Here it is after some TLC. 83' 2nd American blade collectors association Parker cutlery lockback.
Found this last week at an antique shop, didn't have the spare money but loved it the second I saw it. Went back and got it today, did a bit of research, turns it out goes from 100-375 in recent sales in the past 2 years, I paid 35$. Mother of pearl handle scales, nickel silver bolsters, probably hard as fuck 440c.
I ended up removing the scales, sanding them and the adhesive off, epoxied em back after cleaning the edge of the bolsters, as well as hand polishing with 15k grit diamond paste .5 micron? (Idk it's good shit, it's all in Chinese though) I used more to have polish the scales, and the side opposite the branding. Gave just a few passes on branded side of the blade and practically everything is scratch free. Even the spring side. I used a felted jelwrey hammer I have to lightly tap on the bolsters to tighten a bit, it's rock solid with no wiggle or up and down.
Gave it a bit of lubricant, taped the edge, and opened and closed that bitch for any 10 minutes straight, idk I zoned. But full close to full open, and now it's pretty smooth opening, it snaps out, acts as a half stop, and is starting to snap closed.
Put a 18 degree freehand angle on it 320>600>800>1k. The first 320 and 600 stones were almost chippy. It's interesting. The burr and sharpening acts like this thing is hard as fuck, the diamonds hardly bit, it took a while to get angle established, and this is the first time I've have a burr shear off in chips and pieces. If I had to guess it's just really hard 440c.
Anyways, I was considering selling it, but I've decided against that, and now I think I might genuinely throw it in to my edc rotation. I love the blade style, and honestly it's I've of if not the most gorgeous little traditional knife I've come across. It's subjective but still. Thanks for reading, if you read this far, would you put it up for sale, keep it up put it up? It won't be on display. Or would you actually do the insane and use a nice little piece like this? Very much could be a solid little piece.