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Originally Posted by blue lander
Thank you for that link, its given me a lot to think about. On the one hand, I believe the blade is more aesthetically pleasing without the black patina as it better allows you to see the craftsmanship and decorations. On the other hand, by removing the patina you're erasing a chapter of the history of the item. On the third hand, if the chapter you're erasing says "this item was stored improperly and allows to degrade," maybe that chapter should be erased.
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Extremely well said!!!
Patination on historic weapons is effectively history itself emblazoned onto the weapon itself. It is of course prudent to remove and stabilize any active rust or corrosion, however restraint is the byword in treatment of these icons of history.
Also well noted, forensically, a weapon often reflects variation in the areas of aging, wear and rust or corrosion. In many cases, a weapon has been removed from conditions in which it may have been for a long time, and has thus been exposed to new and more harmful circumstances.