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RobT · 6th May 2023, 05:10 AM

Rick
Although a blade not fully seated in the hilt is shown in a catalogue, I don’t think we should accept that as an indicator of typical or correct practice. There have been many posts on this forum noting the lamentable errors of museum “experts”. This could be just another example.

Ian,
According to the Evapo-rust label, their product is non-toxic, ph neutral, and the spent solution can be safely flushed down the drain. This doesn’t sound like muriatic acid in any significant concentration to me. I am convinced that, if used as I described, Evapo-rust is the most effective and non-problematic rust removal strategy currently available. I am not a great fan of sandpaper because (in the grits you recommend) it is hard enough to remove steel to create a level surface (trust me, as an amateur woodworker I know this). I much prefer the 3M abrasive pads which aren’t hard enough to remove steel surface but are sharp enough to round over pitting and remove rust. Nital solutions in 2% and 3% are non-explosive and thus can be bought online and shipped vial mail. These weak solutions are also far less dangerous to the user and can be more easily controlled when applied. I have used both ferric chloride and 2-3% nital and much prefer nital because it doesn’t stain the blade brown and because I have found that ferric chloride is much harder to “kill” even with large amounts of water and baking soda. I agree with you that separating epoxied components without damage is well nigh impossible and indicated such in my post but Interested Party seemed to feel that he had a way to do it so I encouraged him to do so and to let us know how he did it (because I certainly don’t know).

Interested Party,
I am sure that you could use stock removal to create a serpentine center ridge but could you do it with the equipment likely available to the person who fashioned your gunong? Even if the blade were made in the 20th century, that level of tool kit would most likely be beyond the means of the typical Philippine smith. And, even in the unlikely event the maker had the required equipment, could he use stock removal to profitably make serpentine blades? I think the most plausible scenario is that your blade was fashioned around a mandril in the traditional manner.
There Is one issue that I didn’t mention before because you said that you have seen examples. The guard on your hilt isn’t as wide as the base of the blade. In my modest collection of 25 gunong, every guard is noticeably wider than the base of the blade. The general consensus is that the gunong was initially intended a weapon of last resort worn hidden inside the blouse. As such, the base of the blade, if unprotected by the guard could potentially be rather uncomfortable against bare skin. I wonder if your blade couldn’t be fully seated because the hilt/ferrule/guard isn’t original to the blade.

Sincerely,
RobT

6th May 2023, 05:10 AM	#8
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 528	Additional Thoughts Rick Although a blade not fully seated in the hilt is shown in a catalogue, I don’t think we should accept that as an indicator of typical or correct practice. There have been many posts on this forum noting the lamentable errors of museum “experts”. This could be just another example. Ian, According to the Evapo-rust label, their product is non-toxic, ph neutral, and the spent solution can be safely flushed down the drain. This doesn’t sound like muriatic acid in any significant concentration to me. I am convinced that, if used as I described, Evapo-rust is the most effective and non-problematic rust removal strategy currently available. I am not a great fan of sandpaper because (in the grits you recommend) it is hard enough to remove steel to create a level surface (trust me, as an amateur woodworker I know this). I much prefer the 3M abrasive pads which aren’t hard enough to remove steel surface but are sharp enough to round over pitting and remove rust. Nital solutions in 2% and 3% are non-explosive and thus can be bought online and shipped vial mail. These weak solutions are also far less dangerous to the user and can be more easily controlled when applied. I have used both ferric chloride and 2-3% nital and much prefer nital because it doesn’t stain the blade brown and because I have found that ferric chloride is much harder to “kill” even with large amounts of water and baking soda. I agree with you that separating epoxied components without damage is well nigh impossible and indicated such in my post but Interested Party seemed to feel that he had a way to do it so I encouraged him to do so and to let us know how he did it (because I certainly don’t know). Interested Party, I am sure that you could use stock removal to create a serpentine center ridge but could you do it with the equipment likely available to the person who fashioned your gunong? Even if the blade were made in the 20th century, that level of tool kit would most likely be beyond the means of the typical Philippine smith. And, even in the unlikely event the maker had the required equipment, could he use stock removal to profitably make serpentine blades? I think the most plausible scenario is that your blade was fashioned around a mandril in the traditional manner. There Is one issue that I didn’t mention before because you said that you have seen examples. The guard on your hilt isn’t as wide as the base of the blade. In my modest collection of 25 gunong, every guard is noticeably wider than the base of the blade. The general consensus is that the gunong was initially intended a weapon of last resort worn hidden inside the blouse. As such, the base of the blade, if unprotected by the guard could potentially be rather uncomfortable against bare skin. I wonder if your blade couldn’t be fully seated because the hilt/ferrule/guard isn’t original to the blade. Sincerely, RobT