Atayal Knife

[JeffS]

Hello - here is a 5 day update and request for advice. I've been doing vinegar soak followed by brass brush and Rhodes Grade 00 steel wool about 3 to 4 times a day. It has been in and out of white vinegar continuously this entire period. Definitely an exercise in diminishing returns, a few very stubborn rust spots as seen on the photos remain. Overall the surface is covered in pits, I wouldn't classify them as particularly deep but very widespread. If I continue on this path I will end up with the stubborn rust spots removed but the overall blade quite rough from pitting. Again I'm inclined to move to sanding, starting at maybe 320 to subdue the pitting and moving up incrementally to 1500 grit for polish.

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by JeffS

Hello - here is a 5 day update and request for advice. I've been doing vinegar soak followed by brass brush and Rhodes Grade 00 steel wool about 3 to 4 times a day. It has been in and out of white vinegar continuously this entire period. Definitely an exercise in diminishing returns, a few very stubborn rust spots as seen on the photos remain. Overall the surface is covered in pits, I wouldn't classify them as particularly deep but very widespread. If I continue on this path I will end up with the stubborn rust spots removed but the overall blade quite rough from pitting. Again I'm inclined to move to sanding, starting at maybe 320 to subdue the pitting and moving up incrementally to 1500 grit for polish.

Hi Jeffs,
Keep going with the vinegar soaking.....it will shift the rust, but GIVE IT TIME. If you have a piece of rigid brass (sheet or bar), you could use that to loosen the caked rust. Use it like a wood chisel. Brass is softer than steel so will not scratch it.
It looks to me as if there is still rust in those minor pits also.
Stu

[JeffS]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

Hi Jeffs,
Keep going with the vinegar soaking.....it will shift the rust, but GIVE IT TIME. If you have a piece of rigid brass (sheet or bar), you could use that to loosen the caked rust. Use it like a wood chisel. Brass is softer than steel so will not scratch it.
It looks to me as if there is still rust in those minor pits also.
Stu

Ok, back at it. Rigid brass sounds like a good idea. I'll see what I can dig up.

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by JeffS

Ok, back at it. Rigid brass sounds like a good idea. I'll see what I can dig up.

Hi Jeffs,
I should have said that if you have a spent brass cartridge case somewhere around 303 cal, squash the open end and use that. Handy tool which I use often in this situation.
Stu

[JeffS]

Here we are now. The bumped contrast makes the pits seem darker than they are to the eye. Except for a couple small spots I believe the rust is completely gone now, perhaps one or two more soaking rounds. Note the blade on the open scabbard side has much more extensive pitting, you can see the outline of the staples. The question is, what next?

Also, please see the scabbard photos. What options are there for repairing the cracks? I've been feeding the wood oil for several days but the long thin crack at the foot of the scabbard is not closing. The crack series along the staples have wider gaps but seem more stable.

[kahnjar1]

Hi Jeffs,
Good job IMHO. I think you have now reached the stage where you need to decide how far you want to go. Bear in mind that the knife has age so unless you want something which looks "shiney new" I personally would not go any further with the blade (just my opinion) Some like to "restore" to the extent that all of the age patina is gone.
Regarding the scabbard, I would stabilise that long crack with a suitable wood glue, other wise there could be a risk of total breakage. The small cracks along the edge are probably age cracks, so I would leave as is.
Note the above is my opinion and no doubt others will have different suggestions.
Stu

[JeffS]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

Hi Jeffs,
Good job IMHO. I think you have now reached the stage where you need to decide how far you want to go. Bear in mind that the knife has age so unless you want something which looks "shiney new" I personally would not go any further with the blade (just my opinion) Some like to "restore" to the extent that all of the age patina is gone.
Regarding the scabbard, I would stabilise that long crack with a suitable wood glue, other wise there could be a risk of total breakage. The small cracks along the edge are probably age cracks, so I would leave as is.
Note the above is my opinion and no doubt others will have different suggestions.
Stu

Sounds like sound advice. Now that it is stabilized I will give it some time before deciding on taking it further. I can see how impatience could lead to something irreversible. Speaking of which, could you recommend a procedure for using the wood glue on the long crack?