Traditional TLC

[comis]

Recently I've acquired a Schrade Grandad Barlow online, and the original description said "Has patina on brass bolsters, easily removed if desired"  I've always wanted a Schrade Barlow, and half out of curiosity, I went ahead and got this knife from the seller.



Original picture from seller



It turns out all those 'orange' patina was actually surface rust, some even fell out like a thick crud when I was polishing it.  Luckily they are 'easily' removable and the inner liner was unaffected.  But give it couple of years, those rust probably may create serious pitting and the damage may be completely irreversible.


I don't blame the seller for the misinterpretation, but solely my misunderstanding and inexperience.  Nonetheless, a lesson well learnt--I will probably think twice whenever trying to get another traditional with 'patina'.



But truly, it's a thing of beauty.  No gaps or play, the spine of the backsprings and liners even have pretty intricate design.  Though it is not made of the most expensive material, some craftsman did great work/design on this piece and it would be a total waste to see it rust for nothing...all I can say is I am glad to be able to rescue this knife, and able to give it some proper TLC it much needed.



I know it is debatable whether we should restore at all as a 'collector'(or in my cause, probably an accumulator/user/collector?), but would you do the same as me or would you keep it as is?


What are your normal routine to prevent your collection to rust/corrode/devalue? 

[Echotech]

A very fine looking knife comis 

I should probably do more but all I do with mine, assuming they’re not showing obvious rust, is occasionally give them a wipe down with a WD40 sprayed rag and a little VIC knife oil on any moving parts. All are kept stored in display cases with a few silica gel sachets or their sheaths/pouches
 

[pfrsantos]

+1

What a jewel! Everything about it is gorgeous! Love awl the little details!

 

[dks]

I buy SS only  

I store my "toys" in a dry area, the climate helps, and use Tuf marine oil from Sentry solutions and cloth to protect the blades and metal parts.

avoid touching them with bare hands and wipe them if you do.

[comis]

A very fine looking knife comis 

I should probably do more but all I do with mine, assuming they’re not showing obvious rust, is occasionally give them a wipe down with a WD40 sprayed rag and a little VIC knife oil on any moving parts. All are kept stored in display cases with a few silica gel sachets or their sheaths/pouches
 

I have mixed luck with WD40--I remembered once finding a Leatherman tool rusted all over the place, even when I practically drenched and soaked that tool in WD40.  I think for anything that holds a value and non-user, I like to wipe it down with a very thin layer of Renaissance Wax on the handle/bolster.  But for the blade itself, unless it's mirror polish(then I use Ren Wax), I would coat it with just tiny bit of mineral oil.  For anything that has special value, I tend to keep the blade separately from leather sheath.

+1

What a jewel! Everything about it is gorgeous! Love awl the little details!

 

I had no idea when I was getting it, but it did come as a decent surprise.

I buy SS only  

I store my "toys" in a dry area, the climate helps, and use Tuf marine oil from Sentry solutions and cloth to protect the blades and metal parts.

avoid touching them with bare hands and wipe them if you do.

I think the climate control is the number 1 thing.  I have talked to a good number of dealers in different parts of the world, those whom seemed to have problems storing their knives usually have issue with humid weather.  A relatively dry and dark environment with constant mild temperature is probably the best, I think.

[Greg Jones]

I've always liked the Barlow pattern but have never owned one
Comis I really like the level you've brought it back to, and personally would use it like is 

[SteveC]

Sweet Barlow !   

[cody6268]

That Schrade Barlow is sweet! I've been looking at getting a lower-end version that wasn't an LE (i.e. Scrimshaw).

I keep hearing collectors say they use "Renwax". It's bloody expensive, and I don't use it.Granddad packed all of his knives with Vaseline/cosmolene, and that is horribly messy.   I keep my pivots and (carbon steel) blades oiled, as well as wiping down those I don't carry regularly as soon as I handle them.  Excluding fixed blades (since that's the only safe way I can store them--since they're all just thrown together in a basket inside the footlocker were most of my knives go) I DO NOT leave any knife in its sheath. I store that separately and only get it out if I carry it. Celluloid knives, due to the risks associated with the handle material are always stored out on a shelf in plain sight.

You know what? I bet you that Barlow was stored next to an outgassing celluloid handle knife. That is textbook from that sort of thing.

[Aloha]

First off Congrats  .   What a specimen.  My approach is more conservative than it once was.  The link provided gave me some guidelines on how to approach items I have.  Certainly my goals are not on the level of the Smithsonian. 
https://www.si.edu/mci/english/learn_more/taking_care/coatings.html

[comis]

I've always liked the Barlow pattern but have never owned one
Comis I really like the level you've brought it back to, and personally would use it like is 

Thank you Greg!  Some traditional barlow I got I would probably do less aggressive restoration, but knowing how beautiful this once was, I just can't bare the thought it would rust and pit and not do a thing about it.

Sweet Barlow !   

That Schrade Barlow is sweet! I've been looking at getting a lower-end version that wasn't an LE (i.e. Scrimshaw).

I keep hearing collectors say they use "Renwax". It's bloody expensive, and I don't use it much.   I keep my pivots and (carbon steel) blades oiled, as well as wiping down those I don't carry regularly as soon as I handle them.  Excluding fixed blades (since that's the only safe way I can store them--since they're all just thrown together in a basket inside the footlocker were most of my knives go) I DO NOT leave any knife in its sheath. I store that separately and only get it out if I carry it. Celluloid knives, due to the risks associated with the handle material are always stored out on a shelf in plain sight.

You know what? I bet you that Barlow was stored next to an outgassing celluloid handle knife. That is textbook from that sort of thing.

I got my Renwax couple years back, and didn't start using it until recent years.  But I hear so much about it over the years from so many posts/forums that I bet it does help preserve knives.  I know some collectors argue that Renwax is slightly too 'sticky' for user and some would sworn by paste wax (like Johnson's).  But for my own, most of 'collection' are non-users, so a very thin layer of Renwax does help preserve them in a long run.

I don't think I have any Celluloid knives but from what I read, I think they do need more attention than most other knives(and that's probably one reason why I tend to stay away from them).  And thanks for the suggestion, I haven't thought about it in that direction and definitely gonna look that up now.  Definitely learning something new here!

[comis]

First off Congrats  .   What a specimen.  My approach is more conservative than it once was.  The link provided gave me some guidelines on how to approach items I have.  Certainly my goals are not on the level of the Smithsonian. 
https://www.si.edu/mci/english/learn_more/taking_care/coatings.html

Thank you, thank you and thank you! 
What a great link!  I don't run a museum, but I love learning various practices and always willing to adapt/improve my routine!


Bookmarked!

[Aloha]

Its a level of what I do but yes its good information.  I remove rust and do my best to maintain the integrity of the item.  If I have to remove to the level of material that changes the item appearance then I'm ok with that so long as the items is preserved. 

[Alan K.]

Beautiful Barlow.