UBB.threads Forums General Interest Restoration, Conservation, and Maintenance Forum Blade Restoration

hey guys, i have several blades that have some stains. i have used flitz with good results but would like to know what else can be done. Also have an early anton wingen blade that has a very fine tip but its kinda bent up. any ideas?

As to the staining, you might try very fine grit sandpaper, such as 1500 or 2000 grit. You can get the wet sanding type, which will minimize the abrading when used wet. You can also use it dry. If the stains are more than that and are, in fact, etching into the metal, you will have to use a stronger sandpaper or emery to smooth the metal. This, of course, will tend to remove the crossgraining and may produce "waviness" to the blade. You can also damage trademarks, mottos, etc. Sometimes, it's best to leave well enough alone. As to the tip, if it is a simple "one way" bend, you can clamp the tip in a vise and slowly and carefully move it back and forth until it is straight. This should not be done in a cold environment and requires a gentle touch and patience. If it is a "compound" bend, it will probably need to be heated and straightened by someone who knows what's he's doing, such as a metal worker or blacksmith. Even then, there's a chance the tip will snap off or remain distorted. Minor distortion may be worked out with a file and the area then smoothed with sandpaper or emery. Whatever you do, go slowly and carefully. You can always remove more, but adding back is another story, if not a nightmare.

I recommend using stones instead of sandpaper. You can get them in grits from 60 to 2000 and they avoid the "waviness". Since the blades were originally polished with stones you can match the finish. Skipping some grits will show different coarseness of crossgraining when you finish polishing The down side is that a good set of stones will run several hundred dollars. To fix the point, I would suggest heating it to remove the temper. Otherwise, you stand a good chance of snapping it off.

well thanks for the info. i may just let them be!

I think Vern makes an excellent observation as regards trying to straighten the points. Some of the steels they used don’t tolerate bending very well and can snap like a dried twig. And even with better quality steels bending it back and forth can cause “work hardening” - meaning that the steel acquires a predisposition to fracture because of added internal stresses. The significance here being, that as Vern suggests, trying to bend it back without first having it annealed very likely could be a recipe for a disaster.

The wife of a collector friend had a story to tell which caused him a fair amount of grief. She was doing something else that night, while he was working on a blade in the family room to try and straighten out a slight bend. She heard a noise - and turned around to see what she described as the sickest look she had ever seen on his face. As he held the blade minus its tip in his hand. Even worse it was a rare example. Which he tried to have fixed, but it was never the same and he eventually got rid of it. FP

I can tell you I have straightened several lw/army and navy dagger tips without heat and without disaster. I think that's more than luck. However, there is always risk when you you start bending and, as stated, you must be patient. As to paper vs. stone, there is merit in what Vern says about "rippling" or "dishing" the metal by abrading a small section only with paper. The lighter grits noted are for lightly cleaning and polishing only, not for removing corrosion that has penetrated the metal surface to a certain degree. The same effect achieved by stones can be done with paper wrapped around a wood block or something similar. As Vern notes, the stones are expensive and are probably worth purchasing if you plan to do extensive work on blades over time. If you have a single project or a project that comes along once in a great while, paper is more economical.

I have found the Army style blades easier to straighten than the political type. I've worked on some SA and SS blades that were hard as glass. A little heat on the tip from a propane torch doesn't hurt the blade and may prevent you from hearing that sickening "snap"

Thank you all for some great methods of blade restoration. Taking into consideration it depends on the thickness and weak point shapes of the tip.
After printing out and saving all of these methods maybe I won't breat off any more tips.
Plus a nicer blade overall.

i will try to get a pic of the tip in question...the blade it very clean...just a messed up tip. it looks like a person already tried their hand at fixing it...but the luft 2nd pattern dagger was so cheap, i could not pass it up.