Sabatier Refurb WIP

[deltaplex]

I've never had, or even handled a Sab, but I've wanted to and two popped up in rough shape that I snagged, and it seems like a fine opportunity to show how they progress. Starting with the first one: Rowco Elephant Sab ~9", and a 2.5 mm chip out of the middle of the blade.

 

[deltaplex]

Usually I use the electrolytic bucket for knives in this state since it blows off all the gunk from the steel and it converts some of the iron oxide back into iron, but my bucket sat out all winter and it looks like I've got to re-do the anode/cathode connections to get a completed circuit since they're pretty oxidized

 

[deltaplex]

This is after maybe 30 minutes of work on my little 3" x 21" with a Norton 80 grit belt that was on clearance:

 

[deltaplex]

This is after about 20 mins on some course SiC stones I've got, this actually helped flatten one and scraped some gunk off another:

 

[deltaplex]

Quick summary of things after most of the macro work is done: I wasn't necessarily going to re-handle this one, but now that I've taken some bites out of the scales, I'll re-handle both with some black walnut I've got and some corbys to learn how that process goes. I took a little too much off the LH side guard when trying to thin it and move it up to accommodate the ~2.5mm I had to move the edge up to get the chip out. So I'll correct that and smooth out the bolster before it's done. I'm going to thin it and cut in the secondary bevel(s) with some 120 grit on the belts and then hand sand it to, I dunno, probably 1000. The smaller of the two will get it's own section, but it's in much better shape for quick use and I'll mess around with it to see what stone(s) suit it's edge best. I'll try to not have the time between updates be too long, but my time for knife work is the first thing to get bumped by life, so we shall see.

 

[ethompson]

Awesome!

 

[Benuser]

Great work! That chip is a shame, otherwise it looks in good shape. The advantage though of removing all the steel is in the fresh steel who got freed, not having suffered from years of steeling. Most work will be obviously the thinning. Those carbons take and hold very polished, strongly convexed edges, if the temper is intact. I maintain mines with an 8k.

 

[deltaplex]

Next up is the 7" that was in decidedly better shape:

 

[deltaplex]

This is after the first round of clean up. I started hoping to just get away with some 3M 120 grit on the detail sander, but there was some depth to portions of the rust that required some time on the 80 grit belts. This is post belt, with some effort put in to buff out the deepest scratches using the detail sander:

 

[deltaplex]

This is after time downstairs to start bringing the tip back to pointy and put a fresh edge on with a washita. It's going in the drawer now to see how long the edge holds up and to get used to it before my new (to me) drill press comes in and I can tackle the double re-handle for these two:

 

[deltaplex]

Next up will be the thinning/profiling/sharpening required for the 9" and then putting in some board time with it to verify. Once they're both tuned in based on how they cut, it'll be time to tackle the re-handle and then I'll do the long work to get them both sanded and finished up; fun times.

 

[Benuser]

This is after the first round of clean up. I started hoping to just get away with some 3M 120 grit on the detail sander, but there was some depth to portions of the rust that required some time on the 80 grit belts. This is post belt, with some effort put in to buff out the deepest scratches using the detail sander:

View attachment 186703View attachment 186704View attachment 186705

Is it me, or has the tip moved too high?

 

[Ericfg]

Just found this good thread. Nice work so far DeltaP! IM very HO 80 grit is a bit harsh for the blade faces, but I'm guessing you're going for a very uniform and polished finish. But that's also just personal preference and subjective as well. 80g is certainly required for that chip removal. Good luck with the corby's and the walnut scales. I used walnut on at least two of my rehandles and am very satisfied with the results.
Also, thanks for the very detailed and informative post. It's so much more fun to watch a work in progress rather than a post with just one before and one after shot.

 

[deltaplex]

Is it me, or has the tip moved too high?

That's my thinking, and why I'm adjusting it from the spine. Since I more or less just sanded and sharpened the 7" I've noticed some slight edge frowns along the length that I'll get out with the next round on the stones, and I'll continue to adjust the tip down.

 

[Benuser]

That's my thinking, and why I'm adjusting it from the spine. Since I more or less just sanded and sharpened the 7" I've noticed some slight edge frowns along the length that I'll get out with the next round on the stones, and I'll continue to adjust the tip down.

Thanks! Both the high tip and the frown are very common, and due to poor steeling.

 

[Ericfg]

Any updates on these projects?

 

[deltaplex]

Any updates on these projects?

Yes! I'll get some pics up today: The smaller one has been in rotation and is just about to come out to get the heel frown and tip corrected, and then to get a re-handle done. The larger one has had the handle scales removed and the guard thinned down, I'll post both with what's remaining on each.

 

[deltaplex]

Smaller (just stropped it on my jeans and it was still cutting arm hair, so it'll stay in for at least a little bit longer):

 

[deltaplex]

Larger, still needs:
- Blade thinning
- Blade sanding
- Sharpening
- Low spots on the tang ground out/tang symmetrical
- Bolster either reshaped back into it's original oval or those facets cut in while thinning the guard fully flattened and then that geometry flowing into the handle scales
- Tang holes enlarged to accommodate corbys
- Scales shaped and sanded
- Scales attached
- Scales oiled
That's (hopefully) everything. Should be 10-20 hours active time to complete, and I'm working it in amongst several other things in progress.

 

[deltaplex]

I'll try to update this in reasonable stages as I am finally making slow progress on things again. I want to get at least the 9" finished and then I'll probably work the 7" (matching) re-handle and refurb in between some of the knives I'll be completing for my other WIP post.

So this is the bulk of the tang and bolster clean up I had planned prior to enlarging the holes in the tang to accommodate whatever kind of of pin/rivet I end up using (still torn on how large the corbys are on this handle).

All of my powered tools are still in staging for reconfiguration, so I did all the stock removal using course SiC stones + loose SiC powder.

Here's what ended up being the tool of choice for adding some convexity back to the bolster sides that I cut facets in when reducing the guard.

I can recommend not choosing to reduce the guard how I did for this one, I think I'd just use a file on the lower third to get it back in line with the heel profile, if I were to do this again. I'd also consider a powered rotary tool, since that seems to be a common recommendation for doing this kind of work quickly and easily. I've got a little more work on one side of the bolster to be happy with it, but I think I'm likely to start thinning the blade as the next step and adding in the additional bolster work as part of the handle install and shaping

 

[Ericfg]

I'd also consider a powered rotary tool, since that seems to be a common recommendation for doing this kind of work quickly and easily.

Thanks for the update. Looking good so far. As far as rotary tools go I use mine a lot less now. I'd say I use a larger, round sanding belt in the drill press, and coarse grit on tiles for most of the heavy lifting, and then by hand for the finer stuff.