Antique Rusty Cleaver - Restoration

My friend has found this rusty old cleaver on the steel waste. I really liked the unique look of it with the hook instead of a hole to hang it on the wall. As christmas holidays were just around to happen, I knew I had to pick a project that I have all the material ready in my shop, because everybody was in vacation. So i choose to restore this cleaver.
The disassembling was done very quickly, so was the sandblasting.
The original handle was held in place with the peened tang. I didn't really like the shape of the handle and I also didn't wanted to peen the handle again. Si I decided to make a more ergonomic nice looking handle. That's why I shortened the tang around 45mm and drilled three 5mm holes in it. That went very well as the tang wasn't hardened. Next I wanted to make it mirror polished. I startet with the belt sander to grind away all the pitting from the rust. Then it was time for hand sanding. I started with 120 grit, after all the scratches were gone from the belt sander I moved on with 240. Then 400, 1000 and 1200 at the end. I then had a fine enough surface to be able to mirror polish it on the cotton buffing wheel. It took quite some time to do that, but the end result came out absolutely amazing.
Moving on to the handle. I decided to make a three part sandwich. I started by making a spacer out of smoked oak. Cut out the shape of the tang and then glue it on to a piece of pear tree wood. Then I was able to file the spacer to the same tapered thickness of the tang. After gluing the other side of the handle on and drilling the holes for the rivets through I could start to rough shape the handle with a rasp.
I decided to make three screwable brass rivets. I applied some Loctite on the threads and tighten them together. After that I filed the slotted heads away, flush to the handle. Then it was time to give the handle a final sanding with 120, 240, 400 and 1000 grit and apply linseed oil for the final touch. And after sharpening this job was done completely.
I really liked to work on this cleaver. Mirror poilishing was a lot of work and also the work on the handle was quite challenging, but I really liked the end result and I think it speaks for itself.

I hope you like my work and the video.

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웅록 윤

My camera:
Panasonic HC-VX11

I payed a lot of attention on the lighting when filming this video and also the quality of the sound to create an ASMR style video.

If you have any questions about the process, machines i'm using or other stuff, just ask me in the comments. I read them all and i try to reply as soon as possible.

Sorry for my bad english, it's not my language. I try my best to improve my technical english.

Subscribe for more of my content. I'm uploading videos about mechanical stuff, as new creations and buildings and also restorations.

Thank you for watching :-)

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[exlibrisas]

"Doing rough handle shaping with a rasp".
Does perfect, full shape of the handle with a rasp.
He's too humble.

[wandererlife]

I wonder if this geezer instantly knows exactly what tool and technique he needs to use just from looking at a problem.
Because I can't help thinking that even if I had a workshop with all the tools he has, all the liquids and sandpaper, everything, I'd still spend forever staring at a rusty bit in an awkward place to get to, and I wouldn't have a clue what to do.
His skill lies in not just his techniques, but in being able to assess a problem and solve it in the most efficient way. I guess that's all from experience. I don't think this is something that you could learn how to do with a course in restoration. The man's a genius.

[SmokyVirus]

This is just content, no intro, no outro, just content. This is why this channel is great

[ghil]

Great result but I must admit I was a fan of the round handle it came with originally. Might not be ergonomic but it looked more like a medieval weapon that way, kinda badass.

[ObsidianParis]

9:00 I'm totally stunned by this part : turning beautiful, perfect, chamfered screws, to completely erase them afterward with a file ! I now just want to see somebody restore it again in 80 years and discover them while disassembling it. It's no longer a restored cleaver, it's now a piece of luxury. Kudos for surpassing yourself each time and surprising us in every video of yours. Thanks.

[TheColinChapman]

...compared to all other restoration channels and videos on Youtube, this guy has succeeded in making it an art.
he simply is in another league.

[jobo]

sandblasting is hands down, visually the most satisfying thing ever

[davidpetruic]

This gentleman's machinery skills are meticulous and incredibly precise it's so relaxing watching him work.

[linkinmylog]

Spends hours "roughing" handle with a rasp like a blacksmith from the 1500s then walks over to a mill lathe and perfectly machines false rivets... What a craftsman.

[jordanneal]

The rivet making part was mesmerizing...

[RandomDude]

This dude puts more effort into the restoration of things than half these places to do make them

[kova]

It’s nice to know that things like this can go back out there in the world and be recirculated instead of rusting away in some dusty forgotten about location. The circular economy is something I find truly beautiful when done right. I used to wonder why people at the flea market sold rusted axe heads with broken or no handle when I was younger about a couple of years ago and then I realised something that should of been obvious, I guess not from a 13 year old, and found out they can actually be brought back to life and possibly be used for indefinite amount of time as-long as they’re taken care of.

[RedDeadRestoration]

The result of that handle (done by hand) shows your craftsmanship. Absolutely brilliant as usual. Hats off 👏🏻

[Grommie]

When he slotted the heads of the rivets, I thought there was no way he was getting them flush, then I realized what he was going to do, and he did it. Amazing work

[Wizarddz]

Me at 2 am: please I want to go to sleep
Youtube: what to watch a guy repair a rusty knife?
Me: YES I DO

[RetroGore]

It’s crazy how much craftsmanship goes into making something as simple as a rivet

[not_a_paramedic]

There's no logical reason I should still be this impressed with your work...but here we are and still impressed 👏 🤯

[ugenefindley]

I really appreciate the added subtitles on what you were thinking in each step.

[ТимурАхметзянов-ъл]

new button on sandblasting, everything is perfect now

[BruceKarrde]

What's most cool for me in terms of progress if these videos, is making the screws and rivots yourself. I'm casual, I need screw, I go to the store. To see the made by 'hand' is really cool.