What is the best way to clean up/restore two old knives?

J

Joe_N

Joined
Nov 11, 2015
Messages
67
The first one is a Remington UMC Dupont RH28 that belonged to my father-in-law and has skinned many rabbits and squirrels. From what I can find out it was made between 1933 and 1940 but that is all I know. What is the best way to clean up this knife so that it looks more like it did about 75 years ago. I can polish and shine it up with my Dremel but I am not sure that is the correct way to do it.

23982961752_06aa8f3ce8_b.jpg


24091072505_d4b18ecfdc_b.jpg


The second knife is a Queen Steel #75 that I bought around 1957, I would have been 10 years old, and as far as I can remember was the first knife I ever bought. This knife has been used very little if any but apparently at some time I tried to sharpen it and scratched it up pretty badly. Can I return it to a mirror finish without removing the Queen Steel #75 from the side?

23723253979_98eec71d66_b.jpg


24091072835_fe4e5996f1_b.jpg
 
Both are fine old knives. The Queen I would leave it alone. The Remington, if anything, just some very fine steel wool or even just a good paste polish - definitely not a Dremel. Excessive cleaning will drop the value of either. Better to do the minimal cleaning and then oil the Remington (I think the Queen is stainless). They are both old knives and should look like it IMHO. This is a classic case where less is more.
Rich
 
Joe_N said:
What is the best way to clean up this knife so that it looks more like it did about 75 years ago. I can polish and shine it up with my Dremel but I am not sure that is the correct way to do it.
Click to expand...
Well, it would be hard to say unless you knew exactly what it looked like 75 years ago. Me personally, if I was going to do it, I'd put it up against my Scotchbrite belt to give it a nice satin finish.

Joe_N said:
Can I return it to a mirror finish without removing the Queen Steel #75 from the side?
Click to expand...
Not unless you're willing to risk losing the marking. It depends if the scratches are deeper, or if the etching is deeper. You can't get scratches out without removing metal. I personally wouldn't fuss about losing the marking so long as I remember what it is. Same process, I'd refinish it on my Scotchbrite belt, then progress further until it's mirror polished.
 
When I said I had a Dremel I really knew I shouldn't use it. But, is there some kind of polish that I could use, something like automotive rubbing compound? I don't plan to sell the knives so I am not too concerned about their value, it's sentimental to me, but I would like to preserve them in the best possible condition so that my future generations can enjoy them.
 
Can you make them look new? I doubt it. Most amateur "restorations" do much more harm than good.
The Remington could be cleaned of active rust with a little 0000 steel wool-but that's ALL that should be done to it. It's an honest old knife that's in good shape. You won't improve on that.
The Queen could be cleaned up quite a bit, but certainly not with a Dremel or a Scotchbrite belt! Nor do you want to remove the marking. There is no metal polish that you can use to remove the scratches. That requires precision sanding and polishing with the proper equipment.
IMO both should be basically left alone. They are both collectible-especially the Remington.
This is coming from someone who does professional restorations.
 
Only thing I would do to that Remington is put a good sharp thin edge bevel on it, and maybe wipe the blade down with a cloth and some oil. It's got a lot of character from the years and a lot of use left in it.

The Queen looks like most of the scratches are on the primary bevel below the flats, and the engraving is on the flats. So if you wanted to use some varying degrees of abrasives or polishing compounds on a flat surface, you could work the blade by hand back and forth across the flat abrasive and avoid the blade flat where the Queen logo is. Considering those scratches you'd probably have to start with a couple of levels of wet-dry sandpaper first before moving onto buffing/polishing compounds. I would avoid power tools unless you are skilled in using them on knives.
 
I would refer to what Bill said a few times before you act. When you begin to remove scratches you quickly learn a valuable lesson. They can be a lot deeper than you thought.
A scotch brite belt will more than likely grab your knife and throw it in any direction it is in the mood for.
I've used many abrasive pastes and I like simichrome. If you decide to use a dremel, have different buffing wheels and sisal wheels and be careful not to let any rotating metal parts touch. Perhaps try on a similar knife with less sentimental value.
 
Bazzle said:
I would refer to what Bill said a few times before you act. When you begin to remove scratches you quickly learn a valuable lesson. They can be a lot deeper than you thought.
Click to expand...
Definitely true. You often can't tell until you finally get to the finish you want, and then you see those ugly lines still there.


A scotch brite belt will more than likely grab your knife and throw it in any direction it is in the mood for.
Click to expand...
Untrue. At least when compared to your typical buffing wheel. The Scotchbrite belt is essentially an abrasive belt. That means it's very hard and wouldn't "grab" your knife unless you're seriously jamming your knife against the belt as hard as you can.

I reground this CRKT Ken Onion Skinner:
IMG_1373_zpsaefuclur.jpg


Tried to leave a satin finish, but as you said, the grind lines from my 36 grit belt were deeper than I thought. Can't get rid of them because any more metal removal will leave me without an edge.

I did not encounter much "grabbing" when doing this.
 
Last edited:
The Queen is hollow ground-so sanding it on a flat surface will only sand the high spots.
And, you certainly don't want either of them looking like Noctis's blade!
 
There's no way you'll ever get them much closer to original condition. In no way would I reduce the markings.
If they were mine, I'd keep them as is, explain to whoever I handed them down to their history, and leave it in their hands.

