Opinion please--Gunto w/Old blade?

trenchwarfare · 16th July 2014, 01:28 AM

Don't do anything to the nakago. That rust, is considered patina on Japanese blades. It tells you the true age of the sword. Yours has some deep pitting. The nakago should be black, not gray. It has been cleaned. The only thing that is sometimes done, is to burnish the tang, with a piece of bone. This will only remove surface rust scale, so as to be able to read the signature.

estcrh · 16th July 2014, 03:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trenchwarfare

Don't do anything to the nakago. That rust, is considered patina on Japanese blades. It tells you the true age of the sword. Yours has some deep pitting. The nakago should be black, not gray. It has been cleaned. The only thing that is sometimes done, is to burnish the tang, with a piece of bone. This will only remove surface rust scale, so as to be able to read the signature.

Red rust would be undesirable, the nakago should have an age related patina which is a form of oxidation that will not harm the underlying metal, red rust on the other hand is considered to be live and will continue to eat away at the metal underneath until it is stopped.

trenchwarfare · 16th July 2014, 03:47 AM

Indeed.

rasjid · 16th July 2014, 07:17 AM

Is there anything i can do? Anyone? To preserve or protect from rust?

Thanks

estcrh · 17th July 2014, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rasjid

Is there anything i can do? Anyone? To preserve or protect from rust?

Thanks

Here is Ian Bottomley's recommended method for treating rust on Japanese armor, you can do something similar with the nakago of your sword,

Quote:

Use a mixture of boiled linseed oil thinned with white spirit in a ratio of approximately 50 / 50 - it isn't critical. The mixture was applied with a paint brush over a small area and allowed to soak in for a few minutes before rubbing the area with a chisel shaped piece of stag antler.

rasjid · 18th July 2014, 11:42 AM

Noted. Thank you estcrh.
Will keep the info and will do some testing with other material first.

Regards
Rasjid

Rich · 18th July 2014, 11:53 AM

I would suggest washing it with warm soapy water with a stiff
tooth brush, drying well and then a coating of oil. Don't want to
risk damaging the nakago.

Rich S

16th July 2014, 01:28 AM	#1
trenchwarfare Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 385	Don't do anything to the nakago. That rust, is considered patina on Japanese blades. It tells you the true age of the sword. Yours has some deep pitting. The nakago should be black, not gray. It has been cleaned. The only thing that is sometimes done, is to burnish the tang, with a piece of bone. This will only remove surface rust scale, so as to be able to read the signature.

16th July 2014, 03:47 AM	#3
trenchwarfare Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 385	Indeed.

16th July 2014, 07:17 AM	#4
rasjid Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Jakarta - Indonesia Posts: 114	Is there anything i can do? Anyone? To preserve or protect from rust? Thanks

18th July 2014, 11:42 AM	#6
rasjid Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Jakarta - Indonesia Posts: 114	Noted. Thank you estcrh. Will keep the info and will do some testing with other material first. Regards Rasjid

18th July 2014, 11:53 AM	#7
Rich Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: comfortably at home, USA Posts: 432	I would suggest washing it with warm soapy water with a stiff tooth brush, drying well and then a coating of oil. Don't want to risk damaging the nakago. Rich S