What would you do to this old one?

T

TX Archer

Joined
Oct 22, 2010
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51
I am friends with an elderly widow. While I was visiting last week, she showed me her late husband's old Schrade and asked if I could clean it up and sharpen it. I'm not that familiar with older knives so I've been scanning this section and have read a lot of recommendations about leaving collectibles. It looks like this one has seen more than its share of use. Think he spent some time sharpening it? Could it even take a usable edge after so much material has already been removed?

What would you experts recommend that I do to it and tell her? Its value to her is purely sentimental. If she wanted a knife simply to cut things with, I'd get her one. Thanks for your advice!

HPIM1105-1.jpg
 
I would clean it up in soapy water, dry it thoroughly, oil it, and leave it alone. But that's just me.
 
Well, it's her knife. Since there is no real monetary value to someone other than to her, I would oblige her if she wants to clean it up, but I wouldn't remove any of the patina. You could easily put a fine edge back on it. Personally I don't like to clean up old knives...whether or not they are valuable. You could simply suggest removing any rust, giving it a nice coat of oil and sharpening it up a bit.
 
I have no idea, of course, but I'd imagine it being "clean" is more important than sharp, though it could certainly get razor sharp. I agree, I'd clean it for her since she wants it clean. Gently. Hot soap and water is good. Soaking it in Mineral oil will help.

Is someone asked me to do this, I would soak in WD40 for a few hours. Wash it and dry it well. Soak it in mineral oil. Dry it well. Give her a nice looking knife and ask her if she wants it sharpened.
 
Thanks, guys. That's pretty much what I thought. This thing has some character and I imagine it could tell a few stories.
 
Looks like it was used a lot and kept sharp with a standard carborundum stone like my dad and my father in law used. Comoha, doesn't look like it got the grinder treatment to me, though that is possible.

TX, I'd soak it down with some break free then clean the crusty red rust off of it and put a nice edge on it. Doesn't look any harder to sharpen than some of those modern folders. If the springs are good and haven't lost tension on the blade and the blade is not sloppy loose in the bolster, it should still have some useful life left or it could be retired for sentimental reasons.

It is certainly well used, but I don't see evidence of willful abuse by looking at the photos you posted. A little TLC will do it some good.

Ed
 
I would ask her what she wants done. Anything you do won't hurt the dollar value, it has little value to anyone other than her. You could shape up the blades a little. Hit it with some 400 wet or dry. Polish up the scales - sharpen it up, make her happy.
Tom Hudson
 
Like the others have said. Wipe it down with mineral oil or Break-free or Ballistol, won't hurt to soak it either. Then either with a mood matchstick or some really fine steel wool gently rub at the rusty spots. Don't get too happy with the steel wool. Unless she wants it scary sharp I'd only put on enough of an edge to easily open envelopes.
 
Very nice knife! Seems to be a Trapper. There´s a lot of steel-loss on the first blade.

I would ask the old lady what she wanted to have been done with the knife. Cleaned or even removed the patina?! She should have to know what she wanted.

Kind regards....
 
That's pretty cool, thanks for sharing the pics of that old thing. Looking forward to seeing what you end up doing to it, before/after style.
 
As it's not valuable(in money terms) a cleaning up/brightening might please the owner. Bit of metal polish on those bolsters, some lemon oil or beeswax on the bone. Light rub down with wire wool or Scotchbrite on the blades maybe.

Sharpening could be tricky, that edge is almost waved.....still, it shows use and action. I actually wonder if the more modern gadgets we have for sharpening these days will prove superior to older methods? (Heresy..) They are undoubtedly more precise and accurate taking much less metal away and evenly. Not all modern stuff is bad!
 
Thanks a lot, fellas. I started by digging inside it with a wooden toothpick, pulling out what I can only assume was petrified pocket lint. Lots of it. Then I gave it a nice, gentle bath in hot soapy water, trying to flush out anything else that might be hanging around in there. Blasted it good and long with compressed air then a hair dryer.

I followed all that with dousing all the steel with Break Free CLP, worked it into the joints, and let it sit until I got home from work today. Then I gave it a gentle working over with matchsticks. Blew everything out of the joints with compressed air again, and wiped the remaining crud off with a soft cloth. Gave it a decent edge and left it with a nice light coat of clp.

I think she'll see a difference but it's far from shiny and polished. We'll see her reaction and I'll polish it up if she has her heart set on it but I don't think that'll be the case. I plan to take one of my trappers with me to show her how those blades were originally shaped.

I appreciate the interest and advice.
 
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