Sager double bit

[William Smith]

I recently found a Sager double bit at a junk store and picked it up for $10. Cleaned the head in white vinegar with a toothbrush to get the Rust off. Worked fantastic. Now, if I polish it to make the steel shine, will the black heat treated ends stay black or lose there color? My first time at a restoration. I also got a Genuine Norlund a little while back for $15 that's almost mint that I am going to leave as is. It works great though. Really holds an edge.

 

[A17]

I think the ends will lose their color if they're hit with any type of abrasive material.

 

[garry3]

Might be kind of interesting if that is a soft wrought or similar body with a steel bit. I would like to know how it works out for you.

 

[ithinkverydeeply]

I concur, it ought to just fine with sufficient abrasion and almost certainly if you bring it to a polished finish.

I think I had already started sanding these in this photo but I had vinegar soaked these and the temper lines were pronounced, it gives you some idea how bad they were.

 

[Hickory n steel]

I recently found a Sager double bit at a junk store and picked it up for $10. Cleaned the head in white vinegar with a toothbrush to get the Rust off. Worked fantastic. Now, if I polish it to make the steel shine, will the black heat treated ends stay black or lose there color? My first time at a restoration. I also got a Genuine Norlund a little while back for $15 that's almost mint that I am going to leave as is. It works great though. Really holds an edge.

I'd just take a wire wheel to it to remove that ugly dull grey color vinegar gives the steel.
Why polish up a vintage tool , bright and shiny what things are before they get appreciated through the purpose they were made for.
And it will never truly look new anyways, you'd have to remove too much steel to get a true mirror polish.

 

[William Smith]

Thank you hickory.

 

[William Smith]

I think the ends will lose their color if they're hit with any type of abrasive material.

Thanks

 

[William Smith]

I concur, it ought to just fine with sufficient abrasion and almost certainly if you bring it to a polished finish.

I think I had already started sanding these in this photo but I had vinegar soaked these and the temper lines were pronounced, it gives you some idea how bad they were.

Thank you

 

[Larry in Bend]

Good luck with that Sager. In the early 90s a forester where I worked gifted me an old Sager double bitted axe. It was in sad shape but the forester insisted it was of excellent steel so I rehung it and polished the blade. I also made a leather sheath for it. It's a "reversible" model. The forester was right. It has excellent steel.

 

[Whiskey_Jim]

Leave the vintage Sager alone and find something more pedestrian to give a spot shine to