Need help on cleaning rusty blade!!!

philkid · 23rd May 2005, 05:03 PM

Hi guys, I have a very old Moro kris keris. Just wanna ask if it is ok to soak it in kerosene so the rust can be removed? I have tried it with my bike parts before but I'm just making sure and ask you guys since most of you know a lot about sword restoration. If you have other methods, let me know. Thanks.

Henk · 23rd May 2005, 06:27 PM

You should soak it in lemon- or pineapple juice. Lemon juice gives the best and fastest result. And rub the blade every hour with a half lemon. That removes every time the layer of dissolved rust.

philkid · 23rd May 2005, 06:33 PM

Thanks. Sorry for sounding so dum, but can I use the lemon or pineapple juice that is being sold on supermarkets? The ones that have been canned or tetra packed? Plus how many hours do you think I will soak it? Thanks a lot.

Bill · 23rd May 2005, 06:51 PM

I wonder how coconut vineger would work. if it's really rusty it may take over a week, & that is if you keep brushing the rust off. may make the blade too dark?

philkid · 23rd May 2005, 08:09 PM

here are the pics of the sword.

Federico · 23rd May 2005, 09:27 PM

When you said rusty, I was expecting something that was more rust than sword, but this piece is in good condition. Lemon juice, vinegar, or any other juice that is acidic will remove rust, but it will also remove patina. So that can be a catch 22, depending whether or not you want the blade etched. The plus side, if the blade is laminated then it will show the lamination after etching. Just make sure to clean the blade of any grease/dirt before using the lemon juice. Kerosene would work with that, so would acetone (that is what I use). If you do not want to etch, with a blade in this good of condition, soaking it in a little WD-40 (or any other similar penetrating oil) and then scrubbing with #0000 steel wool should remove any active rust. Make sure it is at least #0000 steel wool or finer, as while it will remove rust, it will break off on the harder steel, and therefore not scratch the original finish. Anything coarser will scratch. Anyways, nice blade.

tom hyle · 24th May 2005, 12:55 PM

Yeah, that's in great shape; I'm tempted to say "just oil it and put a handle on" but there are a couple/few slightly crusty spots of active rust that should probably be removed. I also often use steel wool. Usually with light machine oil, or with alcohol (cheap and disolves hardened down oil; if you get isopropyl get the 90% kind; it's significantly better as a solvent). A word about steel wool though: It is usually softer than the blade, and certainly softer than corrosion patina (though it will attack hardened down oil, of course), and I use it myself, but some cutlers say the tiny crumbs it leaves behind in the microgrooves in the polished surface of a blade can serve as places for a rust spot to start. This is primarily of interest re stainless steel, but just some input. You can get bronze wool, but it is less available and more expensive. I think an auto parts store may be the place to get it.

philkid · 24th May 2005, 04:09 PM

Thanks for the help guys. Will post pics of the finished product.

23rd May 2005, 05:03 PM	#1
philkid Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Philippines Posts: 52	Need help on cleaning rusty blade!!! Hi guys, I have a very old Moro kris keris. Just wanna ask if it is ok to soak it in kerosene so the rust can be removed? I have tried it with my bike parts before but I'm just making sure and ask you guys since most of you know a lot about sword restoration. If you have other methods, let me know. Thanks.

23rd May 2005, 08:09 PM	#5
philkid Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Philippines Posts: 52	here are the pics of the sword. Attached Images

23rd May 2005, 06:27 PM	#2
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	You should soak it in lemon- or pineapple juice. Lemon juice gives the best and fastest result. And rub the blade every hour with a half lemon. That removes every time the layer of dissolved rust.

23rd May 2005, 06:33 PM	#3
philkid Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Philippines Posts: 52	Thanks. Sorry for sounding so dum, but can I use the lemon or pineapple juice that is being sold on supermarkets? The ones that have been canned or tetra packed? Plus how many hours do you think I will soak it? Thanks a lot.

23rd May 2005, 06:51 PM	#4
Bill Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chicago area Posts: 327	I wonder how coconut vineger would work. if it's really rusty it may take over a week, & that is if you keep brushing the rust off. may make the blade too dark?

23rd May 2005, 09:27 PM	#6
Federico Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Minneapolis, MN, USA Posts: 312	When you said rusty, I was expecting something that was more rust than sword, but this piece is in good condition. Lemon juice, vinegar, or any other juice that is acidic will remove rust, but it will also remove patina. So that can be a catch 22, depending whether or not you want the blade etched. The plus side, if the blade is laminated then it will show the lamination after etching. Just make sure to clean the blade of any grease/dirt before using the lemon juice. Kerosene would work with that, so would acetone (that is what I use). If you do not want to etch, with a blade in this good of condition, soaking it in a little WD-40 (or any other similar penetrating oil) and then scrubbing with #0000 steel wool should remove any active rust. Make sure it is at least #0000 steel wool or finer, as while it will remove rust, it will break off on the harder steel, and therefore not scratch the original finish. Anything coarser will scratch. Anyways, nice blade.

24th May 2005, 12:55 PM	#7
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Yeah, that's in great shape; I'm tempted to say "just oil it and put a handle on" but there are a couple/few slightly crusty spots of active rust that should probably be removed. I also often use steel wool. Usually with light machine oil, or with alcohol (cheap and disolves hardened down oil; if you get isopropyl get the 90% kind; it's significantly better as a solvent). A word about steel wool though: It is usually softer than the blade, and certainly softer than corrosion patina (though it will attack hardened down oil, of course), and I use it myself, but some cutlers say the tiny crumbs it leaves behind in the microgrooves in the polished surface of a blade can serve as places for a rust spot to start. This is primarily of interest re stainless steel, but just some input. You can get bronze wool, but it is less available and more expensive. I think an auto parts store may be the place to get it.

24th May 2005, 04:09 PM	#8
philkid Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Philippines Posts: 52	Thanks for the help guys. Will post pics of the finished product.