How to clean an etched blade

[0078]

Any good suggestions on how to clean an etched blade, without removing the etching? Thanks for any help

[peanut740]

If it is an etch and not ink,spread polishing paste on the blade with your finger,let it set for a hour or so and then gently wipe it off with a soft cloth.That will take off light stuff.

[reddirtknives]

try searching restoration thread, I had posted this same question awhile back. Good luck

[big monk]

I polish off the etching on the GEC knives with ""mothers wheel polish""___rub & rub & rub,with a soft cloth,till you don't see it anymore at any angle***--good luck,Monk

[reddirtknives]

ummm big monk Sir. with all due respect, I think that he was wanting to keep the etch on the blade NOT Rub it off ... lol

[tjmurphy]

It was suggested to me to cover the etch with blue painter's masking tape and clean as usual. Seemed to work for me

[big monk]

ummm big monk Sir. with all due respect, I think that he was wanting to keep the etch on the blade NOT Rub it off ... lol

Old People____my attention span is shorter than my I furgett !!!!!!! My ""pay attention to what you are reading span"" is even shorter ___________ 0078___DO NOT,put Mothers on your blade etch,if you want some left !!!!!!

[dudleythetogi]

I would say it would depend upon the depth of the etch and how much of the blade it covered.I have had some luck with straight razor blades with deeper etch.If it needs to be darkened I have used a chemical blackening solution to enhance the lettering itself but then used a fine hard stone on the surface to polish over it.If you use an abrasive polishing paste it will follow into the etch and blend it.

[0078]

Monk it worked!! All that ink on the blade is gone.(lol) thanks for all the suggestions.

[Brett Allen]

Just tried this on a Case knife that I have. Haven't used Mothers before, but it worked nicely. Thanks Monk!

[tjmurphy]

Any good suggestions on how to clean an etched blade, without removing the etching? Thanks for any help

Monk it worked!! All that ink on the blade is gone.(lol) thanks for all the suggestions.

Thought you were trying to save the etch??

[big monk]

I did too ??????????

say-what-title.jpg (45.1 KiB) Viewed 1857 times

You are very welcome though,__________if it did what you wanted ?????

[ole_muddy]

Here's an assortment of stuff I use to hand-clean a blade with etch on it. I didn't have a can of Liquid Wrench (the nut & bolt loosener) for the pic, but I'll use it to loosen up the rust at the onset of cleaning. I then work on the rusted areas with the choice of abrasives; steel wool and/or emery cloth or paper and with any of them, I lube them up with both oil and Simichrome before using, that way it will only cut the rust and not mark the blade. This doesn't work with ink stamps--they disappear. The other two items not pictured are elbow grease and patience; both are needed for this trick to work right.

Eric

[MattBPKT]

Here's an assortment of stuff I use to hand-clean a blade with etch on it. I didn't have a can of Liquid Wrench (the nut & bolt loosener) for the pic, but I'll use it to loosen up the rust at the onset of cleaning. I then work on the rusted areas with the choice of abrasives; steel wool and/or emery cloth or paper and with any of them, I lube them up with both oil and Simichrome before using, that way it will only cut the rust and not mark the blade. This doesn't work with ink stamps--they disappear. The other two items not pictured are elbow grease and patience; both are needed for this trick to work right.

Eric

+1
Similar to my method. Yes, elbow grease and patience are often discounted but essential!

[peanut740]

I''ve cleaned up a few old tarnished and rusted up knives that you couldn't tell was etched until after I used semichrome on them.