Well worn Marbles- Gladstone Mich.

mac1911

NES Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2008
Messages
42,268
Likes
23,096
Feedback: 76 / 0 / 0
EHQFSXeh.jpg

This thing has been hanging around the shop for the past 18 years. I don’t know how old it is. Was here when I came. It spent most of its time poking sidewalls on bad tires and random “shit” knife detail. I figure it’s time to retire.
Going to clean it up and try to tighten the handle. The grip end has come loose.
I’m not sure if it’s leather or synthetic wrap?
Don’t know how far I will go to clean it up.

UPDATE: I gave the knife a good warm soapy water bath and the grim was nasty. After a good scrub I decided to give the blade a good scrub oil Kroil and some extra fine lapping compound that is marketed for lapping rifle bolts. 600 or 800 grit I forget?
Mostly just rubbed in with finger tips and then another round with a few 30 cal rifle patches.
There is years of grinder and wire wheel marks on this. I just wanted it clean. I gave the handle a good rub in of johnsons paste wax. I might hit the blade with some oxpho blue? Then do the best I can to put a useful edge on it. Then it will find its way into the light duty draw with the rest of my poor old knives.


finally got around to making a "spanner" socket to fit the nut holding the handle on. The leather and all has shrunk a good amount. Whats a good angle to use to try and restore the edge uniformity ?

EHQFSXeh.jpg


Z45jDXgh.jpg


have it sitting in a light coat of Kroil just to try and draw a bit more of the crud/crust out of the poors.
 
Last edited:
cool blade. if that were mine i'd leave it alone just cause. man, that baby's been ridden hard and shows a lot of character. if that's rust on the blade, i'd hit it with a fine scotch brite to halt it trying to leave the "good" patina behind. i don't know if i'd use it again, i'd bet there's mildew or some nasty bio hazard lurking in those loose leather washers on the handle.
 
That looks like it was some grunt's in Vietnam. Honor the blade...
 
Neat piece. Some people use a good leather conditioner or warm beeswax to try to reswell the stacked leather handles.
 
The blade is beat up. But the leather is stuck together well. I got the spanner nut on the end of the tang to move. I will snug up. Im going to give it a good fluff and buff and try to bring out the lines a bit. The blade has some rust on the other side and the "blood" groove has some serious grunge build up. Rubber,glue, bead sealer and such.

Its not bent and theres some life left for light duty around the house.
So basically a deep cleaning, try to restore the edge a bit. Tighten the handle and treat the handle.
 
Replace it with a Glock...

iu
Nah, it has that icky feeling glock plastic handle.

Im not into knives much these days. If i was going to buy a new knife the buck 119 braham. Just like the look.
 
Last edited:
Nah, it has that icky feeling glock plastic handle.

Im not into knives much these days. If i was going to buy a new knife the buck 119 braham. Just like the look.

Lol. Any Buck 119 is way to sexy for plunging into old white walls. Cutting free the backstraps on an Elk, sure...
 
Lol. Any Buck 119 is way to sexy for plunging into old white walls. Cutting free the backstraps on an Elk, sure...

I did not mean to replace at the shop just buying a knife in general with out spending a fortune. Already have a WalChester cheapy for $10
 
Night and Day improvement. Kudos

Just don't lose it. It's never good to lose your Marbles...
 
Last edited:
Edge angle depends on what you want it capable of. 20-25 degree should make it more utilitarian. If you have access to a bench-top (or mounted) belt sander, you could use that to quickly give it an edge. I have one that takes a 72" long belt and you can put a razor edge onto a largish blade in a few minutes (that's with changing belts). Where it can take hours to do that by hand or on a stone. Especially if the edge is beat to hell and back again. This would also be a good method if you just want to get it razor sharp now, and don't have any intention to use it enough that it will need to be sharpened again in the future.

FYI, I have a buffing wheel on the other side of the belt grinder motor (Grizzly unit) that could also be used to clean up some of that blade. I also use the buffing wheel as a final strop step when putting an edge on blades. Works really well.
 
So I had some Oxpho blue kicking around so I gave it a good slather and like the look better than the "clean" blade. Its found its place on the peg board and is no slated for box opening from deliveries for the hobbies.
CfjIZcKm.jpg
 
Back
Top Bottom