All About Pocket Knives

Hey all,
I have a guy wanting a blade he bought finished out. It is one of those damascus kit blades, already etched sharpened, etc.

Anyways, I cut out some nickel bolsters and soldered them on this afternoon. Of course, I tried using a sharp chisel to clean up the joint like always but couldn't get the solder out of the low spots in the damascus.

I'm used to working on un-etched damascus. Is there any way to clean up the solder on the blade without ruining the etch? Or do I just need to sand it away and re-etch?

After 20 years of building customs from scratch, I get beat up by a stupid blade blank!

Oh well, I guess this old dog needs to learn a new trick!

Thanks guys!

Polish it off, re-etch when you're done. You're not the first to do it. I hear someone here once did that on a cinquedea. Various compounds that prevent adhesion of solder are our friends.

I hate polishing fullered blades.

Sand away and re etch. I've used the low temperature silver solder and just left the blade taped. I usually attach an A2 file guide (left at 65 RC) I made as a heat sink so the blade does not get to hot. If it does get to hot the glue from the tape makes a mess BUT, an acetone soak after cooling will clean it up quite nicely. My wife's left over fingernail polish makes a nice easy to remove mask against solder spashes. Cleans up easy with acetone also and I don't have to buy a masking agent for solder splashes. I am in the habit of using a heat sink every time I solder a guard.

Hey guys,
Yeah, I figured that's what I'd have to do. But, I was hoping someone here had a solution so I wouldn't have to go to all that trouble. Should have just jb welded them on