! It's very nice to know that the khuk is going to someone that will being doing some good. After a b*****d of a week some good news is nice to finish on.

BTW, the 'Balance' I got from Uncle Bill found a new home this weekend with the friend I was staying with. He was quite taken with it. :)
 
Originally posted by arty
Hey Ferguson - Nice Blade.
I miss the Triad. I lived in W-S for more than 20 years, and made many trips down to Randy's on High Point Rd.
Is it still around?
I have been stuck in snowy Illinois since '98. Flatlands is not as pretty as NC.
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If you're talking about the gun shop, no it's gone. You need to get back down home here.:) Illinois is no place for a North Carolina boy.;)

Steve
 
Showed up today, scary rascal of a khuk, nice work Steve! Just e-mailed a buddy of mine over in Baghdad, good guy, worked special ops back in Afghanistan. I'll bet my boots he can track me down a worthy recipient, and a good stout Sher made 15" AK I recently acquired will be going along to keep the "Cantina Tactical Special" company on the trip. Y'all know me, I'm liable to toss a few of my own in the box, give me an excuse to buy more. Bwaaa, khuks in Iraq, good stuff, I can see a 15" AK being pressed into service as an "entry tool", maybe we'll get some feedback/field reports.

Sarge
 
Knock, knock, heh heh heh :)

I'm reminded of the immortal words of W.E. Fairbairn when writing about his Smatchet. I think the same applies to a khuk!

"The psychological reaction of any man, when he first takes the smatchet in his hand, is full justification for its recommendation as a fighting weapon. He will immediately register all the essential qualities of a good soldier-confidence, determination, and aggressiveness."

In his later years Fairbairn said the bayonet should be ditched in favour of a good combat knife. I wouldnt know myself, but its nice to know the cantina has done its bit to make sure the men out there have the choice.
 
Bex?

Really good of you to start this in motion. And the Ferguson, Sarge and advisory network...well, what can you say? :)
 
I prefer a distilled vinegar treatment vs chemical bluing to darken a blade, mainly due to the chemicals used like selenium. I use my knives in the field and I might be eating what I cut or chop.
 
Well, go get a gallon or two of el-cheapo distilled white vinegar form someplace like Walmart, and get a either a plastic tub or plastic bucket of some sort.

You do what work you need to do on your blade and then you clean it off really well, removing any prior finish.

You then submerge the steel of the blade in distilled white vinegar for a while. This amount may vary depending upon the type of steel. I would avoid submerging the handle under the vinegar.

Some steel works faster than others. My Cold Steel SRK took a while, but the skeleton handle skinner that I made out of an old file began to pit when I left it in too long.

It will form a dark black protective coating on the blade. Do not touch the coating when you pull the knife out, but let the knife dry someplace for a while, preferably hanging by the handle. After it's been thoroughly dried for a while, a light buffing with a rag or something similar makes it look real nice.

I've found the coating, if done right, to be about as durable as cold bluing and it's probably a lot less toxic if you have to dress a deer out or something with your blade.

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I confused the thread by talking about 2 different khuks. The 15" AK that went to Sarge was just satin finished on the blade. I originally painted the brass bolster and buttcap black, but the paint scratched off too easily. Unable to find any Birchwood Casey "Brass Black" to darken the brass, I tried some regular cold blue on the brass. It worked to a degree, kind of plumb brown, but not real even. Enough to make the brass dark.

The blued blade was my 18" WWII.

It was really hard working on the AK and not making it pretty. Goes against my nature.:) But Sarges boys need something to work with, not a shiny signal mirror.:rolleyes:

Thanks for the info on the vinegar treatment mrostov, I'll try it sometime.

Sarge, I'm glad the AK was suitable. Very happy to be of some small service. Thanks to Bex for providing the AK.

Steve
 
My pleasure. My bit was easy-all I had to do was put the khuk in the post. Steve put in the time doing the refurb and Sarge is finding the right home.

:)
 
Originally posted by mrostov
Do not touch the coating when you pull the knife out,......After it's been thoroughly dried for a while, a light buffing with a rag
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A few drops of dish soap often help keep the finish even.
I usually rinse in water, sometimes with baking soda added.
I find it durable enough to gently wipe dry with a soft cloth.

Like blueing, a coat of oil will make it even more durable.
You can buff & oil at the same time.
Don't know if the type of oil really matters.
Repeat oil buff a couple more times over the next day or so.
Then final buff with a dry cloth.

Got a project in the go right now that applies.
Hope I actually -finish- this project.
 
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