estate find, I just picked these up and the model 15 is really rusty, It's hard to even read the stamp and there's a guys name on the other side I can't make out. Wondering if the shop could get it clean enough?
Registered: 09/14/05
Posts: 12682
Loc: Central Florida
Yeah Rob...I kinda' disagree with the ceracote idea as this is an early VietNam Airman in green tenite. Whatever is done...be gentle with that handle. IMO, Capt. Chris
Thank you fellas for the good information. I won't send it in. For now I gave it a coating of ballistol as I have had good luck with this product in the past for cleaning rust from guns and knives. I certainly won't want to make such a historic piece to be a user anyways.
Registered: 09/25/13
Posts: 1115
Loc: the other side of the earth
For the first time I see such a thrower, I don’t see it in the catalogs either, is it a single copy? In any case, very cool, congratulations on the find
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Here's my update. I kept it oiled all week and then cleaned the blade by scraping with another knife. It had some chunks of rust scaling which scraped off pretty easily and then I washed it in the sink with dish detergent, barkeeper's friend, and a pot scrubber. I did not want to use steel wool or scotch bright on this. The pot scrubber had been recommended to me by a gunsmith for cleaning gun blue also with oil. So I'm pretty happy with the way it looks now. I just wanted rid of those lumpy bits of rust that bubble up on the steel on something that's been sitting in moisture for so long. Also I should mention that the edge on this came clean and sharp with very little scraping. I'm not cleaning that thrower at all. It looks good enough the way it is for me.