Post 26 of the Omani Khanjar indicates Quote" Funnily enough cleaning khanjars is not as difficult as it seems ~ The quickest way is with a brass brush ! which sounds aggressive but its not as the brass bristles which are softer than silver only takes away the silver oxidation and polishes the silver without a scratch. See
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...omani+khanjars
Sapun Rita.
The silversmith uses an enhanced method for example on stitched silver belts which are first cleaned in a solution called "sapun rita" (sapun means soap..see next para for how this is prepared) a smooth flat headed hammer is pressed firmly onto the silver decoration and pushed along the belt with moderate force...Burnished ... Cleaning the khanjar is a peculiar operation which sounds a bit majical ~
Sapun Rita is prepared by setting fire to a rita berry which when dropped into water disolves immediately forming a burnishing solution..into which the khanjar is dipped then brushed vigourously and given the mallet press treatment as above. It is a long lasting polish technique suited to filigree and needleworked silver stitching on Khanjar scabbard and belt.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.