Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Ian · 5th May 2023, 01:18 PM

Ip,

Now that you have epoxied the hilt to the tang I would not try to undo it. The risk of trauma to the hilt is considerable. As long as the hilt is fixed firmly in the correct orientation, I'd leave it be.

This is an old blade and I would go slowly in cleaning and polishing it. I'm not a big fan of using hydrochloric acid (aka muriatic acid) which I believe is the active ingredient in Evapo-rust. I prefer mechanical removal of rust or stains. I would start with 220 grit sandpaper to get the rust off, then move to 400 and 800 grit for polishing. The sandpaper won't get in every little nook and cranny but I think it is safer than cleaning with a very strong acid.

To etch, a lot of people use ferric chloride (the circuit board etchant that Rick referred to). It gives a good result, although the darker areas can take on brown tones which some people dislike. Alternatives are lime or lemon juice, or vinegar. These take longer than ferric chloride to do the job. Vinegar (acetic acid) also work well but not always. Nital is hard to get. Suppliers are reluctant to ship it in concentrations of 5% or greater because it is potentially explosive. You may need to be a chemist or work for a steel company or university to get your hands on some in the U.S. It is also strongly acidic and must be handled carefully.

Don't forget the hilt. The brass ferrule needs a polish and the banati(?) wood hilt could do with a gentle clean with soap and water and a little teak oil to stop it drying out and cracking. Once the oil has penetrated, I usually seal the hilt with a micro-silicon wax (e.g. Renaissance Wax).

Good luck and I look forward to seeing the result!

5th May 2023, 01:18 PM	#4
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,361	Ip, Now that you have epoxied the hilt to the tang I would not try to undo it. The risk of trauma to the hilt is considerable. As long as the hilt is fixed firmly in the correct orientation, I'd leave it be. This is an old blade and I would go slowly in cleaning and polishing it. I'm not a big fan of using hydrochloric acid (aka muriatic acid) which I believe is the active ingredient in Evapo-rust. I prefer mechanical removal of rust or stains. I would start with 220 grit sandpaper to get the rust off, then move to 400 and 800 grit for polishing. The sandpaper won't get in every little nook and cranny but I think it is safer than cleaning with a very strong acid. To etch, a lot of people use ferric chloride (the circuit board etchant that Rick referred to). It gives a good result, although the darker areas can take on brown tones which some people dislike. Alternatives are lime or lemon juice, or vinegar. These take longer than ferric chloride to do the job. Vinegar (acetic acid) also work well but not always. Nital is hard to get. Suppliers are reluctant to ship it in concentrations of 5% or greater because it is potentially explosive. You may need to be a chemist or work for a steel company or university to get your hands on some in the U.S. It is also strongly acidic and must be handled carefully. Don't forget the hilt. The brass ferrule needs a polish and the banati(?) wood hilt could do with a gentle clean with soap and water and a little teak oil to stop it drying out and cracking. Once the oil has penetrated, I usually seal the hilt with a micro-silicon wax (e.g. Renaissance Wax). Good luck and I look forward to seeing the result!