How to look after wootz blade

[Sikh_soldier]

Hi everyone,

I am a new member and am very interested in the collection of indo persian weapons (especially edged) such as the katar image attached (not mine :( )

I am looking for advice on how to care for indo persian blades especially those with wootz blades as i am awaiting the delivery of a wootz tulwar.

much appreciated thanks

[Lee]

Unfortunately, when new members come to the forums, their posts are delayed and then may be missed as I fear this one has been.

Personally, I tend to try and do as little as possible to these blades. Active rust may be removed with the edge of a copper coin and I have found that very, very fine steel wool moistened with light oil will also do some cleaning of wootz without too much brightening or loss of patination. A few coats of microcrystalline wax, ocassionally refreshed, will then protect the blade and allow reasonable handling.

I have never ventured into experimenting with the light etch followed by restaining advocated by some.

[Battara]

I would say it would depend on the condition of the wootz. If wootz is say Persian and needs repolishing, then get someone (Phillip Tom) to do it. If only restaining, then that is another question (I or you could do that). If good enough to be seen, then microcrystallin wax like Lee says is fine. Post when you get the puppy in.

[ALEX]

I have never ventured into experimenting with the light etch followed by restaining advocated by some.

Lew, please forgive my ignorance and lack of knowledge - I am not familiar with the term "restaining". May you clarify it?
Also, every time I try to clean rusty spot(s) by any mechanical method(s) I end up having a zebra-like wootz blade covered with light and dark spots, so I personally prefer to clean/lightly polish the whole blade evenly, and re-etch it. Most of the times the end result is more attractive and even-patterned blade. You'll hate me for saying this, but in these cases the aesthetic appeal takes over the historic preservation concept. Sometimes I just can not help to find out what the pattern will look after cleaning and etching... Hey, look at most famous old paintings - many were restored, I've never heard a concept of not touching an original painting or a sculpture or a building to "preserve its history". In addition, is beautiful wootz blade is not the same or even better work of art after it is polished/etched to reveal it's original beautiful pattern? It is granted that it MUST be done by someone who knows what he/she is doing!!!!!!!!!

[Lew]

Hi All

First I agree with Lee 0000 steel wool is great for removing any light surface rust. I do not like using any type of wax on wootz blades they have a tendency of cleaning or removing some of the etch from the blade. I would only use a good oil. Mineral oil is ok for starts a light coating will do make sure to wipe off the excess oil from the blade. Alex yor jambiyas etch is fine so I would not fool with it just a bit of oil will be fine. The only time I will etch is if a have a rusty old blade which I want to check to see if it is wootz. After a good cleaning I apply a weak solution of ferric chloride to a 2 inch area and I wait to see if the pattern pops through. Some wootz blades have been so over polished over the years that they can actually loose there ability to have the pattern brought out.

Lew

[Jens Nordlunde]

All collectors are individualists; some clean their weapons and try to take them back to former glory, while others don’t do anything, or only clean a blade, reluctantly, if it is in a real bad shape. I guess I am in the middle, as I don’t mine some patina on a blade, but if it is too much I will clean the blade, and etch it if it watered. When I got my first tulwar (see Rawson: The Indian Sword. Danish Arms and Armour Society, Copenhagen, 1967. Page 46) it was patinated very patinated and not even evenly, only faint watering could be seen here and there. So to persuade myself that I had to clean the blade was fairly easy, and to try and etch the blade was a logical consequence of the cleaning. For those of you who have the above-mentioned book, it will be clear what a difference it made to the blade.

[Sikh_soldier]

thanks all for your posts it is much appreciated,

i wanted to just preserve the blade rather than any serious work as i am not up to that kind of task!!

which mineral oil will be best ( i am from the uk)

thanks again

[kronckew]

thanks all for your posts it is much appreciated,

i wanted to just preserve the blade rather than any serious work as i am not up to that kind of task!!

which mineral oil will be best ( i am from the uk)

thanks again

i get mine from boots or asda, tesco's etc. the bottle reads 'baby oil' and i get the unscented kind & add a drop or two of boot's pure clove oil for a bit of aroma therapy.

mineral oil=paraffinum liquidum=baby oil

[Sikh_soldier]

thanks for all the suggestions

i was wondering could you use a samurai sword cleaning kit