Thread: tang crud

Hope I've got the right forum for this. Just trying to get some consensus. I bought an old W&B off of ebay (yeah, I know), and it mostly looks okay, needs a heck of a hone, but other than that seems fine. EXCEPT, it's got a kinda dark grey cruddy buildup on the tang (all along the notches cut there for gripping). Can't tell if it's the same stuff that the pitting on the blade is made of. I figured I'd just try to live with it, but , it's actually got a bit of an aroma to it that's way unpleasant...I'm not sure I can accurately describe it...it's got the sort of pungent feel of like gross old french fry oil, but very faint. But definitely there. Any thoughts on what the heck it is? And more importantly, how do I kill it?

Thanks!

use dremel and this :
Wheel Brush - Compare to Dremel 428 - Bulk: Widget Supply
run it @ an angle to the tang and it will clean very easily.
I am not sure how you can fix this by hand though.

It's my experience that the steel wire dreme brushes can get all scratchy sometimes.

Have you considered starting with maybe a toothbrush and cleaner?

Above suggestions look good to me. Some steel wool (synthetic or regular - I prefer synthetic) could work too. I find it easier to move the steel wool in the same direction as the jimps (perpendicular to the tang).

I take Scrubbing Bubbles (the pump not the spray) and give it a good wash and soak. I rinse that off and use dental floss (unwaxed) with some metal polish such as Semichrome, Wenol, or Flitz to get in between the scales and the tang. For the jimps the other posters covered it.

Originally Posted by mainaman

use dremel and this :
Wheel Brush - Compare to Dremel 428 - Bulk: Widget Supply
run it @ an angle to the tang and it will clean very easily.
I am not sure how you can fix this by hand though.

That's what I use too. I also use a wire hand brush that's about twice as big as a toothbrush. They are really cheap. The dremel brushes wear out rather quickly.