SURPRISE! Wootz Steel in a Most Unexpected Place!...An Aceh Podang/Peudueng

[Interested Party]

Originally Posted by TVV

- Clean the blade with soap and water and dry it out, then clean it again with alcohol to remove any residue of dirt, wax, oil or whatever may have been applied to it in the past;
- Dilute wine vinegar in warm water in 1:4 ratio of vinegar to water;
- Use the mild acid to dip the blade into and leave for half an hour, then check for a pattern, or, if the blade is too long and you do not have an appropriate size container, rub in the acid and see if a pattern starts to appear.

There are other acids, which would probably produce better results, but vinegar is easy to obtain and not really dangerous (no toxic fumes and if you get it on yourself, you won't be harmed), which is why I have opted for it.

1) Have you tried acetone as a cleaner? Or is there a downside or chemical reaction I haven't anticipated?

2)Why dilute the acid? It is only 5 or 7% to begin with? Is this to increase the working time? IF you are doing the brush on method, would you leave it undiluted?

[gp]

Originally Posted by Interested Party

1) Have you tried acetone as a cleaner? Or is there a downside or chemical reaction I haven't anticipated?

I was just thinking the same; a professional arms restorer ( to several museums) did advise me the same regarding my collection:
to clean use first acetone and secondly renaissance wax.

My experence: it does work excellently on my yataghans, bichaqs and few Indonesian cold weapons I do have.

[Ren Ren]

I am impressed! This is one of two amazing swords from Aceh that I have seen!

The first sword I saw had the original old English mark under languet .