Vintage Salvage and Sons

[Gevonovich]

I needed a vintage salvage fix.
I had two hours for a blitz of the vintage around town classics. I set out determined and got lucky. I found some really interesting pieces. The Barlow's beauty was evident under the coat of oxidation. So I grabbed it for a song. The main blade looks like it has forging marks in it. I wonder. No evident tang stamps. Saw cut bone slabs. Stamped bolsters. The cleaning required some mineral oil to break loose the blade; only the main blade has survived. The pen blade is broken but has been ground very nicely, and would be a good striker. Both blades have half stops.
I wonder how old it is?

And then I saw it. Peeking out from behind half broken memories. Was it a lobster. Had Charles pebble in the pond brought ripples to my world. If it wasn't a lobster it was a langouste.

If you have found any cool ones or decide to go out and try...lets see the ones you've Salvaged lately.

 

[mike Berkovitch]

I don't have the before photo. I bought this Camillus on the bay for few bucks. The blade could not be opened and the blades turned out to have a lot of file marks. It took me few days to make the blades open with 3 different kind of oils and then couple of hours polishing with high grit stones an papers 2000 - 8000 grit. Here is the result 1940's equal end jack.

Very nice find the barlow and the lobster.

Mike

 

[Gevonovich]

Excellent restoration job Mike. I enjoy these stories. I can see the beauty where before... I could not, and appreciate the craftsmanship in these knives, as I bring one back to its glory. You certainly did that.

The hunt is half the fun too...I must admit.

 

[mike Berkovitch]

Excellent restoration job Mike. I enjoy these stories. I can see the beauty where before... I could not, and appreciate the craftsmanship in these knives, as I bring one back to its glory. You certainly did that.

The hunt is half the fun too...I must admit.

Yeh is totally agree.

Here's another "cheapo" from the bay, a Primble peanut was rusted with blade play, I've cleaned it with oils and gave it a hammer strikes on the bolsters. Now the blades walk and talk with minor to none play.

Mike

 

[Vanguard41xx]

This is probably my favorite oldie. An L.F.&C. (top knife) with (I believe) celluloid scales. Sharpened up to a razor edge. Got it for a buck at an antique store. I cleaned it up a lot more after this picture was taken.

 

[TLARbb]

I posted a thread about this knife last year I believe. It is a Kabar jack that had been abused on a grinder wheel.

after I spent some time with it and worked most of the gouges out of the blades it looked like this:

Ed J

 

[Gevonovich]

I just finished CAing the mother of pearl scale into place on the gentleman's knife. It was moving and was sure to break the scale soon. Sharpened it. The finger nail cleaner/file is black but I believe it was purposely done this way to look like a backspring. This knife took some real skill to make. So fragile..

Mike
That Primble peanut is a jewel. Nice bone and long pull. Sweet

Vangard
I really like the old celluloids. I have one similar to your copper one. And yes..sharp as a razor. For some reason the old Imperials get sharp as the dickens.

Ed
Your Karbar is looking quite customish now. Excellent job. I'm finding it enjoyable to attempt to take a tarnished jewel in the rough and bring out its soul again.

 

[CUTS LIKE A KRIS]

Not really a salvage, more of a rebirth in this case. I got the following knife from mike Berkovitch, and because it was fairly inexpensive, main blade had no snap, and still had plenty of life in it that I would modify it to better suit my purpose- and that is to convert all main blades to wharncliffes (bwa ha ha ha...). I am kidding, although I have found that buying a used/broken clip blade and converting it to a wharncliffe is often the easiest way to rejuvenate the blade while maintaining its original feel.

Before mangling:

After:

Here is another clip to wharncliffe conversion I did, and put micarta scales on it as the bone was severely deteriorated (a job I should redo now that I am more educated on slipjoints):