Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Larks · 20th January 2019, 08:28 AM

Thank you for the responses Alan and David and thank you for the PM’s and the offer of assistance with it Alan.

I confess that I’d been looking at the preservation of this in a purely Western manner and had not given consideration to the spirit of the blade in neglecting it.

I am working away from home, (working in Canberra, home is South East Queensland), so I don’t have the dimensions to hand but will get them this weekend when I head home for the long weekend and will post them here.

I am thinking now that I will also bring it back to Canberra with me next week and will follow your advice on bringing it back to life in so far as I can. Alan I will email you when I have it back here.

In regards the vinegar soaking for rust removal, if it’s of interest to anyone as an alternative: I’ve restored a number of artefacts in the past, including firearms, and have had great success with soaking in molasses and water for removing rust, even heavily rusted items.

I’d thought to do similar with the blade but was loath to do so with the hilt still attached, however I gather from your posts that removing the hilt and cup isn’t a difficult or damaging process?? Is there a method for doing it properly and sympathetically?

Oh and I do believe that my friend was talking of hilt collecting as a specific and somewhat interest in Jakarta, but I took that to be referring to particularly old hilts which had indeed survived their blades. However this is back in the early 90’s so my memory of the conversation may have dimmed over that time.

20th January 2019, 08:28 AM	#4
Larks Member Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Sth East Queensland Australia Posts: 10	Thank you for the responses Alan and David and thank you for the PM’s and the offer of assistance with it Alan. I confess that I’d been looking at the preservation of this in a purely Western manner and had not given consideration to the spirit of the blade in neglecting it. I am working away from home, (working in Canberra, home is South East Queensland), so I don’t have the dimensions to hand but will get them this weekend when I head home for the long weekend and will post them here. I am thinking now that I will also bring it back to Canberra with me next week and will follow your advice on bringing it back to life in so far as I can. Alan I will email you when I have it back here. In regards the vinegar soaking for rust removal, if it’s of interest to anyone as an alternative: I’ve restored a number of artefacts in the past, including firearms, and have had great success with soaking in molasses and water for removing rust, even heavily rusted items. I’d thought to do similar with the blade but was loath to do so with the hilt still attached, however I gather from your posts that removing the hilt and cup isn’t a difficult or damaging process?? Is there a method for doing it properly and sympathetically? Oh and I do believe that my friend was talking of hilt collecting as a specific and somewhat interest in Jakarta, but I took that to be referring to particularly old hilts which had indeed survived their blades. However this is back in the early 90’s so my memory of the conversation may have dimmed over that time.