A Danakil-Issa Gilè

Flavio · 15th February 2006, 02:35 PM

Tim, what is "ghee"

?

Tim Simmons · 15th February 2006, 03:48 PM

Hi Flavio, "ghee" is clarified butter which you came get in most large food stores in the Uk. If that is not so in Italy you should be able to find it in a good store of Asian food. You could use ordinary butter which is more solid and will smell more like vomit than ghee.

Tim

Mark · 15th February 2006, 05:21 PM

Its also pretty easy to clarify butter, mostly at least, and that is to melt it (without any browning, so do is slowly), and skimming off the solids that float on the top. What you are left with is a clear liquid which looks a lot like vegetable oil. It becomes a creamy solid once its cooled.

Flavio · 15th February 2006, 10:25 PM

Hello guys. Thank you very much for your help

!! To tell you the truth i'd like to make the leather more soft because the back side of scabbard in origin was sewn with copper wire, than the copper has been oxidized and broken. Now i'd like to replace this copper wire

. Thank you

ariel · 15th February 2006, 11:32 PM

Personally, I wouldn't replace any original part as long as it doesn't endanger the rest of the sword. I'd just take care of the leather problem and leave the wire as is.

Flavio · 16th February 2006, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariel

Personally, I wouldn't replace any original part as long as it doesn't endanger the rest of the sword. I'd just take care of the leather problem and leave the wire as is.

mmmmmm, Ariel you're right

i will care of the leather without use new copper wire. Thank you

fearn · 17th February 2006, 12:09 AM

Another thought on sterilizing things in general, not just leather.

Since I work with fungi on occasion professionally, the three basic things the mycologists use to sterilize surfaces are alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and chlorine bleach.

Now, some dyes and things are alcohol soluble, so soaking a piece of leather or clothe to sterilize it might cause problems if the color isn't fast. As with clothes, I'd recommend doing a spot test before soaking any fabric or leather in alcohol. The nice thing about alcohol is that it evaporates off, so you don't get water damage, especially if you use high proof alcohol (like 70% rubbing alcohol).

Bleach obviously causes bleaching problems, and hydrogen peroxide is a form of bleach. However, peroxide is generally milder than chlorine bleach, and peroxide naturally decays into water and oxygen (hydrogen peroxide is H2O2, water is H2O), so in many cases, peroxide is preferable to bleach. I've also soaked wood in peroxide to stop rot, and it seems to work fine. One other advantage peroxide has it that it foams as it kills rot, so you can see if a) you've got a problem, and b) the peroxide treatment is working (or at least oxidizing something

)

So: peroxide, alcohol, or bleach? Spot test the material and see how the sterilant affects it before you treat. Basic point is that you've got more than one choice for stopping a fungal or bacterial problem.

F

15th February 2006, 02:35 PM	#1
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Tim, what is "ghee" ?

15th February 2006, 03:48 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	Hi Flavio, "ghee" is clarified butter which you came get in most large food stores in the Uk. If that is not so in Italy you should be able to find it in a good store of Asian food. You could use ordinary butter which is more solid and will smell more like vomit than ghee. Tim

15th February 2006, 05:21 PM	#3
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	Its also pretty easy to clarify butter, mostly at least, and that is to melt it (without any browning, so do is slowly), and skimming off the solids that float on the top. What you are left with is a clear liquid which looks a lot like vegetable oil. It becomes a creamy solid once its cooled.

15th February 2006, 10:25 PM	#4
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hello guys. Thank you very much for your help !! To tell you the truth i'd like to make the leather more soft because the back side of scabbard in origin was sewn with copper wire, than the copper has been oxidized and broken. Now i'd like to replace this copper wire . Thank you

15th February 2006, 11:32 PM	#5
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Personally, I wouldn't replace any original part as long as it doesn't endanger the rest of the sword. I'd just take care of the leather problem and leave the wire as is.

17th February 2006, 12:09 AM	#7
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Another thought on sterilizing things in general, not just leather. Since I work with fungi on occasion professionally, the three basic things the mycologists use to sterilize surfaces are alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and chlorine bleach. Now, some dyes and things are alcohol soluble, so soaking a piece of leather or clothe to sterilize it might cause problems if the color isn't fast. As with clothes, I'd recommend doing a spot test before soaking any fabric or leather in alcohol. The nice thing about alcohol is that it evaporates off, so you don't get water damage, especially if you use high proof alcohol (like 70% rubbing alcohol). Bleach obviously causes bleaching problems, and hydrogen peroxide is a form of bleach. However, peroxide is generally milder than chlorine bleach, and peroxide naturally decays into water and oxygen (hydrogen peroxide is H2O2, water is H2O), so in many cases, peroxide is preferable to bleach. I've also soaked wood in peroxide to stop rot, and it seems to work fine. One other advantage peroxide has it that it foams as it kills rot, so you can see if a) you've got a problem, and b) the peroxide treatment is working (or at least oxidizing something ) So: peroxide, alcohol, or bleach? Spot test the material and see how the sterilant affects it before you treat. Basic point is that you've got more than one choice for stopping a fungal or bacterial problem. F