# Old knife with rust —- HELP



## Texasstate (Oct 12, 2020)

Looking for some advice 

Have this older knife that has a lot of rust pitting. My question is to clean it up do I need to get all the pitting out?

some of it on the handle is pretty deep and will take me forever to hand sand it like I have been doing

any advice is great


----------



## Wildthings (Oct 12, 2020)

Personally I wouldn't go any farther on the handle area. It's going to be incased in epoxy and scales. Now for the blade area just take it as far as you want for the look you are after. Clean look? Start with some aggressive grit and enjoy

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


----------



## Texasstate (Oct 12, 2020)

I kind of like the rustic look but I’m not too sure what people will think so I’ll prolly start sanding see y’all next week

Reactions: Funny 3


----------



## Echoashtoreth (Oct 19, 2020)

You can always etch the blade to mask some of the damage and add a but of rust protection.... then a 'stonewash' look would be cool...

Reactions: Agree 2 | Informative 1


----------



## Texasstate (Oct 19, 2020)

Stone wash ???? Interested can you explain 

also how do you etch the blade ??


----------



## Wildthings (Oct 19, 2020)

Texasstate said:


> Stone wash ???? Interested can you explain
> 
> also how do you etch the blade ??


Etching is done with Ferric Chloride or with a salt water solution & electricity. Depending on the look you are after. I've done the stone wash look by etching with FC and then tumbling the blade in a tumbler with media. Lots of Youtubes on the subject. Stonewashing


----------



## Echoashtoreth (Oct 19, 2020)

Once i thought on it that blade looks like it might take a pretty large tumbler - maybe more of an investment than he wants....


----------



## Wildthings (Oct 19, 2020)

Echoashtoreth said:


> Once i thought on it that blade looks like it might take a pretty large tumbler - maybe more of an investment than he wants....


Lots of ways to tumble it. I started off finding a sturdy container, added rocks, a little water, the blade and rolled it up and down the driveway. That got real old real fast for this fat boy. Saw a guy on YouTube, Red Beard Ops, use his belt grinder so I stole that idea. Little wooden base with a couple dowels, that the container laid on, on it's side. Then push it up against the belt and spun the container that way! Yeah baby. Ended up buying a tumbler from HF

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## Echoashtoreth (Oct 20, 2020)

Lol - yeah i have z small HF rock tumbler.. but that looks a good 10" or more?


----------



## Foot Patrol (Oct 20, 2020)

I use a round igloo cooler used for liquids (ice tea) as my container. I placed small stones in the bottom of the container and spray the stones with a little WD-40. The knife is then placed into ferric chloride etch for about 10 minutes to soak. I then spray more WD-40 onto the blade and place inside the container and screw the cap on. I then wrap electrical tape on the container at the cap/container interface to make sure the FC does not leak out while tumbling (you will understand why in a few seconds). I then wrap an old large towel around the container and tie down tightly.

Once this is done, I place the towel wrapped container into the washing machine and tumble for 5 to 10 minutes. Then remove the knife, spray down with original windex, wash it off with dish detergent, dry and then soak in Mobil 1 oil overnight to let the oxides rest. This will cut down on any brown rust from occurring.

Hope this helps. Sounds complicated but really doesn't take long once you have the system set up.

Reactions: Informative 1


----------



## Mr. Peet (Oct 20, 2020)

Not sure what wd30 is....I'd vote for acid bath and classic gun bluing. Then the pits look original. As long as the rust is contained (neutralized) and the blade holds an edge, the tool is worth keeping.


----------



## Echoashtoreth (Oct 20, 2020)

And why do u tumble in FCl? (Seems like extra mess factor) The standard is to etch, clean then tumble and the media weathers the surface for the stonewash finish.... my attempts have looked like factory so guessed i picked the correct method....


----------



## Mike Hill (Oct 26, 2020)

Why would a mortar mixer not work filled with gravel?


----------



## Foot Patrol (Oct 26, 2020)

Mr. Peet said:


> Not sure what wd30 is



Meant WD-40



Echoashtoreth said:


> And why do u tumble in FCl? (Seems like extra mess factor)



The stonewash method I listed above is not the only method to use but it is the method I was taught years ago. Like you I get great results. I assume that by not cleaning the FCI off the blade, the FCl will continue to etch while tumbling. Cleaning the knife off after tumbling only takes a few minutes. 

I will try your method the next time I stone wash and will let you know which stone wash finish I like.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Mike Hill (Oct 26, 2020)

Foot Patrol said:


> Meant WD-40



Since the formula for WD40 was the 40th try, I bet there was a WD30!

Reactions: Agree 2 | Funny 1


----------



## Mr. Peet (Oct 26, 2020)

Mike Hill said:


> Since the formula for WD40 was the 40th try, I bet there was a WD30!



Yes there was, I was just joshing with Scott, but think the sarcasm was lost in the typing.

Reactions: Like 1


----------

