how to care for knives

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RICHARD BYARS

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Sep 26, 2016
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I have an old case knife with brass bolsters that are discolored. It is a hammer head. I have read somewhere there is something to clean it with and a type of wax/greese to put on it to store. Anyone have reconditions?
Thank you
 
I know Barkeepers Friend helps remove most staining. I also make sure that any oil I put on the blade doesn’t touch any other material than the blade. I’m not an expert, but it works for me
 
If it’s green verdigris then you have to remove it, Usually that happens from being stored in a leather sheath.

If it is just turning brownish instead of bright and shiny. You can leave it. It isn’t causing damage.
 
Nevr-Dull, Brasso, Flitz, Simichrome, Mother's Mag Polish, etc., will all work easily for shining up brass. Pretty much any metal polish will work. Brass is about as easy to clean and polish as anything you'll ever see.

You can also clean it and leave a satin finish on brass using a green Scotch-Brite abrasive scrubbing pad, of the type found in the kitchen cleaning section at the grocery store. I've liked that for hiding fingerprints & small scratches that would otherwise stand out on a high-polish finish. Also works well with nickel & stainless bolsters as well. I've used it on all three materials.
 
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Your bolsters are probably nickel silver, rather than brass.
A good polish like Simichrome will remove tarnish easily. Make sure you get all of the polish out of the cracks and crevices.
Neutral paste shoe polish, car wax or paste wax is a good preservative.
Just a light coat of oil will work very well.
 
The knife mentioned by the OP is a Case Hammerhead pattern - a brass-framed & bolstered lockback along the lines of Buck's 110 folder. Most of Case's line are nickel silver-bolstered, but the Hammerhead and another similar pattern, the Mako, are the exceptions.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
The knife mentioned by the OP is a Case Hammerhead pattern - a brass-framed & bolstered lockback along the lines of Buck's 110 folder. Most of Case's line are nickel silver-bolstered, but the Hammerhead and another similar pattern, the Mako, are the exceptions.
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Yeah- I forgot about those.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
Nevr-Dull, Brasso, Flitz, Simichrome, Mother's Mag Polish, etc., will all work easily for shining up brass. Pretty much any metal polish will work. Brass is about as easy to clean and polish as anything you'll ever see.

You can also clean it and leave a satin finish on brass using a green Scotch-Brite abrasive scrubbing pad, of the type found in the kitchen cleaning section at the grocery store. I've liked that for hiding fingerprints & small scratches that would otherwise stand out on a high-polish finish. Also works well with nickel & stainless bolsters as well. I've used it on all three materials.
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Hey my friend, I just read your post, and it is helpful. I have a few knives that have the SS bolsters that have the machine look to them from side to side, basically on my Tony Bose Wharnie trapper, and a custom. For some reason over time, they have seemed to have light superficial scratching from the top to th middle of the bolstering. Really noticeable at the edges up top. It adds to the character, and I don’t mind it, but every once and a while I buff out all my GEC’s that have nickel, but don’t know how to approach this that is going against the grain of the SS. I don’t want to take the nice sharp edges away either if I can help that. Thanks in advance, I commented bc I read your comment on this thread and it seemed to me you know what you’re talk about. Have a great day.
 
Metally_ill said:
Hey my friend, I just read your post, and it is helpful. I have a few knives that have the SS bolsters that have the machine look to them from side to side, basically on my Tony Bose Wharnie trapper, and a custom. For some reason over time, they have seemed to have light superficial scratching from the top to th middle of the bolstering. Really noticeable at the edges up top. It adds to the character, and I don’t mind it, but every once and a while I buff out all my GEC’s that have nickel, but don’t know how to approach this that is going against the grain of the SS. I don’t want to take the nice sharp edges away either if I can help that. Thanks in advance, I commented bc I read your comment on this thread and it seemed to me you know what you’re talk about. Have a great day.
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The knife pictured below is one that originally came with high-polished stainless bolsters. It looked good when it was brand new and unscuffed. But any scuff or scratch would stand out too obviously against the surrounding bright polish. I used a green Scotch-Brite pad to put a satin finish on the bolsters, which hides the minor scuffs & scratches much more effectively. Just lay the Scotch-Brite pad on a firm surface (tabletop, etc.) and draw the knife's bolster across it, linearly in only one direction to keep it looking neat & orderly. It's real easy - surprisingly so.
XSmcLMH.jpg


