All About Pocket Knives

Hey!

What's The best way to clean rust off a blade ? How can I tell what material my handle is, and the best way to clean it ? Can I oil the body so the knives come out easier ? WD40? Thanks !

Thrift Daddy

ThriftDaddy wrote:Hey!

What's The best way to clean rust off a blade ?
The most gentle method is scrub it with a lead pencil, followed by Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish on an old t-shirt. That's the way I do it. Others use their own methods.

How can I tell what material my handle is, and the best way to clean it ?
The three black ones are synthetic from the '40s & '50s & maybe into the '60s. The two tan colored ones are bone. Clean 'em with Mothers or mineral oil.

Can I oil the body so the knives come out easier ?
Oil the joints, preferable with Quick Release. If you don't have it or can't find it, just use any household oil (3-In-One or equivalent). You don't need to oil the synthetic handles. Some mineral oil on the bone will be fine.

WD40? Thanks !
Leave the WD40 for what it's made for, chasing and displacing moisture. Period.

Thrift Daddy

Welcome to AAPK.

Welcome to AAPK. Those questions get asked a lot here and we usually tell people to clean old knives as little as possible and still have them so you are happy with the way they look. Sandpaper has ruined more knives than grinders and power sharpeners have. A number two pencil lead does wonders for most knives and maybe some metal polish. Many collectors don't like the natural patina removed, but some of us like them cleaned a little more than that. A drop of oil where the spring touches the blade is about all the knife needs to open and close properly. Metal polish will clean most handle materials also and there are products on the market that help dried old stag. I like Wenol that I buy on line for the blades and handles. Remember, don't over clean any knife or you will make it worth far less. ____Dave

Welcome to AAPK

How much cleaning do you want to do, Just make them usable, Clean up for Resale or a Total Restoration ??

Super Eraser works Great for lite cleaning and doesn't damage like sandpaper

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-SUPER-ERASE ... 0507.m3226

Welcome to AAPK! Jerry has you off to a good start. Here's some additional tips on cleaning from older threads.
viewtopic.php?f=38&t=47909
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=48441&p=503846&hili ... ng#p503846
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=50318&p=535217&hil ... ng#p535217

Ken

Thanks everyone ! Any idea how old the Bone Utility Her Majestry knife is?

I'm restoring these for resale, and to keep one. I like them clean, but I can see how you could do more damage than good.

If you plan to sell the 6 blade Rogers, do it very carefully and as little as possible or you will lose the serious collectors that you want bidding. That's a good knife. That would be my choice for a keeper from what you have showed us. ___Dave

Never use a Rust Eraser on a good knife!
They are too abrasive, and they get that abrasive into the pivot area.
While they are a good tool in a professional's hands, they can do a lot of damage to a collectible knife.
0000 steel wool will not hurt the blade steel, and will remove rust while still leaving any factory polish.

Thanks! Yeah, no rust eater, no sandpaper. Just pencil and Brazzo Metal Polish. Hopefully it not worse because of the cleaning I did...what's a ballpark figure I should try to get for it, or is that impossible to answer?