Q for metal finishes - UPDATE !!!
I recently bought a Gerber BMF knife to replace one that somehow vanished in the midst of my divorciono.
The finish of the blade - dull surface, but very smooth- is a sort of matte stainless.
The edge has its' original factory hone, and I would call the condition NIB...
EXCEPT - the last inch and a half of the blade has a dark grey, uniform, discoloration. It looks as though the blade had been plunged into something - like a board, tree, or dirt - and left there for years.
I want to restore the finish to original and I don't have the most vague idea of how or where to start. Steel wool won't work, I'm sure, because it would polish the blade. Sand blasting would destroy the surface.
I'd try dipping it in a caustic solution like carb cleaner, but I'm afraid that might stain the entire thing.
Maybe I should blue the whole thing - can stainless be blued ??
Can anyone offer suggestions, please ??
Thank you.
Doug
After a frustrating week and a half trying to find a way to fix the stain on my BMF, this morning I called our local NAPA store and spoke to the machine shop manager - a short timer who's only been there 38 years - and he glass bead blasted it while I waited.
Got the stain off and charged me $7.50.
The knife looks like new.
If I ever need a stainless handgun slicked up, I'll take it to them.
What a great job, and what nice folks !!
Doug
The finish of the blade - dull surface, but very smooth- is a sort of matte stainless.
The edge has its' original factory hone, and I would call the condition NIB...
EXCEPT - the last inch and a half of the blade has a dark grey, uniform, discoloration. It looks as though the blade had been plunged into something - like a board, tree, or dirt - and left there for years.
I want to restore the finish to original and I don't have the most vague idea of how or where to start. Steel wool won't work, I'm sure, because it would polish the blade. Sand blasting would destroy the surface.
I'd try dipping it in a caustic solution like carb cleaner, but I'm afraid that might stain the entire thing.
Maybe I should blue the whole thing - can stainless be blued ??
Can anyone offer suggestions, please ??
Thank you.
Doug
After a frustrating week and a half trying to find a way to fix the stain on my BMF, this morning I called our local NAPA store and spoke to the machine shop manager - a short timer who's only been there 38 years - and he glass bead blasted it while I waited.
Got the stain off and charged me $7.50.
The knife looks like new.
If I ever need a stainless handgun slicked up, I'll take it to them.
What a great job, and what nice folks !!
Doug
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....Morning Doug...not familiar with Gerber products.
...Glass bead or other similar material should not "pit", harm the smooth surface, if done properly; then again, depending on what the "stain" actually is, may not remove it either.
...I don't think carb cleaner or such is caustic enough to hurt the original finish, too similar to lacquer thinner which wont hurt the finish either.
...SS can be "blued"...to a degree, I "think", results very greatly and is not really a "blue"; can be matte hard chromed though. I believe it first has to be copper(?) coated, some type of other metal first...I think...semi-costly I'd think for a knife?
...Ive listed this Co. before, GREAT Co. and they treat small jobs like a multi-million dollar project. Chris Peters is the owner, a "good" guy. They will NOT charge you a ridiculous "minimum" for a small part(s) as some other plating Co's.
...The time will depend on how busy they are...usually stay pretty busy year round but...if you call and get thru, talk to Chris and tell him that Richard with the Colt 1911's in Texas recommended him...he will shoot you the best & quickest time for the work requested and tell you the type of results to expect. Chris can tell you the best route to go, very knowedgable, busy, but knowedgable.
...Metaloy stopped blueing as not enough to be worth it...but there is a friend of his in Arkansas that owns Bullseye Precision that does a LOT of Quality Blueing...and Chris will hook you up with him, all is contingent on IF blue can be done. I gaurantee you will get the BEST job/quality, price & time from either Co...luck...[;)]
METALOY:http://www.originalmetaloy.com/
PS: Lacquer Thinner WILL cause rust if a metal is "soaked" long enough and liquid allowed to evaporate...so oil well if you use the stuff.
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Thank you for th lead, Richard.
