Cleaning up some Old Timers

[OKRuss]

My Dad had been keeping these Old Timer folders in his safe along with other miscellaneous stuff we found after he passed away. Was curious what you'd suggest using to help remove the rust particularly in the grooves where the blades fold in. Soak in CLR? Vinegar? I was able to use my Dremel with a wire brush then buffer and get the blades cleaned up pretty well. No plans other than getting in better shape then back in the safe. I've got a 2 blade he gave me years ago I keep for EDC or using in the shop.

 

[JEVapa]

No vinegar...bad. Use a good gun oil or light machine oil and a copper brush, something like a .45 bore brush or a copper toothbrush, and kinda scrub it and then wipe the oil off. Copper removes rust. Big chunks of rust, you either scrub longer or can use an old penny and scrub it off. Alternately, for really light rust, you can use 1000grit steel wool and oil and lightly scrub it, but it usually doesn't get down in the nooks and crannies like a brush does. Don't use a steel or brass wire brush, you want to keep the patina...that helps their value.

 

[swampratt]

I was sitting in a chair in front of the farm house in Cameron Missouri under a big elm tree with the wife's grandfather
sitting in another chair with a dog we called Fuzzy sitting beside grandpa.

He found an old rusty pocketknife about an hour before. Old Timer.
He opened one of the blades and began running it through that farm dogs thick matted coat.
He would run it into the mess and pull it up untangling the hairs.
He did this for about 30 minutes and the women came outside and told us lunch was ready.

Grandpa held up the knife and went to close it and all the rust was gone off that blade and it sharpened it a bit in the process.
He looked at me and said look at what just happened with this rusty blade

So just slow comb some long haired outside farm dog with your rusty blades.

 

[montesa]

No vinegar...bad. Use a good gun oil or light machine oil and a copper brush, something like a .45 bore brush or a copper toothbrush, and kinda scrub it and then wipe the oil off. Copper removes rust. Big chunks of rust, you either scrub longer or can use an old penny and scrub it off. Alternately, for really light rust, you can use 1000grit steel wool and oil and lightly scrub it, but it usually doesn't get down in the nooks and crannies like a brush does. Don't use a steel or brass wire brush, you want to keep the patina...that helps their value.

Why is vinegar bad? I’ve used it a lot of times on rusty carbon steel knives. Eats it right off and leaves a nice patina.

 

[JEVapa]

Unless you want to pickle it then ok. Vinegar likes to removes an original patina. A lot of antiquers use vinegar, mustard and pickle juice to fake a patina. But whatever.

 

[MacFromOK]

Naval Jelly?
___

 

[retrieverman]

I’ve use a light oil and very very fine steel wool to remove rust from knives.

 

[RickN]

If you decide to use vinegar, use a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water, never longer than 30 minutes at a time. Rinse thoroughly and oil immediately. I have seen even a 50/50 mix eat a cast iron skillet left in to long. Personally I would pour a little brake fluid in and work the blades open and closed. You will be surprised how much rust will come out.

 

[Duncandl]

Mineral oil.

 

[OKRuss]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I've got 3 knives so may try 3 different suggestions and see which works best.