'Nother newbie question, and ramblings.

[humminboid]

I wish this forum and the expertise had been around earlier. Growing up, the only custom knifemaker I knew about was another Florida boy, Bo Randall. 'Course, we didn't have a phone or tv, let alone a computer, and the Inet was 40+ years away.

I nearly ordered a Randall in college, when I got a tax refund, but my roommate said " I would NEVER spend $60 on ANY knife!" It seemed a good argument at the time, as I only had about $2.50 a month for social activities. Eating seemed a better alternative. If only.... But I probably would have ruined the blade back then.

My knifemaking attempts started in high school machine shop, when a friend made a small knife with Manatee bone handle.

I had picked up a Navy knife somewhere, and had broken the tip, throwing it at the Coconut Palm in our front yard. I ground the blade to a drop point , bent the guard to a slight "S" shape,(VERY cool) and stacked lucite plastic pieces in clear and fluorescent orange for the handle. I hammered a piece of aluminum onto the tang for a pommel, then shaped it. WOOF! Crude, but UGGGLY! The blade was so hard, I couldn't sharpen it.
That cured me for a while...but here I am. We will see where this goes.

My knife collection is tiny, and are all user production knives. Bought one custom knife, didn't like it, gave it to my son-in-law, who loves it.

I confess a liking for brass guards and pommels, but they do tarnish. Can anyone suggest a brass polish that will offer some tarnish prevention, too?

I also have an old brass Aladdin kerosene lamp that I am refurbishing... It has a few tarnish spots. Would the above polish be appropriate to use on the lamp?

Thanks.

[ranger1]

Bad call on the randall.As for brass brasso works great,it did for 8 years in the army.No polish will stop brass from tarnishing it comes from contact with such things as air and moisture.You can seal the brass with a clear coat to protect it but it too will wear off(in spots and look like crap so your back to polishing).I kind of like the tarnished brass look on blades that have a good patina.Makes them have that periode look.

[Ray Rogers]

What Ranger1 said but I'd use the Brasso and then wax it with Renaissance Wax. The wax will wear off too but it won't be as obvious about it as some of the harder coatings can be ...

[Doug Lester]

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. I visited Randal when I was stationed in Orlando but my wife talked me out of it.

Doug Lester