Great Grandmother’s F. Dick worth restoring?

[ccasanova]

Found this knife in my father in law’s shop toolbox today. He says it was his grandmother’s. Feels solid, heafty. I’ll admit to being a sentimental sap. Is it worth restoring, or would I be wasting my time from a practical use standpoint? I’ll keep it around regardless. Thanks

 

[LostHighway]

ping @Carl Kotte

 

[bsfsu]

Well worth restoring! It looks like it's in good condition shouldn't take too much work.

 

[Carl Kotte]

Found this knife in my father in law’s shop toolbox today. He says it was his grandmother’s. Feels solid, heafty. I’ll admit to being a sentimental sap. Is it worth restoring, or would I be wasting my time from a practical use standpoint? I’ll keep it around regardless. Thanks

Yes! Well worth it!

 

[Ploppy Blobby]

Glorious

 

[Jovidah]

No definitly a complete waste of time but I'll cut you a deal and take it off your hands for 5 bucks and the cost of shipping... being generous here!


More seriously though; people have restored Dicks in far worse condition around these parts! So definitly worth it.

 

[Noodle Soup]

A good friend gave me an old 10-inch F. Dick carbon steel chef for Christmas a few years ago. I had Seattle Edge reprofile and thin out the edge. I'll match it against most the Japanese knives for actual cutting performance. I hate to say it, but they don't make knives like that in Europe anymore. Yours is a serious keeper!

 

[stringer]

To find a 12" chef knife that old in that good of condition is a wonderful thing. For it to be a family heirloom it's priceless.

 

[McMan]

Definitely worth restoring! They aren't making any more of them... and that's in great shape for the age.
Plus, the family history is pretty cool, so if you can get it up and running then that'll be a nice piece of its story as well.
Fortunate, too, that the profile's nice--the bolster is still original and hasn't been sharpened into, the profile only has a little bump towards the heel, the edge has a bunch of dings (long life of opening paint cans?) which will sharpen out over time.
I'd just clean it up, give it a sharpening, and start using it. You can tinker with the edge over time.

 

[ccasanova]

Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement. I was planning to clean it up and keep it around because of its heirloom value to me, but I’m thrilled it has the potential to be practically useful as well.

The folks here steered me straight last year. I picked up a Masakage Koishi 210 gyuto, BoardSmith board, and a variety of Victorinox.

Where can (should) I send it to be loved back into shape? The gyuto needs to be touched up as well. I haven’t started sharpening yet. I know…

 

[Rangen]

"Potential to be practically useful?" That's a treasure, that is.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement. I was planning to clean it up and keep it around because of its heirloom value to me, but I’m thrilled it has the potential to be practically useful as well.

The folks here steered me straight last year. I picked up a Masakage Koishi 210 gyuto, BoardSmith board, and a variety of Victorinox.

Where can (should) I send it to be loved back into shape? The gyuto needs to be touched up as well. I haven’t started sharpening yet. I know…

My advice? Put a light coat of mineral oil on that gem and set it aside.

Pick up some very basic sharpening gear. I mean at the most basic a King Neo 800, that's a stone and base all in one. But maybe consider a stone holder and something like a Shapton Glass 500 and 2k. Then get in there and start learning how to sharpen. You can do it! Functional edges come with some practice and then it is off to the races if you want. Otherwise, that's good enough.

Then, cleaning up and making that wonderful find a serviceable treasure won't be hard at all. Some elbow grease, a little steel wool maybe, some more mineral oil, etc. and that knife should sing and you'll enjoy knowing you did it yourself every time you grab it.

 

[McMan]

Where can (should) I send it to be loved back into shape?

Anywhere in proximity to beer--like your garage or basement
If I found that knife at a flea market, I'd be heavy-handed in getting it polished up and spiffy. But since yours has some family history, my suggestion would be to leave some of the dings. Best that it can tell a multi-generational story than look super spiffy.
Thankfully, these old euro carbon knives are very forgiving to clean up and a breeze to restore.
Here are a few pointers:
Handle:
These old handles develop a 'skin' from the oil in skin and the friction of holding the handle over years. Think of it like seasoning on a cast iron skillet. The objective is to get rid of the dirt on top of the skin, not sand through the skin to fresh wood. Steel wool and mineral oil works well (start at 0000 and if that doesn't make a dent, then go to 000, and if that's too mild then 00, etc.--the goal is to just clean with the gentlest functional product and leave the wood alone). If it's cruddy, rubbing alcohol works wonders--light touch, though, as it can dry out the wood.
Blade:
In my way of thinking about this knife, it shouldn't be shiny It looks like it has a nice, deep, stable patina--but with some rust spots. The goal is to preserve the patina. I agree with above that 0000 steel wool and mineral oil will work well--it'll get rid of the rust but not the patina. Avoid flitz or sandpaper, etc.
Have fun--it'll only take an hour or two!

 

[Ericfg]

Great knife. Well worth a restoration. I hope you make a project out of it, and keep us updated with your progress.

 

[Delat]

Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement. I was planning to clean it up and keep it around because of its heirloom value to me, but I’m thrilled it has the potential to be practically useful as well.

The folks here steered me straight last year. I picked up a Masakage Koishi 210 gyuto, BoardSmith board, and a variety of Victorinox.

