restoring an old knife

[Chris]

If you consider that good shape... well... yes I can see how you'd think mine would be.

I could see this being a fun hobby. Though, my wife tells me I have too many hobbies (and she is right, I have a very ambitious and curious mind). You can get these old well made cleavers for cheap, sand them, and put cool handles on them. Then gift them or sell them. Pay $20-$30 for materials all in, sell them for $200+ on Etsy.com or something, if you got a tent at some art festival you could probably even get as much as $300 or $400 in the right city. The fact that you're recycling the knife blades would also attract the green crowd into paying a premium. This is what my brain does all day long, spits out business ideas.

[crashdive123]

Admittedly, I look at rusted steel a little different than many. To me, rust adds character. Some of the materials I use are in the first pic. The knife in the second pic was made from the circular saw blade in the lower left of the first pic.

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[Chris]

That is really pretty. I think the pitting can add character, but I'm not a fan of rust.

I do some leather crafting, I've seen someone with leather put it over the side of a big granite boulder and hammer it with a mallet, it puts random organic dimples into the leather not unlike the pits on that knife. It gives it a lot of character.

I think as a business, or for resale, doing cleavers specifically would be the best thing. Not everyone hunts or collects knives, or otherwise would appreciate a knife like that. But every kitchen needs a cleaver, and, moreso, almost no kitchen knife sets come with one.


My knife has the word NATO stamped into the wood of the grip. No, my grandfather was never in the armed forces, Google did not return any results indicating what it could be from.

[your_comforting_company]

I'm no knife maker, or even really a knife entheusiast, and I think your cleaver is in GREAT shape. If it were mine, I'd just sand the handles and refinish them with a nice stain and lacquer and enjoy the knife as it is.

It looks to me, as if someone handled it and then put it up with fingerprints on it. The acids in your fingers will act much like a tannin dye-bath and "black" some spots. I think it adds character, and I wouldn't change a thing, save to get the finish back on the handles. I think it's a very nice piece to keep and use, just like it is.

[Chris]

IF I am going to use it for food prep I want to make sure the blade is as free from damage as possible, so as to not provide little crevices where bacteria could grow.

[Pocomoonskyeyes3]

I also agree with the others Chris. As for the safety factor I would just finish the handles and use some Polyurethane to seal it As your main concern is with bacteria. Besides, if you decide to pass it on to future generations, keeping it as intact as possible only increases it's value, $ wise and sentimental wise. I'd just seal it, sharpen it, and use it.

[Winter]

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Your killing me here.

[aflineman]

As said before, I would just use some steel wool on the blade and leave the handles like they are.

[klkak]

Chris, just leave it the way it is and use it.

[panch0]

I agree, just clean up the handles.

[shiftyer1]

I've always been told that the black spots are a good thing and protect carbon blades from red rust. I agree with the others, just refinish the handle, the blade looks great already. I'd hate to have ya sand it all down and then you can't keep it from rusting
I just realized out of all the knives I own which is quite alot, I don't own a cleaver. HMMM time to start hitting flea markets and garage sales!

[crashdive123]

Too late everybody. He said he's already started sanding. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

[Brazito]

If it were mine I'd clean it up, make it look as good as possible. Since it's not for sale for sentimental reasons make it look the way you want. I have a knife equivalent to a filet knife that belonged to my grandmother that I'm trying to buff out the grinder marks from somebody that didn't know what they were doing. It may be older than dirt but can still look good if you want it to. Here's a link for buffing stuff:http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/buffman.htm . I buff/clean-up all my old stuff 'cause that's how I want it. It's still priceless to me and that's all that matters.

[gina]

My mom has 3 butcher cleavers given to her by my grandfather that she wants to display. She asked my husband to clean them up for her but he doesn't want to sand the handles in case they are worth something. My father is a butchPICT1186.jpger and had the blades sharpened. Does anyone know how to clean up the handles without sacrificing the integrity of the piece?

[canid]

If the piece is rare or collectible, any restoration short of preventing further damage may complicate the valuation. generally speaking though; any restoration which does not itself do damage, or introduce non-original material will not hurt. e.g. proper fine sanding, refinishing the wood with the original or period correct sealer (shellac, etc.) and polishing is not likely to hurt. when in doubt; leave it alone.

[crashdive123]

My mom has 3 butcher cleavers given to her by my grandfather that she wants to display. She asked my husband to clean them up for her but he doesn't want to sand the handles in case they are worth something. My father is a butchPICT1186.jpger and had the blades sharpened. Does anyone know how to clean up the handles without sacrificing the integrity of the piece?

As has been said before - if there is a historical significance then I wouldn't do anything. Since the blade has already been sanded it probably no longer matters though. Hand sand with 400 grit and higher sand paper. It will take a while, but it's best not to be too aggressive when you're trying to restore a piece.

[Winter]

I'd clean those cleavers like I would any kitchen knife. That is their history and where the aging came from. Scrubber and soap, whatever comes off has done so repeatedly over the yrs.

[hunter63]

I guess I missed this thread here a while back, but one thing that i find interesting is the different ways everyone has of defining what looks good....LOL.

As a "buck-skinner",mountain man reenactor my tastes go more to the old, used and experienced blades and axes, to the point that I have used onion juice to add the patina to a fresh shinny blade so it looks good around camp....nothing says 'flat-lander" than a shiny blade.

That being said, I do like the beautiful work y'all do on your custom blades.....patina needs to come with use, or earned,.... as it were....and really like the blades made from "distressed steel'....Keep up the wonderful work.

[Skinner]

Your killing me here.

Every time He Posts these Pics I Say the Same thing .

[Skinner]

On the Cleaver Chris Just Sand and Steel Wool the Steel . And Use Danish Oil Or Teak Oil to Seal the Wood and Rub in a Few Coats Of Food Grae Minerial Oil .