Thread: my first shot at restoration ....

here are my first two that I got done, the first one is a A. Witte gold bug that I picked up this past weekend, and a Fredrick Reynolds. I got both of these blades for $10 each at an antique mall. They were both pretty rusty. The Reynolds has some pitting that I chose to leave on the blade. It was all done by hand, all in all for hand sanding not too bad of an outcome.

That is the best way to learn and you did a great job! That Reynolds' spike has me drooling !!
~Richard

Congratulations on a nice save and welcome to the forum.

Originally Posted by Geezer

That is the best way to learn and you did a great job! That Reynolds' spike has me drooling !!
~Richard

Thanks, yeah fingers are cramped up and sore but it was worth it lol. I have a blue steel razor that I have sanded down as well, and it's amazing the difference in the steel between it and the Reynolds, the Reynolds is a much harder steel and very difficult to get it where I really want it by hand. So I think I'm going to build a 2x72 grinder out of a old washing machine motor and rigg up a variable speed switch. I can't wait !!!

Originally Posted by jtzx12

Thanks, yeah fingers are cramped up and sore but it was worth it lol. I have a blue steel razor that I have sanded down as well, and it's amazing the difference in the steel between it and the Reynolds, the Reynolds is a much harder steel and very difficult to get it where I really want it by hand. ...snip...

Idea:
Clean the blade completely with soap and water and then with MEK or Acetone and dip it carefully and evenly into and out of a tall bottle of instant strong cold blue from your gun shop.
That will put the blue back onto the blade. Wipe it off with a bit of oil on super soft steel wool Four ouaght (0000) or five ought (00000) and you will match the original finish. tape the spine for honing and the bevel will gleam and all else just a glowing blue.
If you screw up the blue will come off with a polishing compound.

Oh yeah, if you are going to make blades, the 2x72 is a winner but for restoration, in most cases a Harbor freight 6" and four inch or less diameter wheels work well. The greasless compounds do a great job quickly.
I just tried the greasless at a friend's sop. I have used just the normal polishing compounds.

Above all, have fun!
~Richard

Quick question, I've hand sanded a couple of blades from 240 grit through to 15000 grit how do you finish to produce that shine?

I currently am using the sandpaper method by hand to restore a couple of blades myself. Moving through grit progressions and alternating between sanding directions has given me some satisfying results. However, I have yet to attain that level of finish shown in the above blades via sandpaper alone. Any advice would be welcome. Fine job on those blades!

Originally Posted by Anthony1954

Quick question, I've hand sanded a couple of blades from 240 grit through to 15000 grit how do you finish to produce that shine?

What I do is start with a 240 grit and move to 400, 800, 1500. I rinse and keep the metal clean as often as I can. When I start the 1500 grit I just put on some mothers mag and aluminum polish as I'm sanding. Not too sure it does a whole lot but it's the way I have always polished, even my snowmobile aluminum tunnels. Then just wax on and wax off using fast Hand strokes with the blade pinched between your fingers. I will rub the blade down with mothers using my fingers until the polish starts to get dark then waipe clean. Repeat as many times as you can handle, LOL it takes awhile when you do it by hand.

Originally Posted by jtzx12

What I do is start with a 240 grit and move to 400, 800, 1500. I rinse and keep the metal clean as often as I can. When I start the 1500 grit I just put on some mothers mag and aluminum polish as I'm sanding. Not too sure it does a whole lot but it's the way I have always polished, even my snowmobile aluminum tunnels. Then just wax on and wax off using fast Hand strokes with the blade pinched between your fingers. I will rub the blade down with mothers using my fingers until the polish starts to get dark then waipe clean. Repeat as many times as you can handle, LOL it takes awhile when you do it by hand.

I also stay away from doing any circular are change direction when sanding until I am at the 800 grit stage.

Thanks for this help, I'm in the UK and have a product called MAAS, would this do the same job? Can you also elaborate on the wax on wax off comment.
Thanks