I'll definitely contact him.
Doug0 -
As already said, Sand Blasting removes metal and is used as a pre-paint prep. Glass bead blasting can be used to remove paint and scale but 'peens' the surface without removing parent material. Different sizes of glass beads give a different finish just like different grit sand does. Then there is Steel Shot Blasting (which is prob what Gerber used). This will actually stress relieve the surface and place it into compression.
Might I suggest you try to find a piece of 400 series stainless and experiment on it for finish?
The trouble is that Stainless steel used for Blades is strong and tough but is more prone to staining then 300 series Stainless used for say Headers.
"Type 440-a higher grade of cutlery steel, with more carbon, allowing for much better edge retention when properly heat-treated. It can be hardened to approximately Rockwell 58 hardness, making it one of the hardest stainless steels. Due to its toughness and relatively low cost, most display-only and replica swords or knives are made of 440 stainless. Also known as razor blade steel. Available in four grades: 440A, 440B, 440C, and the uncommon 440F (free machinable). 440A, having the least amount of carbon in it, is the most stain-resistant; 440C, having the most, is the strongest and is usually considered more desirable in knifemaking than 440A, except for diving or other salt-water applications."
Standard mill finishes can be applied to flat rolled stainless steel directly by the rollers and by mechanical abrasives. Steel is first rolled to size and thickness and then annealed to change the properties of the final material. Any oxidation that forms on the surface (scale) is removed by pickling, and the Passivation layer is created on the surface. A final finish can then be applied to achieve the desired aesthetic appearance.
* No. 0 - Hot rolled, annealed, thicker plates
* No. 1 - Hot rolled, annealed and passivated
* No. 2D - Cold rolled, annealed, pickled and passivated
* No. 2B - Same as above with additional pass-through highly polished rollers
* No. 2BA - Bright annealed (BA or 2R) same as above then Bright annealed under Oxygen-free atmospheric conditions
* No. 3 - Coarse abrasive finish applied mechanically
* No. 4 - Brushed finish
* No. 5 - Satin finish
* No. 6 - Matte finish
* No. 7 - Reflective finish
* No. 8 - Mirror finish
* No. 9 - Bead blast finish
* No. 10 - heat colored finish-wide range of electropolished & heat colored surfaces0 -
Contact Gerber. Their customer service is second to none and if anyone would know, I suspect it would be them. 0 -
Carb cleaner, brake cleaner, etc. won't hurt the blade (keep them off the handles.) After trying the cleaners you can use Comet Cleanser or similar. Make a thick paste with water and very gently rub it around with a fingertip. Or, you can send it to me. 0 -
What great info !!
Thank you all.
Bill - I trust that would be a one-way trip ??
NOTE: I spoke with Gerber this AM, and they said:
I just got off the phone with Gerber - about an hour from here - and they don't do restoration, but they will evaluate the knife and perhaps refinish the steel.
Takes 3 to 8 weeks, and no guarantees.
Customer service says it was bead blasted originally.
I think I'm going to try soaking it in hot soapy detergent/water, before I go any farther. Maybe it's just dirt ?? That would be cool.
There is a guy on the auction side that custom builds leather sheaths for them. Cost is $65.00 and includes shipping.
I'm gonna have him do one for me, and then maybe some more for other knives in my (now) very modest collection.
I sure like OryGun knife smiths.
Doug0 -
No, if you go to my web site you will see that I am a cutler, and restore knives. My rates are probably a little high for cleaning a blade tip.
WD40, Goo Gone, 409, may also be useful.
If the actual surface finish has been compromised, re blasting is the only way to match the original finish. If it is just dirt/discoloration the cleaners should work.0 -
Bill - Please give me a link to your web site.
I tink yur de guy Ah been lookin' fo'.
Doug0 -
It wasn't dirt.
Damn.
Doug0 -
Some stainless steels that have a high iron content will show red rust after surface abrasion such as blasting...If they are not re-pickeled....
JIM...........0
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