What blade steel? Most are "fixable" so depends. If the knife can be taken apart and fully refinished that is one possibility. Many options, can you post a pic so we can see the overall build?
Wet forming leather I've used electrical PVC or duct type tapes on the blade to provide a barrier layer.
Granted we improve as the years pass so early pieces tend to make us cringe when we see them many years later. As far as seconds, no, I don't let those out. I'll rework till I feel it is acceptable. The early ones I let my mentors evaluate before putting up for sale.
I have a small accumulation of knives that I kept when they don't make the criteria. These were folders where I've messed up some critical spec that alters the blade arc, closure or lock aspects.
Don't toss them because at some point you'll have the ingenuity to make those unique characteristics work.
