Thread: Knife restoration

I found a knife hidden away in a box of tools I inherited recently from a clean out my grandfather had. Upon further inspection (it was quite rusty, forgot to get proper before photos, oops) it looked handmade, so I sent the old man a message asking about it. After some digging, turns out it was made by my great grandfather when he wanted a knife to use on the farm but didn’t want to pay for one (a trait I got), so in his memory, I’m going to fully restore it, antler, brass and rimu handle, and a leather sheath I’ll get my grandad to teach me how to make. Looking forward to the project and will post updated pictures on this thread as they happen.


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That looks very useful just as it is.look forward to seeing how you get on.

Todays goal was to get the rust off with a vinegar bath, scrubbed all the rust off with a wire brush, then neutralised the blade again with baking soda and water paste





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Starting to look good

Thanks mate! Just having a think of how to do the handle now, and get the polishing done


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A sympathetic restoration or a modern make-over?

Remember - its only original till you change something , then it ceases to be Grandads original knife.....

Originally Posted by Fee Knicks

A sympathetic restoration or a modern make-over?

Remember - its only original till you change something , then it ceases to be Grandads original knife.....

Modern makeover. His nice one is in a box somewhere, he made this one quickly for the garden


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Got it on the bench grinder today to get the worst of the pitting out, now for a polish when I get back home.



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Bench grinder!!!!! Man the plastic swirly disc for rust removal that goes on angle grinder is your best friend,anyone who hasn't got one should buy one asap. Will sand wood nicely too. Awesome for derusting metal,gives it polished look too.

Originally Posted by Kiwimaverick

Got it on the bench grinder today to get the worst of the pitting out, now for a polish when I get back home.



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Ouch, that's going to take some polishing.....

oooohhhh bench grinder -- sorry mate but all it needed was a rotary wire brush - let older knives like that show some age rather than grind it out - to me one has created a lot of work to finish the knife - hours of hand sanding on an oil stone or time on linishing belts are now needed to get rid of the mess left by the bench grinder -all in my humble opinion was needed was rotary wire brush and sharpen on a stone or linishing belts or commercial wet stone - why does it have to look like some modern stainless dead smooth blade - its an old knive let it show some wear - I restore firearms - I dont try to make them look new just well looked after - let them show some patina

I hope Grandad was cremated cos he will be turning in his grave now .....

Your sympathetic restoration has done major damage to that blade - but its your knife now so have at it .....