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Cleaning WW1 era knives
I just bought a friend of mine a WW1 era German bayonet. My friend has a small collection of hunting knives and I want to give him this piece to see his reaction
 The blade is dark brown with surface corrosion. If I decided to try to clean it, how would I do that? Wet and dry sand paper?
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Garage is empty Gone:96 TVR Chimaera, 05' Mazdaspeed MX5/89' Caterham Super Seven/84' Carrera/81' 911 SC targa/74' MGB |
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02-04-2013, 05:06 AM
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Collecting
Start here. I would think carefully before doing any cleaning, certainly any involving sandpaper.
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1989 3.2 Carrera coupe; 1988 Westy Vanagon, Zetec; 1986 E28 M30; 1994 W124; 2004 S211 What? Uh . . . “he” and “him”? |
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02-04-2013, 05:28 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Sandton, South Africa
Posts: 916
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Whatever you do, don't sand it! If it a collectible that will ruin its value.
Other than that I have no useful advice I am afraid...
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'70 911T (AKA Bottomless Pit) - Undergoing restoration '13 Audi A4 1.8T - Surprisingly fun means of getting to work |
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02-04-2013, 05:30 AM
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: N. Phoenix AZ USA
Posts: 28,943
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Agree with the above. Give it to him "as-is" and let him decide what he wants to do with it.
Many times people take sand-paper or steel wool to something trying to clean it and it takes the value in the dumps in the process. Patina from something this old comes only with age and can be destroyed in a heartbeat...
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2013 Jag XF, 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins (the workhorse), 1992 Jaguar XJ S-3 V-12 VDP (one of only 100 examples made), 1969 Jaguar XJ (been in the family since new), 1985 911 Targa backdated to 1973 RS specs with a 3.6 shoehorned in the back, 1959 Austin Healey Sprite (former SCCA H-Prod), 1995 BMW R1100RSL, 1971 & '72 BMW R75/5 "Toaster," Ural Tourist w/sidecar, 1949 Aeronca Sedan / QB |
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02-04-2013, 06:19 AM
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Evolved
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,338
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Patina on copper (or similar metals) is one thing.
Rust on steel (or similar metals) is another. If it was MINE and I was going to keep it; I would wet the surface with a lightweight oil and lightly...lightly (did I stress lightly?) rub the oil into the surface rust with '0000' steel wool. Multiple times, until I was satisfied that the rust was mostly gone. Rust that is just surface now - will become embedded/pitted later. If giving it as a gift - just wet it with oil and forget the steel wool. Let him decide.
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Don't fear the reaper. |
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02-04-2013, 01:43 PM
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1984 Porsche 911 3.2
1989 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2
