Found a rusty knife

[TintedSnow]

So I’m new to restoring thing. Found a rusty knife today and winks love to get it cleaned up. Is electrolysis my only real option?

 

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[Terry Soloman]

Soak it in Apple Cider Vinegar for 48-hours and turn it twice.

 

[TintedSnow]

Soak it in Apple Cider Vinegar for 48-hours and turn it twice.

Really? That’s a thing?

 

[TintedSnow]

Soak it in Apple Cider Vinegar for 48-hours and turn it twice.

I’m seeing more just regular vinegar with salt. Is there a reason for apple vinegar?

 

[villagenut]

ACV is a simpler way of cleaning old iron....while I use that method on some iron artifacts, I prefer electrolysis. On your knife, ACV should clean it up enough, seeing it is not in a concretion of rust. Post a pic of the after cleaning.

 

[TintedSnow]

ACV is a simpler way of cleaning old iron....while I use that method on some iron artifacts, I prefer electrolysis. On your knife, ACV should clean it up enough, seeing it is not in a concretion of rust. Post a pic of the after cleaning.

I rushed out and got some ACV right away. It’s soaking now. Will update with pics. Will it do anything to the wood?

 

[villagenut]

Don't know about the wood but you may change the ACV out with fresh after several days....the solution will get rank as it works.

 

[TintedSnow]

Updated photos after about 48 hours in the slop.

 

[russian_bot]

That black crust will come right off. You can polish the blade with a pumice wheel on a Dremel or lots of grades of sandpaper. The handle is stacked leather. You can order a kit of leather discs and spacers from K-Bar to restore the handle. It looks intimidating but it's not that hard. If you want the handle black use black leather dye and top it off with black shoe polish or beeswax.

EDIT: The Ka-Bar leather handle kit is only $7.00

 

[A2coins]

Cool find should be easy to clean

 

[gunsil]

That black crust will come right off. You can polish the blade with a pumice wheel on a Dremel or lots of grades of sandpaper. The handle is stacked leather. You can order a kit of leather discs and spacers from K-Bar to restore the handle. It looks intimidating but it's not that hard. If you want the handle black use black leather dye and top it off with black shoe polish or beeswax.

EDIT: The Ka-Bar leather handle kit is only $7.00

The knife in question appears to be a Western. Westerns have aluminum pommels double pinned on to a split tang. KA-BAR leather rings which are made for a center rat tail tang will not work on a Western. It is also almost impossible to get a Western pommel off when corroded. Also the KA-BAR kit spacers are for a MK2 knife and are much thicker in diameter than the handle of the Western in question.

 

[TintedSnow]

Is there any way to date a knife like this?

 

[gunsil]

I would say no older than 1960s-1980s.