advice on cleaning

[camillus]

Hi, as I look through ebay for my next knife I see some nice ones that need cleaning. How do I clean and restore if need a leather handle. I read some where that oil is bad for leather. Also what is good for blades besides kerosine and and I can't find naval jelly. Thanks Mike

[sactroop]

Back away from the naval jelly. I'd rather have what little is left of an original finish than expose the metal to something that will permanently change it. My best advice is to be patient and wait for the exact item your looking for.

Trying to "restore" an old item usually leads to devaluation.

Removing a little light corrosion from an otherwise good item can be done well with a little mineral spirits and a course cloth. Apply some elbow grease where needed. I don't use anything more aggressive than #0000 steel wool or a 100% brass bristle brush.

 

Others here I'm sure will chime in with some more good advice.

[DRE66]

It depends on what you want the knife for, collecting with all its wear, grease, grime in place or simply for using. I prefer to collect perfect samples that have not seen use. If I pick up a "used" piece I may choose to clean it up and not worry about the perceived value.

 

For instance any Vietnam SOG knife from that period should stay in its original condition because it will always be a collectors piece. A common Camillus Mark 2, not so much.

[Reeder3]

Most I do to a blade is use a soft toothbrush and oil. There are some leather cleaners/conditioners out there that are ok. Soapy water and soft toothbrush will work as well. I only do this to knives I'm sure I want for myself as a lot of collectors don't like the blades having been messed with.

[bayonetman]

All of us from time to time get a specimen that could stand some work. Personally I only pick up something that needs some TLC if it is pretty rare and hard to find, or so cheap that I can't pass it by, or comes from a vet or family so that it has some history.

 

Leather. Do not soak it with anything. Never use neatsfoot oil on old leather. I use Pecards Antique Leather Conditioner (I am certain there are other good ones out there, but I have stuck with what works for me) and I use it sparingly. I put some on a soft rag and wipe the leather, let it sit for a week or two, and give it another light coat. More to preserve than to soften. Practically anything you use will darken the leather somewhat although it may lighten up a little after a year or so.

 

Metal. NO NAVAL JELLY!! That will remove or damage any original finish, or if it is a bright blade, will almost always cause some damage. It is an acid and will eat into the metal. If there is some heavier rust buildup, I soak it in a good oil (I use G96 spray gun oil or Kroil - again, there are other good ones out there). I oil it down good and then wrap the metal with lightweight plastic (I use grocery bags) to hold the oil against the rust and let it soak in real good. DO NOT GET THE OIL ON LEATHER!! Then I gently scrape the rust buildup with a slightly sharpened piece of thin plastic (I use expired credit or debit cards) to remove as much as I can. The other metal surfaces I cover with the oil for a few minutes then use a nylon toothbrush to gently scrub it. If it is a bright surface that needs to be lightly polished, try toothpaste and a toothbrush, or wipe it on and rub it with a paper towel. (By the way, toothpaste does a decent job of cleaning plastic headlight covers that have gone foggy). After I clean as much as I think necessary, I wipe the metal (NOT THE LEATHER) with RIG (Rust Inhibiting Grease) on a soft cloth. I rub some RIG into the cloth and keep it in a zip lock baggie for future use. I inspect all my pieces at least twice a year and if I have handled one I usually give it a quick rub with the RIG rag before putting it away.

 

Many of my blades are displayed on the wall on pegboard. The others are in cabinets with shallow drawers with oil resistant liners such as is used in tool drawers. The room is kept at about 70-75 degrees F. and a humidity in the 50-60 range. Too low humidity will dry out leather. The room (a spare bedroom) is locked and alarmed for security, I do worry about fire somewhat but I live next door to the fire station and I take reasonable care and precautions so it is not a major concern. There are two CO2 fire extinguishers, one in the room and another just outside. It is of course insured.

[TALLYHO]

I primarily use Simichrome to clean the blades and ditto on the Pecards for the leather.

[camillus]

thanks for all your advice, now I know what mistakes to make. I never thought of simichrome, I have only used it for fine lighting. Mike