Cleaning and loosening advice please?

[Uncle Bertie]

Hi

This is my first post in this incredibly informative and helpful site. I've learned a huge amount about the collection of African and Asian daggers and swords I recently acquired. Now though, I need some specific advice please.

How do I clean this so the writing can be read?

This small Asian? knife has text on the sheath and the handle, but also has a lot of gunk making it difficult to read. I have a ultrasonic cleaner, but I'm not sure if using that would be appropriate.

How do I loosen this blade from the scabbard?

I'm not sure, but it's probably rusted in. In the UK we have something called WD40 which I'd use to loosen rusted nut, but I don't know if that is sensible. I'm told the sword is Tuareg and to complicate matters, I'm sure WD40 wouldn't be good for the leather.

Thanks for your help.

[mariusgmioc]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bertie

Hi

This is my first post in this incredibly informative and helpful site. I've learned a huge amount about the collection of African and Asian daggers and swords I recently acquired. Now though, I need some specific advice please.

How do I clean this so the writing can be read?

This small Asian? knife has text on the sheath and the handle, but also has a lot of gunk making it difficult to read. I have a ultrasonic cleaner, but I'm not sure if using that would be appropriate.

How do I loosen this blade from the scabbard?

I'm not sure, but it's probably rusted in. In the UK we have something called WD40 which I'd use to loosen rusted nut, but I don't know if that is sensible. I'm told the sword is Tuareg and to complicate matters, I'm sure WD40 wouldn't be good for the leather.

Thanks for your help.

The first one is a Japanese Tanto. Have no idea about the second one.

For cleaning, in the first stage, I would use WD40, White Spirit and a hard brush for removing the gunk.

Good luck!

[Tim Simmons]

You could get a non medical syrigine and squirt veg oil in at the top of the scabbard. Standing the knife up over a week. Hopefully the oil will get to the bottom and with luck the blade could be drawn. The leather will dry and oil should not harm it.

[M ELEY]

I believe the first item is a Chinese copy of a tanto. That doesn't mean it is a fake. During the early 20th century, the Chinese military closely copied Japanese swords, daggers, dirks, etc. You can usually tell the Chinese versions as the details aren't as refined, the fittings are more primitive, etc. Thus, they are original weapons of the period done in a Japanese-styling. The marking on the outside of the scabbard/tsuka appear to have writing on it. That will tell us more.

[Uncle Bertie]

Thanks both, how would you suggest I safely clean the Tanto?

[Uncle Bertie]

Sorry, I missed the first reply. I'll try those things.

[ariel]

I would do exactly what Tim suggested with one exception: WD40 instead of oil.

I think it has a better chance of breaking the rust.

But again, if you think that oil alone might be more benign, use it first, and switch to WD40 only if it fails.

This dagger waited to be released for many years, and can easily wait another month or two.

Good luck. Will be interesting to see the blade.

[Uncle Bertie]

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

The first one is a Japanese Tanto. Have no idea about the second one.

For cleaning, in the first stage, I would use WD40, White Spirit and a hard brush for removing the gunk.

Good luck!

Thanks, i now have a follow up question - I can see areas on the tanto where the bare metal is showing - is this what I need to get back to, or could there be paint or another layer of plating under the greeny gunk?