Old Nigerian ?? Takouba

[Marius66]

Hello dear members,

I just bought this old takouba sword for few pennies,
Sadly for the moment the blade is completely trapped in the scabbard and the pommel is totally folded / hammered
( thats why it was cheap...)

I first thought the hilt was covered with embosser leather but it is metal, I know that ''southern'' takouba have metal covered hilt, often made of brass.

Good news !!

I wonder first what kind of metal the hilt can be made of ? ( non ferrous/magnet don't work )
Brass oxydation can turn black-dark brown ??

Has someone good clues for clean it and for remove the blade from the leather scabbard ?
I was thinking about a thin and flexible metallic ruler to
introduce step by step in the scabbard ...

[Marius66]

The last person who saw the blade put it back upside down in the scabbard...

[Tim Simmons]

The hilt are most often brass, copper and zinc sometime a combination of all three layered at the pommel. You would do no harm cleaning the hilt. Getting blade out and not damaging the scabbard could be tricky. A flexible 1m steel rule with a chamfered edge could be slowly and gradually introduced into the scabbard with a releasing agent like WD40 or Plus Gas which I prefere. I have done this with blade in stuck in a wood lined metal scabbard. I think with a leather scabbard this will most likely take some time days. The scabbard will smell for months and the oils will darken the leather but over time all will settle down fine. Good luck. l

[Marius66]

Thank you for your message,
I will post pictures of the blade 🤞, first find the thin steel ruler.
For the hilt has someone a ''magical trick'' for remove oxydation without sanding...
Here it is almost black , 19th century item ?
and I wonder if baking soda and a toothbrush can solve the problem...

[Marc M.]

Originally Posted by Marius66

Thank you for your message,
I will post pictures of the blade 🤞, first find the thin steel ruler.
For the hilt has someone a ''magical trick'' for remove oxydation without sanding...
Here it is almost black , 19th century item ?
and I wonder if baking soda and a toothbrush can solve the problem...

One way to remove the blade from the sheath, is to take a soft wooden slatand a small hamer.Gently tap the slatover the entire sheath on all sides.
To clean the brass use a soft brass brush and fine steel wool and/or a brass polish.

Best Regards

Marc

[Tim Simmons]

You can get a 1m thin steel ruler from amazon that will be flexible enough as you work carefully, pull the sword as you go. It might release well before you are half way down.