Old knife from period of the Anglo-Zulu Wars

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Kmaddock

As to cleaning I would not do anything to it looks great as is.

Hello Ken,

You're not really serious?
The blade shows encrusted rust at the base as the iron binding on the handle as well, to preserve such a nice knife for future generations this should get removed. The wood looks extremely dry, Ian stated this as well, so it needs to get oiled, for the same reason, to preserve it before it falls apart piece after piece.
The surface from the pommel looks very dirty on the pic, when you display antiques you will know that insects leave their residues everywhere, dust covers wood after one week already, many collectors don't care enough (in museums sometimes also) for their items. Cleaning the wood with oil rubbing helps to preserve the wood.
The bullen nails will be from brass as well the finer binding in up from the handle, to polish it up a little bit will show why they were attached originally.
The blade can receive an oil rubbing with 000 steel wool, with this you don't remove the partly black surface but flash rust the blade has received in the last decades.
You don't destroy the patination but highlight them IMVHO.

To leave it in this state doesn't help to preserve it and it doesn't enjoy the eyes when you look at it.

Regards,
Detlef