Thank you for your reply, Detlef.
I'm still somewhat unsure of the nature of the surface. My experience with rust is that it is a pitting phenomenon, rather than an accretion, which seems to be what I'm seeing here.
I acknowledge the often blackened surfaces of some African blades, but I do not possess any like that, except possibly this example, so I'm not in a position to speak with any authority.
It's my understanding that there are alternating viewpoints on cleaning blades, perhaps especially African blades. Some prefer total scrub down to the bare metal; some prefer using the contrasting surfaces to heighten the drama, so to speak, of the design. Mangbetu axes fall into this category for me; I do prefer the highlighting effect of an artful partial cleaning, though I have no idea what those who originated the artifact would consider proper.
For the blade in question, I'm sure partial cleaning of the loop handle would serve to bring out the elegant pattern, but once that is done, I imagine the blade itself would need to be cleaned in its entirety - it does not seem to lend itself to "highlighting".
Is there any particular solvent that would be most useful in removing "patinated rust", should I come to a decision to do so?
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