Help! I can't stop stripping!

[Riot Earp]

Okay, I went and stripped another knife. Yet another KA-BAR. A 1211.

I can't stop squirting Jasco Paint Remover at my knives ...

And watching that coating fall away like the black veil of sin from a repentant heathen.

I think I may have a problem.

 

[Gunsarefun]

This may need to go on that one T.V. Show "My Strange Addiction"

 

[Riot Earp]

 

[hso]

Fullers, not the silly "blood groove", are put in to lighten the blade.

You're not the only guy out there caught up in doing this. There are more and more guys using paint stripper to put their blades back to bare metal. Just keep the carbon steel protected, or force a patina, and you'll stay happy.

 

[BRad704]

I saw an article in this month about doing this to Becker BK2's and BK7's... LOVE the final look of those!

You did good on this! I like the bare/patina'd look FAR better than coatings

 

[Riot Earp]

You're not the only guy out there caught up in doing this. There are more and more guys using paint stripper to put their blades back to bare metal. Just keep the carbon steel protected, or force a patina, and you'll stay happy.

Good advice. I am going to give it a coat of carnauba wax.

Fullers, not the silly "blood groove", are put in to lighten the blade.

"Fuller" is the more current vernacular, but in the 1940s it was commonly called a "blood groove" by soldiers and knifemakers. The original KA-BAR (by Union Cutlery) diagram, which is reprinted on the current USMC box, reads "blood groove." I do know that blood flow probably has nothing to do with its function, however.

 

[conw]

I am guilty of this too, but I think people just like DOING SOMETHING to their knives. I have a feeling if these knives came bare, people might be giving them a black stealth finish.

Kind of like cars. People just like to personalize them in some way.

 

[Reasoned1]

Yeah... matte black Rustoleum is beautiful!

 

[Bobson]

Sir, you just convinced me to strip my KA-BAR.

 

[murdoc rose]

Agreed you did nothing but improve that knife