Quote:
|
Originally Posted by pinoy
Hi Ferguson, how much time did it take you to clean that spear head? Can you share how did you do it? I have some spears here which I am planning to clean then etch it after. Many thanks.
|
Pinoy,
I'll be happy to tell you how I did it, just proceed with caution so as not to ruin an antique. I spent about an hour cleaning and etching. My methods will probably not be approved of by some, and
shouldn't be used on an expensive or rare antique without more knowledge than I have.
Since I was planning to etch, I wasn't concerned about removing the patina. It had active rust and some slight pitting. I started sanding with 400 grit wet-or-dry silicon carbide sandpaper. After I had cleaned off the rust, I continued with 600, 800, 1000, and 1500 grit. This type of sandpaper is sold at auto parts stores and is used to sand car bodies for painting. It works better wet. I use spray window cleaner that contains ammonia. The high ph of the ammonia keeps the steel from rusting quickly like water would. The liquid keeps the sandpaper from loading up. You have to be careful not to round off any of the edges. If I'm sanding a sword, I will use a small wooden block to sand flat areas. You also have to be careful around the edge. I've cut myself pretty badly before when I slipped.
Steve Ferguson