Cleaning an old knife, but not too much

[paulb104]

I have an antique knife with a name on the blade. I cannot read the name due to rust and I am hoping to remove just enough of the rust to decipher the name.

In the two pictures, it's the blade on the right. The whole thing is an inch and a half across and the base of the blade is only half an inch wide.

Thoughts?

Thanks

 

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[releventchair]

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-swank-brass-greyhound-dogs-1797064822 ?

 

[paulb104]

That's definitely the same piece. It looks like, though, the marking on the their blade is different than mine.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

You could use a very small piece of 0000 steel wool and lightly rub the area it could remove just enough rust to read the name.

 

[Madmox]

Or a copper penny. It’s an old gun cleaning trick. The copper is harder than the iron oxide, but softer than the steel so it doesn’t mar it up.

 

[paulb104]

Or a copper penny. It’s an old gun cleaning trick. The copper is harder than the iron oxide, but softer than the steel so it doesn’t mar it up.

OMG. This is FANTASTIC. There are so many things that I will be doing this on. It removes the rust but still leaves the item looking antique-y,

But, boy, am I glad I did more research on this! You should have mentioned OIL!

For anyone interested, there's a number of youtube videos on the subject.

 

[sprailroad]

Or a copper penny. It’s an old gun cleaning trick. The copper is harder than the iron oxide, but softer than the steel so it doesn’t mar it up.

I have never heard of that. Going to try it.

 

[paulb104]

I have never heard of that. Going to try it.

Watch some of the videos, they're fascinating. Make sure you're using actual copper. Copper pipe works just as well too, as according to code pipes are 99.9% copper. US Cents before 1982 are 95% copper and 5% zinc.

 

[ARC]

I can add...

Your item is called a "fob knife"... meant and designed to hang from a watch chain.

This particular one was designed for nail care and small cutter.

Love how they call these "cigar cutters"... the cigar cutter version of these have a curved blade.

Yours is a design owned by Swank that obviously was a giveaway promotional advertising piece.

 

[paulb104]

I can add...

Your item is called a "fob knife"... meant and designed to hang from a watch chain.

This particular one was designed for nail care and small cutter.

Love how they call these "cigar cutters"... the cigar cutter version of these have a curved blade.

Yours is a design owned by Swank that obviously was a giveaway promotional advertising piece.

Who was Swank?

I cannot find my 3 in 1, so I took some canola oil and a 1972 cent. (They're not pennies. The US government has never made a "penny". Don't get me started...)

The coin vs rusted steel worked flawless. The blade looks exactly as it should for a hundred +/- year old blade, just without the rust. Sadly, the stamped name is too pitted to read, and the cursive name is still covered by the case.

 

[Red James Cash]

Should soak it down with wd40(or any other rust penetrating oil) then use the penny while still wet with the wd40.

 

[paulb104]

Should soak it down with wd40(or any other rust penetrating oil) then use the penny while still wet with the wd40.

Will that keep the antique look of it or make it shiny? Anything that I ...clean... absolutely MUST maintain it's antique look.

 

[Red James Cash]

It might make it shiny but it wont take any patina off of it.Steel wool will take the patina off.without oiling it the rust will get worse.

 

[ARC]

History of Swank Inc. – FundingUniverse

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Very unique piece!

 

[A2coins]

That's a really cool fob knife and some great advice