RR
....glutton for punishment.....
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Did a little knife rehab this evening.
I pulled this Mora Companion MG out of my hunting pack a couple weeks ago. I apparently forgot to clean it last season after processing a deer. It was pretty gnarly with deer blood and hair. The problem with that is deer blood is acidic and this is carbon steel. So it was pretty gnarly with rust too.
I cleaned it up with fine sandpaper and oil then gave it a vinegar and salt bath to force a patina and eat the rest of the surface rust away. Left it with a nice light black oxide finish.
Then I went to work with my water stones and a leather strop and polished the edge back out to 8000 grit.
I do believe it is back to useable shape now.
I may have just spent three hours cleaning up a 12 dollar mass produced blade when I have many more high end and custom hand made options. But it's worth it as these Moras are worth way more than their cost in terms of function.
I wish I'd taken a before pic.......
I pulled this Mora Companion MG out of my hunting pack a couple weeks ago. I apparently forgot to clean it last season after processing a deer. It was pretty gnarly with deer blood and hair. The problem with that is deer blood is acidic and this is carbon steel. So it was pretty gnarly with rust too.
I cleaned it up with fine sandpaper and oil then gave it a vinegar and salt bath to force a patina and eat the rest of the surface rust away. Left it with a nice light black oxide finish.
Then I went to work with my water stones and a leather strop and polished the edge back out to 8000 grit.
I do believe it is back to useable shape now.
I may have just spent three hours cleaning up a 12 dollar mass produced blade when I have many more high end and custom hand made options. But it's worth it as these Moras are worth way more than their cost in terms of function.
I wish I'd taken a before pic.......
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