I acquired this Cold Steel TAC II at auction recently. The manufacturer's site says this blade is made from "Japanese AUS8A" steel.
It has some kind of dark residue on its surface. I tried different solvents to clean this blade:
- Soap and water
- Bar Keepers Friend
- Acetone
- I also tried blasting the blade with a camping torch for a few minutes.
It looks better than how it arrived, but it still has a mystery residue and discoloration along the entire surface.
Is there a way to clean or restore this blade to its original luster?
by charlies-ghost
4 Comments
It’s patina. Most folks would just embrace it. I suppose you could try some simple green or WD40 and some fine steel wool.
Yes, it’s patina … it won’t work without mechanically removing the surface, using steel wool or sandpaper.
Camping torch? Dude, you might have taken the temper out. Don’t do that.
Ultrasonic would clean the surface and keep the patina