If the crisp edges of the bolsters get somewhat rounded off, you can use the same technique with some wet/dry SiC sandpaper, instead of the green pad. Can also wrap the sandpaper over a wood block or even a small sharpening stone (pocket stone, for example) and use it like a file in a linear direction across the bolsters. Keep the touch very light and even when doing that, and allow it to follow the contours or radius of the bolster. This would be something to experiment with first using a knife that may not be as precious, just to get the feel for it. With the sandpaper, anything between 320 - 600 grit will yield a pretty nice satin finish. 800 and above will start to approach a polished finish.

You might also consider posting some photos of your knives, for some more specific guidance & advice from others looking in here.
 
Thanks. I will try this. I’m going to look for something less expensive to try the approach to the crisp edges. Also, it’s pretty much at the face of the bolsters, so I may not have to mess too much with the edges. I’m going to look for something else with stainless bolsters if I have any to experiment with the edges on first. The method you described for the edges, is that to get them crisp after they may get rounded? Also, SiC, is that important to use or is aluminum or ceramic, or any other okay? Thanks btw! The bolster

Edit: also, this is some great help, and it makes me real happy to get this help from my fellow traditional peers. I’ve been hesitant on paying for the gold membership but after support like this from you, I feel like it’s worth more than its weight in gold (membership). Thanks brother, I’ll be joining gold payday.
 
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Metally_ill said:
Thanks. I will try this. I’m going to look for something less expensive to try the approach to the crisp edges. Also, it’s pretty much at the face of the bolsters, so I may not have to mess too much with the edges. I’m going to look for something else with stainless bolsters if I have any to experiment with the edges on first. The method you described for the edges, is that to get them crisp after they may get rounded? Also, SiC, is that important to use or is aluminum or ceramic, or any other okay? Thanks btw! The bolster
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The method for the edges, using SiC sandpaper, is basically so the edges are less likely to round over as compared to using the more compressible green Scotch-Brite pad. With the sandpaper backed against a very firm or hard surface (wood or stone/glass) there's less compression under the pressure of the bolster. That'll help minimize rounding of the edges that would otherwise be caused by a softer, more compressible material essentially rolling or forming itself around the crisp edge under pressure.

I recommend the SiC sandpaper, mostly because it does the job very well with stainless steel, even the hardened stainless for blades. Aluminum oxide sandpaper should also work well enough, though most you'll find will likely be a lower range of grit choices. It's generally easier to find SiC sandpaper in a wider range of grit choices, from around 220-grit up to 2000 or higher, for the sake of working & polishing harder materials like metals.

BTW, your bolster pic looks like the job should be pretty straightforward & simple. No awkward contours to complicate it, so it should be pretty easy.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
The method for the edges, using SiC sandpaper, is basically so the edges are less likely to round over as compared to using the more compressible green Scotch-Brite pad. With the sandpaper backed against a very firm or hard surface (wood or stone/glass) there's less compression under the pressure of the bolster. That'll help minimize rounding of the edges that would otherwise be caused by a softer, more compressible material essentially rolling or forming itself around the crisp edge under pressure.

I recommend the SiC sandpaper, mostly because it does the job very well with stainless steel, even the hardened stainless for blades. Aluminum oxide sandpaper should also work well enough, though most you'll find will likely be a lower range of grit choices. It's generally easier to find SiC sandpaper in a wider range of grit choices, from around 220-grit up to 2000 or higher, for the sake of working & polishing harder materials like metals.

BTW, your bolster pic looks like the job should be pretty straightforward & simple. No awkward contours to complicate it, so it should be pretty easy.
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Thank you, my friend, I’m thinking so too. I’m going to grab both now. I’m actually at Harbor freight picking up the material as we speak. I love the knife and I love caring it, but I want to be able to know that I can fix it up just like I do most of my GEC From time to time I can get those looking spanking no with the bolsters. Thank you for your knowledge and sharing it with me. I appreciate it more than you know and I’m super excited to do this because I will be carrying it more now that I can fix it up whenever I feel like. Thank you.
 
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