So I have this (kind of) old knife...

2DaMtns · May 16, 2018

My parents got me a USMC Ka-Bar for Christmas when I was 14, in 1994. I was a dumb kid, and abused it quite a bit, using it as a can opener, wood splitter (with a hammer, long before I knew about batoning), throwing knife, all the dumb kid stuff. It didn't take long for the coating to start coming off of it, so I sanded all of it off in the 1995-96 range. I continued to use it off and on for quite a few years, and then put it away in lieu of other knives. It would rust a little every once in a while, and I'd sand it off with 400 grit sand paper, oil it up,and put it away.

I dug it out of the safe the other day and it had a few areas of rust and discoloration on it. I cleaned it up good this time, using Mother's on it, and it looks really good. I've decided I'm going to pass it on to my nephew for Christmas next year, his 14th one (I don't have kids and don't want them, so he gets it).
What are my options to preserve the blade? Can it be carakoted or something similar without being disassembled?

I would like to leave the bevels uncoated. Is there any effective preservative I could use other than oil or grease to prevent rust?

Would cerakoting fill in the lettering at the base of the blade? Dad was a marine, and even though this wasn't his issued knife, he isn't with us anymore, and it's important to me that the lettering remain legible. Thanks in advance.

GOG · May 16, 2018

I'm glad that you'll hand it down. Stuff like that is important even if most no longer think so. (But I'm old, so meh.)
Cold bluing would preserve it pretty well and can look pretty good. I'm not a big fan of coating knife blades with stuff although I seem to have quite a few.

Joe13 · May 16, 2018

2DaMtns said:
My parents got me a USMC Ka-Bar for Christmas when I was 14, in 1994. I was a dumb kid, and abused it quite a bit, using it as a can opener, wood splitter (with a hammer, long before I knew about batoning), throwing knife, all the dumb kid stuff. It didn't take long for the coating to start coming off of it, so I sanded all of it off in the 1995-96 range. I continued to use it off and on for quite a few years, and then put it away in lieu of other knives. It would rust a little every once in a while, and I'd sand it off with 400 grit sand paper, oil it up,and put it away.

I dug it out of the safe the other day and it had a few areas of rust and discoloration on it. I cleaned it up good this time, using Mother's on it, and it looks really good. I've decided I'm going to pass it on to my nephew for Christmas next year, his 14th one (I don't have kids and don't want them, so he gets it).
What are my options to preserve the blade? Can it be carakoted or something similar without being disassembled?

I would like to leave the bevels uncoated. Is there any effective preservative I could use other than oil or grease to prevent rust?

Would cerakoting fill in the lettering at the base of the blade? Dad was a marine, and even though this wasn't his issued knife, he isn't with us anymore, and it's important to me that the lettering remain legible. Thanks in advance.

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You could do the lemon thing and pantena (spelling) it.

Makes for a nice oldish look and should keep it from rusting if done right.

Cerakoting it would not hide the engravings.

Hawaiian · May 16, 2018

The coating would just wear off with use and look ugly. I would put a nice hand satin finish on it and tell him to clean it and coat the blade with oil when he puts it away. And DON'T store it in a leather sheath.

Andy54Hawken · May 16, 2018

Just keep an eye on it and drop some oil or CLP on the blade from time to time....
Its carbon steel , it will stain , discolor , rust , no matter what...
In fact some " Gun Bluing" is just controlled rusting...
Sooo...when you cold blue ( which is a fine idea ) you are causing rust to "blue" the steel...

Here is my "Old Army Knife"...the patina is honest wear from use in the Army and afterwards....
Andy

GOG · May 16, 2018

That old army knife is a Randall. There's a difference.

Andy54Hawken · May 17, 2018

Actually it is a Blackjack Model number 5
Blackjack Knives were made in Illinois and a few were indeed copies of Randall models.
As a young private I could not afford a Randall , nor wait as I needed a knife now...so the Blackjack.

It served me well on my field exercises and combat deployments....as well as a camp knife and the occasional use as heavy duty kitchen knife today...
Andy

GOG said:
That old army knife is a Randall. There's a difference.

orygun · May 17, 2018

I have one similar to the OP's that I cold blued 40 years ago with some Birchwood-Casey stuff. Worked well and still looks good.

2DaMtns · May 17, 2018

orygun said:
I have one similar to the OP's that I cold blued 40 years ago with some Birchwood-Casey stuff. Worked well and still looks good.

Do you mind posting a picture of it?

orygun · May 18, 2018

Well, I pulled it out for the first time in ages and noticed I'd become a little lax in caring for this ol thing and it's sporting a few rust spots. It'll clean up fine. Sorry for the crappy pic.