How to Restore a Rusty Draw Knife

A draw knife is a common woodworking hand tool used to slice large pieces of wood, such as in bark removal or shaping a cylinder before being put on a lathe. The tool consists of two handles, vertical handles with a horizontally placed blade in the middle. The woodworker straddles the wood or shave horse, then pulls the draw knife toward him to remove a strip of wood. They can be used to create straight, convex, concave and split cuts. Rusty draw knives need to be restored in order to work effectively because rust dulls the blade.

Shallow pan or dish
White distilled vinegar
Rags
#0000 steel wool pad
Metal polish
Lubricating spray or oil

Instructions

- 1
  Lay the draw knife in a shallow pan and pour white vinegar to cover the rusted metal pieces. The wood will not be damaged if covered in vinegar; vinegar will actually help to disinfect the wood.
- 2
  Allow the knife to soak in the vinegar bath for one hour. The vinegar will eat away at the rust, revealing a clean metal finish below.
- 3
  Use rags to rub the rust off the metal. You may need to scrub hard to remove the rust.
- 4
  Rub the #0000 steel wool pad over the metal to remove any persistent rust spots, using even strokes in one direction to prevent damage and scratches to the metal. A small amount of metal polish applied to the steel wool may increase its efficacy.
- 5
  Spray the metal with a lubricating spray or oil and gently rub into the metal with a soft cloth. The oil will help to deflect water and prevent future rust damage to your draw knife.

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