All About Pocket Knives

This knife was passed down from my Uncle who loves the knife.
The smile and his face was pure. You know those genuine smiles.
I want to restore it and send him pics of it after it's all done.

It's got beautiful brass plates and a wooden center piece.
Has embedded on the blade "STAINLESS PAKISTAN".
Blades a bit rusted.
It's a about 4" closed and 8" blade open.

I stopped by Home Depot and went to pick up some stuff:
a) Brass buffer
b) Rust remover
c) cleaner

No one really knew much about knifes really, and everything they sold there was gallon or quart sizes; too much for this project. I'm looking to do all my shopping online.

I'd like to get some tips on how to restore this knife: what products to buy, cleaners, etc.
It doesn't look like the knife can be pulled apart.
I've already picked up pipe cleaners (soft and hard ones)
Below are pictures of the knife

Cheers!

This Pakistan knife will be a great project to learn on! I'm a newb to knives, but in the short time I've been here, I've learned a couple things.

1) Go to the grocery store and in the cleaners department, buy some Brasso (small can costs about $5). Then skip over to the hardware department and buy some 0000 (4 oh) steel wool (about $4). If you don't already have some gun oil or motor oil at home, buy some 3-in-1 household oil (also in the hardware dept).

This will cover the metal refurbishing.

As far as the wood goes, there are a ton of different opinions on how to treat and preserve that. I prefer to use Lemon Oil for general cleaning (also in the cleaners deparment). For serious work on wood, I have Howard Feed-N-Wax (available at Menards for about $8).

First off, Oil the pivot joints on the knife! You don't want them to wear out due to lack of lubrication. Then, Wet the 0000 steel wool with your oil, and rub it on the rusty/corroded parts of the blade and exposed spring backs of the knife.. Do this until all of the active rust is gone, and you are happy with the finish. This is usually as far as I go on the blade. Some have used Flitz polish with excellent results.

On the brass bolsters and pins, Use the Brasso as it says right on the can. You will be surprised at how well it works.

Finally on the wood, I use lemon oil to clean it, then leave it alone. I use the Howard's if the wood is all dried out and needs moisture.

If the knife has plastic scales, I will lightly polish them with Nevr-Dull (automotive department).

That is as far as I go when I put a knife in my small collection.

Hope this helps!

John

It really doesn't need much. It needs a cleaning more than anything, from what I can see. And a sharpening too.

I would use a 3M kitchen scrubby and sprinkle some Bon Ami or Comet and go after the blade to brighten it.
That would brighten up the bolsters too, if that's what you wanted to do. It wont hurt the wood panels.
If you have air you could blow it out to dry and sharpen it. Clean the blade well and give it some oil.

Your Uncle will get that smile again.

EDIT: Actually Yankee John has some good advice there.

Good advice Yankee John


I would just add. When using the oiled 0000 steel wool, only rub in one direction from the tip of the blade back and forth to the base (tang) of the blade. Rubbing in different directions will tend to leave swirl marks. Then you can clean/polish it and the brass bolsters, liners, spring etc. with flitz and a microfiber cloth. Do not use the steel wool on the brass it will leave marks that have to be worked out with finer and finer grits and or a polishing wheel. The flitz or brasso should be enough for the brass. Flitz will even polish the wood and bring out the brass pins, if the wood still has it's smooth finish.

I've never used brasso but I hear it does a great job as well.

I've always used BRASSO. It cleans and shines but does not scratch. Even cleans and shines bone

Brasso will also clear the haze from headlights and the new kind of plastic that covers the speedometer. I messed up and put Windex on mine and it hazed over. The guy at AutoZone said to try Brasso and it worked like a top.

Thanks YankeeJohn and the rest.
I'm in the process of restoring it now.

As for sharpening, what would you guys recommend?
I did a quick search on Amazon and found this: Smith's PP1 Pocket Pal Multifunction Sharpener

Is this the ideal route or is there another way.

I finished the job today and it looks great!
The finishing touches is to sharpen it up.
Thanks to everyone who gave their opinion slash advice.

Congratulations on getting her done!

Looks good.

Big improvement, Ya did good! I was able to pick up a bunch of 0000 steel wool at a garage sale for nothing. I would have to hit that brass one time with it. You need a new project.

Touch ups I want to do: Sharpen and I'll touch up the brass again.