higher res pics of new daab

[Brian Biegler]

Took some better pics of a new daab i got in bangkok.

any suggestions on rust removal on this piece would be appreciated..do it? don't do it? best way to do it?

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/brianbiegler@sbcglobal.net/detail?.dir=a8ea&.dnm=3ea2.jpg&.src=ph

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/brianbiegler@sbcglobal.net/detail?.dir=a8ea&.dnm=5ba3.jpg&.src=ph

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/brianbiegler@sbcglobal.net/detail?.dir=a8ea&.dnm=1cd5.jpg&.src=ph

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/brianbiegler@sbcglobal.net/detail?.dir=a8ea&.dnm=c055.jpg&.src=ph

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/brianbiegler@sbcglobal.net/detail?.dir=a8ea&.dnm=332a.jpg&.src=ph

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/brianbiegler@sbcglobal.net/detail?.dir=a8ea&.dnm=b220.jpg&.src=ph

[Jens Nordlunde]

Congratulation to your daab.
Rust cleaning is close to being scientific, some would say, while others would say it is easy. Both parts can be right - that depends on the rust. Do yourself a favor, have a look at the old threads on the subject, it has been discussed a lot earlier.

Regards

Jens

[RhysMichael]

Active rusting should always be removed. Stains and patina are up to the sword owner whether to remove or not. I use flitz metal polish most times and for severe rusting I use wd40 and a fine steel wool or brass brush. I clean the surface with alcohol to remove any petroleum distilates left and then use rennaisance wax ( a microcrystaline not a parafin wax that is used by the royal armory ). There are many other ways just as good though and you need to as Jen said read more and decide
here is a good link on preservation

http://swordforum.com/articles/ams/conservation.php

[Mark]

That is pretty much what I do as well, except I use mineral spirits with fine steel wool instead of WD40. Definitely oil it afterword. I usually leave the patina in place if it is even, but try and polish it out with 600 or finer wet-dry sandpaper if it is very dark and blotch.

I was surprised to find out that your basic all-purpose metal polish, the kind you would use to clean brass candlesticks and copper pots and pans or the chrome on your boat, really takes the stains off a blade (I was using Twinkle brand, but I imagine that Brasso would work just as well). i was taking the oxidation off of some copper inlay and found that the blade itself started getting nice and shiny, too). The poor-man's blade polish.