stevem49 Posted 14 June , 2007 Share Posted 14 June , 2007 A friend of mine who collects such things wants to remove rust from the blade. Do any experts have any ideas please. stevem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob B Posted 14 June , 2007 Share Posted 14 June , 2007 Steve I would be careful as many dress swords and certainly the First War period swords were plated and if the rust is through then the cleaning will lift the plate off the blade. I suggest WD40 to clean it up and arrest the rust and if he wants to make it parade ground acceptable then its back to a specialist who will take it back to basics and dip it. I suggest oil and then lovingly polish it up, if it has a leather scabbard polish that. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem49 Posted 14 June , 2007 Author Share Posted 14 June , 2007 Many thanks. I will let him know. I think he just wanted to remove the rust but not have it pristine again. stevem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 14 June , 2007 Share Posted 14 June , 2007 A friend who worked at an armourer's (civilian) would get good results from soaking the blades in WD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 14 June , 2007 Share Posted 14 June , 2007 Dont use WD40 if its likely to get anywhere apart from the blade. A standard British Army officers sword won't be plated and you can generally tell if it has been. if its plated and rusted then its to late. I gently rub with Autosol Chrome and metal polish, available from Halfords. Find an area of rust and very gently apply the paste. Leaving rust won't work whatever application you use on it and never leave WD40 on it and slide into the scabbard.. the blade is designed to be cleaned. Do not use wire wool or harsh abrasives. Do not try cleaning or doing anything with the grip. But I will probably be shouted down (cleaned dozens of blades with no problem) everyone ones an expert. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 14 June , 2007 Share Posted 14 June , 2007 I demur to greater experience! (In own defence, I didn't advocate soaking the whole sword, but never saw him actually do it, just the results..) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem49 Posted 14 June , 2007 Author Share Posted 14 June , 2007 Thanks to everyone - I will let him have the details. It does though seem in good condition for its age (wish I was ) stevem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walrus Posted 14 June , 2007 Share Posted 14 June , 2007 Is this loose rust standing proud (hydroxide) or is it discolouration and or pitting? Loose rust is irretrevable. To remove the loose rust try a nylon toothbrush, this should remove the worst of it, the rest can be removed with small quantities of fine (0000 grade) wire wool wrapped on a wooden kebab skewer to form a swab used in conjunction with an inhibited oil. Once the loose material has been removed, the remainder can be treated with appropriate 'chelates' (chemicals which 'lock onto' and remove the metal ions in the oxide). The cleaned blade should be treated with microcrystaline wax. If your friend can afford it, get him to "bite the bullet" and take the sword to a professional conservator. Tom the Walrus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hill 60 Posted 30 June , 2007 Share Posted 30 June , 2007 May I suggest joining the Sword International Forum ( SFI ) and asking there? I have been a member of this forum for a while (Scottish basket-hilt swords and dirks are my interests) and I have had masses of help from some real experts in the field of swords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjustice Posted 30 June , 2007 Share Posted 30 June , 2007 As an aside. I can remember my father quoting my grandfather as discussing the process of visiting estaminets of a highly dubious nature in France after 1918. He referred to the activities as "cleaning the rusty sword". Apologies for parachuting into the thread and I say no more! Kind Regards, SMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilW Posted 30 June , 2007 Share Posted 30 June , 2007 ""cleaning the rusty sword". Made me smile - and I bet not much WD40 was involved!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem49 Posted 1 July , 2007 Author Share Posted 1 July , 2007 He actually found a guy locally who is a professional cleaner/restorer. His swords are now looking lovely ! stevem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 1 July , 2007 Share Posted 1 July , 2007 please try google here on GWF as we had some great threads about preserving rusted artifacts in the past; there were detailed description on what to do -and it worked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithmaps Posted 1 July , 2007 Share Posted 1 July , 2007 WD 40 (Working Days 40) should not be left on anything, as it is not a rust preventer and is not designed as such. In fact it will attract moisture over time and make matters worse. I sprayed a surface plate with WD 40, and when I came back to it some months later it was red rust. I cleaned it, and gave it a rub with ordinary engine oil, and it has remained clean. Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walrus Posted 2 July , 2007 Share Posted 2 July , 2007 The sword may appear bright now, but, unless the blade is protected, there will be patination or, indeed, rusting of the blade over time. I would suggest regular applications of microcrystaline wax (Rennaissance Wax is the most common), this should give some degree of protection (and is esier to maintain than an air-tight display box and vapour phase inhibitors. Tom t W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
healdav Posted 2 July , 2007 Share Posted 2 July , 2007 I have used a varnish spray on a few things, not swords, after removing the surface rust. It seems to wotk OK, and can be removed easily if necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 2 July , 2007 Share Posted 2 July , 2007 http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...ost&p=19236 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walrus Posted 3 July , 2007 Share Posted 3 July , 2007 I would recommend against the use of lacquers and varnishes. Tom t W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loganshort Posted 3 July , 2007 Share Posted 3 July , 2007 i used to brush on then polish with a thin coating of Zeebo grate polish which gives metal a lovely dark patina without totaly covering the natural surface colour. Zeebo is no longer available and the substitutes seem to be made of a water based material which might do more harm to the metal than Zeebo did! anyone know of a better subsitute for the good old Zeebo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 16 November , 2019 Share Posted 16 November , 2019 (edited) On 01/07/2007 at 08:00, Smithmaps said: WD 40 (Working Days 40) WD-40 is actually Water Displacement formula number 40 (Although Working Days seems appropriate given the amount of work being spoken of in this forum!). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD-40 It is designed specifically as a rust/corrosion inhibitor. Because of its light viscosity, WD-40 does not remain as long as the engine oil you applied. Your results are possibly from the WD-40 no longer being present to protect the metal, leaving it exposed. Edited 16 November , 2019 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 17 November , 2019 Share Posted 17 November , 2019 May I add, never use WD 40 to lubricate locks. Use powdered graphite, a bit messy by the right thing for for the right job. Irellevantly David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ndCMR Posted 17 November , 2019 Share Posted 17 November , 2019 (edited) Treatments obviously depend on the type of rusting. If small, well defined areas then careful work with dental picks can remove superficial scale, using a headset magnifier, good lighting, gloves to keep sweaty hands off other surfaces and a proper method of securing what is being worked on. Chemical rust removers are likely to leave a mat surface on previously polished areas, and will remove (often) all rusting down the bottom of pits. This may seem like a good thing, but is almost always not from a value and appearance perspective. Usually a rusted object has been oiled at some point and that oil is absorbed into the scale and remains there preventing chemical rust removers from penetrating. It is widely forgotten that metals are porous and before applying preservatives or oils it is wise to carefully use heat to drive the moisture out of the pores so that the oils etc. can penetrate into those spaces and fill them, hopefully preventing the future ingress of moisture. As pointed out, distillates and solvents of various kinds will help to soften and loosen scale, but this is of limited value if it cannot be removed. Some have gone as far as 600+ grit emery paper on blades, best used wetted with light oil, but this pretty much means the blade will be in effect repolished, which is a questionable proceeding again from a point of view of value and appearance, not to mention honesty in some cases! In cases of light but widespread rusting, this may be the best option, though leaving well enough alone is usually the best one, however hard it is to resist the urge to "tinker"! Edited 17 November , 2019 by 2ndCMR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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