I found a cleaver in the back of the shed

[Redwall]

So I found this badboy in the back of the shed:

Started cleaning up the blade today, a good treatment with the file brought the blade back to a rough edge but at least one free of dings. Been working for a little while on the faces now but it's become clear that the handle needs to come off.

I've never done anything with stick tangs before, how do I get it off, do I buy or make a new handle and how to a reattach it? It looks like there is a rivet type thing hammered over on the end of the handle.

 

[fishfish]

yep thats a peened tang,normally i would just fille it off and the handle will slip off ,maybe with a little help, would be nice to get a new one turned by a wood turner.

 

[Samon]

sweet find! I'd love an unexplored shed to root through

saying that, I found an old cleaver in my loft that I had used to fit floor boards to shape when I was making it into a shooting room. However, I chopped it up into a throwing knife! was fun too

are you gona give it a vinegar bath and polish it up? or keep it rustic?

 

[Redwall]

sweet find! I'd love an unexplored shed to root through

saying that, I found an old cleaver in my loft that I had used to fit floor boards to shape when I was making it into a shooting room. However, I chopped it up into a throwing knife! was fun too

are you gona give it a vinegar bath and polish it up? or keep it rustic?

My granddad's shed is a veritable treasure trove. I found tools that I never knew existed. This has been used to split logs and the top is flattened from being beaten on.

I've been sort of debating that really, I've taken one side back to a tidy rustic but there is still some pitting. Is a vinegar bath as simple as it sounds and what are the effects like?

 

[Samon]

vinegar will remove flakey and course surface rust, let it soak for a few days (submerged in standard chip vinegar in a tray) then give it a wire brushing and a proper clean in soapy water afterwards and it will take off any unwanted surface crud. Then you can proceed to any proper polishing if you wanted to, but I think it will only need the vinegar as the pitting looks great!

Mine was trashed after my loft job! but was only a cheapo stainless one from an old set I had.. this is it..

If you did want to make your cleaver shiny, you will need a drill, angle grinder or bench grinder and some polishing wheels and compounds.