Where can (should) I send it to be loved back into shape? The gyuto needs to be touched up as well. I haven’t started sharpening yet. I know…

If you’re in NOLA and really, really don’t want to try sharpening your Masakage yourself then check out Coutelier Sharpening Services

If you feel like giving it a whirl yourself, then pick up a stone in the 3-4k range and have at it. It’s really not hard at all.

 

[ccasanova]

If you feel like giving it a whirl yourself, then pick up a stone in the 3-4k range and have at it. It’s really not hard at all.

Any specific suggestions for the Masakage and this F Dick? I need to give it a go this Winter.

 

[Delat]

Any specific suggestions for the Masakage and this F Dick? I need to give it a go this Winter.

I personally use a shapton glass set including SG500, SG1k, SG4k, but you’ll get tons of recommendations over on the sharpening forum. I believe the SG4k is generally highly regarded, though. You’ll need a stone holder if you go with shapton glass, while the shapton pro line comes in a box that can be used as a holder.

When starting out there’s not much damage you can do with a stone in the 3-4k range since they cut pretty slowly. Mostly they’re for cleaning and polishing an edge so that grit range will be great for just touching up your Masakage while learning. I used the SG4k exclusively on my first j-knife for a few months while practicing on both the 1k and 4k with an older knife.

https://www.amazon.com/Shapton-Glas...ords=shapton+glass+4000&qid=1634321124&sr=8-1

 

[M1k3]

I personally use a shapton glass set including SG500, SG1k, SG4k, but you’ll get tons of recommendations over on the sharpening forum. I believe the SG4k is generally highly regarded, though. You’ll need a stone holder if you go with shapton glass, while the shapton pro line comes in a box that can be used as a holder.

When starting out there’s not much damage you can do with a stone in the 3-4k range since they cut pretty slowly. Mostly they’re for cleaning and polishing an edge so that grit range will be great for just touching up your Masakage while learning. I used the SG4k exclusively on my first j-knife for a few months while practicing on both the 1k and 4k with an older knife.

https://www.amazon.com/Shapton-Glas...ords=shapton+glass+4000&qid=1634321124&sr=8-1

Shapton Pro cases can be bought separately. 2 Glass stones fit in a Pro case

 

[Ericfg]

I'm very happy with 1k stones for my German stainless and carbon blades.
But you'll get a lot of different answers here about specifics about anything (and very few of them are wrong I hasten to add.)
Good luck with your quest.

 

[ccasanova]

Better late than never I had Coutelier NOLA clean it up and sharpen. I’m not sure what they put on the metal but it has a very smooth almost Teflon like feeling. I will put it to work tomorrow. Thanks again to all!

 

[ccasanova]

Found a 12” Sabatier in the same shed today. Looks like heck, but will try to clean it up too.

 

[Choppin]

Found a 12” Sabatier in the same shed today. Looks like heck, but will try to clean it up too.

we need pics!

 

[baggyjorts]

Can I take a quick look through that shed by any chance?

 

[ccasanova]

Has some nasty gouges and scratches

I asked what were these used for? “Cleaning lemon fish and squirrels and pretty much everything”

My wife’s grandfather and great grandfather had a dry goods store many years ago and supposedly sold these.

 

[Benuser]

Has some nasty gouges and scratches

I asked what were these used for? “Cleaning lemon fish and squirrels and pretty much everything”

My wife’s grandfather and great grandfather had a dry goods store many years ago and supposedly sold these.

As it is a stainless one, not sure I would put all the time and effort in it to have the profile corrected. Removing 2-3mm from the edge may look easy, but there is a huge thinning operation to be followed and the fingerguard to be shortened. The soft stainless is highly abrasion resistant.
Whether it is worth? I wouldn't hesitate with a carbon Sab, but with the stainless powered tools are to get involved, with an uncertain result: the soft stainless doesn't take nor hold fine edges. Ça brille mais ne coupe pas. It may shine but doesn't cut, about the first generations of French stainless.

 

[Bagotnj]

Very nice finds!

 

[Taurahe]

All it really needs is some soap and water , some mineral oil on the handle and some sharpening . Take care of that , and it's good for another 100 yrs. It's in great shape from the looks of it , that blade patina is gorgeous !!!

 

[Jeff]

Found this knife in my father in law’s shop toolbox today. He says it was his grandmother’s. Feels solid, heafty. I’ll admit to being a sentimental sap. Is it worth restoring, or would I be wasting my time from a practical use standpoint? I’ll keep it around regardless. Thanks

YES!
I'd send it out to have the low spot removed while maintaining as much metal as possible.

This also gives you the opportunity to specify if you want it flat profile (like a gyuto) or more belly for rock chopping.

You might as well get it profiled the way you want!

 

[Transmaster]

F. Dick is still making Kitchen knives. You just cannot get them in the States anymore. They are the go to brand of hoof knifes for farriers used on horses and cattle.

https://www.dick.de/messer/en/about-us/our-company#fakten-u-zahlen

1905 Model 260mm Chef's knife

 

[M1k3]

F. Dick is still making Kitchen knives. You just cannot get them in the States anymore. They are the go to brand of hoof knifes for farriers used on horses and cattle.

View attachment 303137

https://www.dick.de/messer/en/about-us/our-company#fakten-u-zahlen

1905 Model 260mm Chef's knife

View attachment 303138

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=f.+dick+...13379372&tag=hydsma-20&ref=pd_sl_5y21til8gx_e