I'm the first to admit that I enjoy nothing more then taking an old knfe and making it shine again. It's very relaxing to me to do this. Saying that, I have found that I've regreted doing that to some, if not most of my found knives. Yes they clean up well, and yes they are more appealing to look at on display, but they seem to loose some of their beauty and character when this happens.
All of our knives tell a story. They, just like us, all have their own pasts, places in forging out their own history.
I tend to take pride in some of my scars I've "earned" in the past. Why would I want to rob any knife that I may have of theirs?
I found a few knives today that caught my eye. The thing that drew me to them was not the shiny scales or bolsters, it was the history that they presented in their rough condition. The rust is part of their beauty, history, and character.
I love their rust! It tells a story in itself! I will put them in the display case and let others see the obvious years it served its owner.
Keep the rust, keep the history.