Otherwise, I wouldn't touch the steel (other than the edge) with more than the finest steel wool or very fine crocus cloth - by hand only.
 
**************************************************
**************************************************
HERE is what you need to do...



**************************************************
Buy: a tube of Flitz metal polish
a bit of steel wool
a brass gun brush (to remove copper foul - is found at most sporting goods stores)
Hoppes weathergaurd oil (in black small bottle)
**************************************************
Use the brass gun brush on the black oxide pits in the blade, brush with medium pressure but barely brush back and forth. Only on pits.
Then use steel wool and buff the pits only the pits.
Then find a block of wood and gorilla or wood glue a strip of leather the same size as the face of the wood block. (tandy leather will work..glue the flat side of the leather, not the rough part. You want the rough part upwards)
Load the wood w/ leather strip with two dime sized drops of flitz and work the flitz in with your finger dip. allow to dry as you apply a half pea sized bead of flitz to your blade and buff it onto your blade with a Q tip or strip of cloth.
Now use the "strop" you made to polish the flats and grinds of your blade. Be careful not to drag the lines of your knife (lines are grind lines) across the strop too much as they will dull a bit.
***********************DO THIS FOR YOUR REMINGTON KNIFE*************
Forget what you have heard so far on this thread****************************
I know what I am talking about.
After you buff all the patina/black oxides from your Remington knife, use three drops of hopes weathergaurd to clean your knife of the polish residue.
This process may take a couple applications but will restore your knife to almost new with a bit of character. I have done this with many knives before.
That queen knife will take some elbow grease. BE CAREFUL NOT TO TOUCH THE QUEEN ETCHING. flitz will buff etching right off the blade, so work around the etching with a Q TIP loaded with flitz.
Also keep in mind that you must use a brass gun brush to buff oxides from inside maker "stamps"like the RH 28 in your Remington. You can buff the flats of the knife stamps with the strop, but only enough to remove the black oxides from the side of the blade. If you buff at the stamp with too mush abrasives/polish, they will "dull". The metal will erode. You will see what I mean by this.
This IS the way to fix up these knives.
The handles are made of either pewter or aluminum, I am guessing aluminum. Flitz works for aluminum as well. Good luck. Feel free to ask any questions if you have ANY.
I will walk you through this process if you would like me to. Let me know, I have done this many times.
-Zemapeli.
 
S7300569_zps0ba7e3b9.jpg
*After regrinding my Cattaraugus 225Q Quartermaster knife*
1008-182825_zpsd1d66c1f.jpg
*Here my knife is in the process of restoration. I have the black oxide pits exfoliated down to the metal of the pits. The knife is unpolished in this picture* Your knife would only have a couple dimples of pitting, but would look much like this. This quartermaster was pitted and laden with patina before I began my restoration. I would not regrind that knife, I think the exposed metal would show its age and character that you have put into it though your years. I would just clean it up.
-Zemapeli
 
Thank you all for your help. I am not sure exactly how I will proceed but whatever I do I will do carefully.
 
Wait a friggin' minute here....
I do this for a living. I'm an authorized repair/restorer for:
Schrade, Press Button, Flylock, Presto
KaBar
Colonial
Mauro Mario
Latama
Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter
Lepre
I have been repairing, making, restoring, embellishing, and designing knives for 45 years.
But- Zemapelli knows how to do it! Wow!

Whatever you do, be careful and don't screw up your knife.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
The Queen is hollow ground-so sanding it on a flat surface will only sand the high spots.
And, you certainly don't want either of them looking like Noctis's blade!
Click to expand...
Damn straight:thumbup:.

I'm still a bit unclear as to what the goal is. If you want it professionally restored, have a professional restore it.

If you're willing to clean it up and don't mind making some mistakes, you can do it yourself. See, being a pragmatic guy, I don't have much appreciation for the idea of just leaving something out to display. I don't care much for leaving blemishes or marks on my knives for character. I would just want to clean something up to where it isn't an eyesore to look at and use it myself.

If you have it in your mind to eventually try something yourself though, I'd recommend purchasing a couple of old and used knives from eBay and try see if you can get those in a presentable state.

Happy New Years btw!:thumbup:
 
Sorry guys, the knives shown look terrible.
I think if it's not your occupation or you don't do it proffecianaly it should be mentioned before sharing thoughts and ideas to help someone.
 
Again, I appreciate all the information. I had thought I could get rid of all the rust spots and scratches and in the case of the Queen Steel possibly regain the mirror finish. After all the discussion I think I will follow Bill DeShivs' advice and sharpen, add a coat of wax, and be done. I am far, far from being a professional and really at the bottom end of the beginner scale so rather than causing damage I will leave well enough alone. If I decide to do a restoration I will send them to a professional.
 
Good choice except for the wax.
I have carbon steel knives and guns with the blue wore off treated with breakfree clp and stored for 15+ years. They still look the same as the day they were mothballed.
I'm sure there's other good oil based preservatives, but I know for sure the above works.
 
jpm2 said:
Good choice except for the wax.
I have carbon steel knives and guns with the blue wore off treated with breakfree clp and stored for 15+ years. They still look the same as the day they were mothballed.
I'm sure there's other good oil based preservatives, but I know for sure the above works.
Click to expand...
What's wrong with wax?

Wax is a good choice if you plan to store without further plans to use them. Oil is good for food use or if you plan to use it again at some point, but doesn't last quite as long because it will eventually evaporate.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top