The 20 Minute KLVUK Modification Experiment

I literally used nothing more than a fine grit sponge and muriatic acid. All I did was soak several paper towels in muriatic acid, wrap the blade in them, and let it soak about 10 or 12 minutes before scrubbing it like a crazy person. The acid seems to blast through scale just like it does concrete.

The only thing I've noticed is that I didn't neutralize all of the acid and the blade has a slight yellow tinge to the exposed pits. I've had this happen before. I'll hit it with another sponge scub and then wash it down with a baking soda slurry. Easy peasy.
 
Very cool to know. Thanks Steely! I will definitely try that. Gonna get me some pool acid:thumbup:
 
dang,ronin,those are nice too. I gotta get me one.gonna wait on the funds though. wait n see.
 
You use the muriatic acid for like exposed agragate finish or what? I did a lot of concrete in my vertical days and never used it.

Now I'm curious.
 
Bawanna said:
You use the muriatic acid for like exposed agragate finish or what? I did a lot of concrete in my vertical days and never used it.

Now I'm curious.
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My family and I swimming pool contractors by trade:) Not only is muriatic acid used to lower the overall pH of the water, but it also comes in handy eating the calcification off salt cells. Being hot weather builders, when we pour aggregate decks (which is pretty rare these days with most people wanting decorative concrete) sometimes the retardant doesn't work well and we have to go back and wash down the decks to really make the pebble show through.

I've been etching with it for a decade:) Good but noxious stuff.
 
Always hated aggregate finishes. Slippery as heck around here, damp and mossy.
 
Thanks for the info! Gave this a shot last night. First hit got it pretty clean. Need to hit again for the rest of it. Then may try to hit it with some vinegar for a little patina look. Haven't done it before but looks interesting.

Bawanna, if you decide to try this, I've got plenty of acid if you need.
 
I used cider vinegar from the start, wrapping the blade in a soaked paper towel like Steely did with the acid. It worked great and put a nice patina on in the process, but it took several cycles of wrap/wait/clean/re-wrap to get off most of the forge scale. I used extra fine steel wool to sand the scale off without scratching the blade too much.
 
Slugger said:
Thanks for the info! Gave this a shot last night. First hit got it pretty clean. Need to hit again for the rest of it. Then may try to hit it with some vinegar for a little patina look. Haven't done it before but looks interesting.

Bawanna, if you decide to try this, I've got plenty of acid if you need.
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What are you doing with acid? I thought that was like a 60's thing. Is it for the look or is it to remove the scale. I think I might be confused. Again.
 
It just makes you believe you removed the scale! Next day its still there!
Bawanna said:
What are you doing with acid? I thought that was like a 60's thing. Is it for the look or is it to remove the scale. I think I might be confused. Again.
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Here are my 2, with and without scale

IMG_1399.jpg
 
ndoghouse said:
It just makes you believe you removed the scale! Next day its still there!
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FAAAAR out maaaan! It passes . . . but sometimes I get these weird blade flashbacks . . .

Looking great philllll, that's the look I'm searching for. I read some where to use boiling hot apple cider vinegar. Not sure if it's really needed?
 
Slugger said:
I read some where to use boiling hot apple cider vinegar. Not sure if it's really needed?
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It just depends how patient you are willing to be. If you heat it up it will work faster. I used it at room temp and let it sit with the paper towel for a couple hours each time. I've used the boiling method on an O1 steel traditional knife and it works much faster, but was very stinky and probably more work.
 
I like that look too. Is it like messing with mother nature to take the scale off that Keshar left on. I reckon not.
 
Bawanna said:
I like that look too. Is it like messing with mother nature to take the scale off that Keshar left on. I reckon not.
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I think the KLVUKs are such bangs for the buck that a little experimentation isn't a bad thing:) I mean, better to try something like this on a khuk that was made to be used hard than to monkey with a pre-stroke Bura blade:eek:

I like the look of both:) The scale on gives it a really nice contrast. The in-the-raw look certainly gives it an antique and more rustic look.
One thing that did help me get a little more of the black out of the pits was rubbing the blade down with gun blue/rust remover. It got into the nooks a little better.
 
Yeah I agree. I actually like it when the come a little rough. It's fun to apply one's own hand and clean em up and refine them a bit. The rest of them are about as refined as a person can get, nothing to do with them but play.

You think gun blue/ rut remover would work removing the scale from the get go or do the apple vinegar faaaaar out acid thing?
 
Hoppe's No. 9 or something similar might take off the scale without forming a patina... interesting idea.
 
That dark handled one without the scale looks like the surface of the moon! A lite rust and Mars comes to mind! Far out Dude:thumbup:
 
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