How should I take care of my acquired Hadendoa dagger and belt?

ErnestoJuan · 5th April 2006, 08:13 PM

Hello all,

I have very recently bought a Bedja Hadendoa X-dagger (Tirri page 77) including a leather belt, see Ebay item 6613724429 (darn, now you know my ebay identity:>). I am very happy with the item, it is just - sigh - very interesting to have it all, to have a "complete package". The item is in good shape, except for the blade which shows a tad of rust but nothing serious.

Now, how does one take care of such an item? Can I use ordinary leather grease for the belt and scabbard? What should I use to keep the wooden hilt in good shape? And then there is the blade.. First of all, how does one remove the rusty bits? I did read a thread that suggested amongst other things ( like arsenic) to use lemon juice or pineapple juice. Well, might try that, perhaps mixed with some fine Jamaican rum :>)

Then there's this mind boggling one: assumed that the blade is cleaned, how should one preserve a blade?

My dear forum friends, any of your suggestions are more then welcome !

Ernesto.

Jens Nordlunde · 5th April 2006, 10:40 PM

If I was you, I would try the search button, and you will learn a lot. Not that we are not willing to help you, but this has been discussed over and over again

.

Mark · 6th April 2006, 02:03 AM

Yes, I think searching will get you the most information, quickest. There was a fairly recent thread about leather preservation, as I recall. I think if you search "rust" you will get more information that you wanted on preservation!

We have been discussing mining the archives to put together articles or FAQs about topics like this, but there never seems to be enough time.

Lew · 6th April 2006, 03:13 AM

Ernesto

Just clean the blade with some 0000 steel wool and some wd-40 oil the rust as I see it is just light surface rust. As far as the leather goes I find Kiwi brand neutral shoe polish paste works just fine but only apply it to the smooth side of the belt and buff it with a good horse hair shoe brush. It will darken the leather a little but it leaves the natural patina on the leather.

Good Luck

Lew

VANDOO · 6th April 2006, 06:16 PM

LEAVE OUT THE ARSNIC AND MIX THE PINAPPLE JUICE AND RUM THEN DRINK IT

THE PINEAPPLE JUICE, ARSNIC MIX IS ONLY FOR BRINGING OUT THE PARMOR(PATTERN) IN KERIS AND OTHER RELATED INDONESIAN BLADES AND IS NOT SOMETHING TO TRY ON A GOOD BLADE WITHOUT A LOT OF ADVICE AND PRACTICE ON ITEMS OF LOW VALUE THAT CAN'T BE HURT.
THERE ARE QUITE A FEW POSTS DEALING WITH CONSERVATION, PRESERVATION AND REPAIR IN THE NEWER POSTS AND LOTS IN THE ARCHIVES, BUT SOME METHODS ARE SPECIFIC TO CERTIAN WEAPONS AND MATERIALS AND COULD BE HARMFUL IF USED ON SOMETHING THAT IS NOT COMPATABLE. AFRICAN WEAPONS ARE USUALLY FORGIVING BUT TRY NOT TO GET MATERIALS USED FOR CLEANING THE BLADE ON THE WOOD OR LEATHER AND VICA-VERSA. GOOD LUCK!

ErnestoJuan · 9th April 2006, 11:14 AM

Hello guys,

Thanks for all your replies containing very usefull advice! If I would not have had a nasty flu I would have responded earlier to your replies, sorry for that.

Yes I did read old threads containing keywords like "rust" "preservation"etc, but as Vandoo imho rightfully pointed out; what goes for item A does not neccessarily go for item B. I can imagine that for example one would use different preservation or cleaning agents on the wooden handle of a keris than on say the wooden handle of a koummya. Simply because the wood is of a different type of tree.

Lew, first of all, your collection of arm daggers is really amazing, very nice items you have and lots of them. Might you ever sell any of them don't hesitate to send me a PM :>) . I have one question regarding the advice to use WD40 oil in combination with 0000 metal wool; my first thought was that you meant the general oil for car engines. Though there is this product on the market called wd40, see http://www.wd40.com/Brands/wd40_product_info.html.
Maybe this is what you recommend?

Kind regards,

Ernesto.

Yannis · 9th April 2006, 05:56 PM

This exactly the oil. I use it mostly to take off the rust. Someone here wrote that it is no good to leave it on a blade for years and I believe him.

5th April 2006, 08:13 PM	#1
ErnestoJuan Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Europa Posts: 60	How should I take care of my acquired Hadendoa dagger and belt? Hello all, I have very recently bought a Bedja Hadendoa X-dagger (Tirri page 77) including a leather belt, see Ebay item 6613724429 (darn, now you know my ebay identity:>). I am very happy with the item, it is just - sigh - very interesting to have it all, to have a "complete package". The item is in good shape, except for the blade which shows a tad of rust but nothing serious. Now, how does one take care of such an item? Can I use ordinary leather grease for the belt and scabbard? What should I use to keep the wooden hilt in good shape? And then there is the blade.. First of all, how does one remove the rusty bits? I did read a thread that suggested amongst other things ( like arsenic) to use lemon juice or pineapple juice. Well, might try that, perhaps mixed with some fine Jamaican rum :>) Then there's this mind boggling one: assumed that the blade is cleaned, how should one preserve a blade? My dear forum friends, any of your suggestions are more then welcome ! Ernesto.

5th April 2006, 10:40 PM	#2
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	If I was you, I would try the search button, and you will learn a lot. Not that we are not willing to help you, but this has been discussed over and over again.

6th April 2006, 02:03 AM	#3
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	Yes, I think searching will get you the most information, quickest. There was a fairly recent thread about leather preservation, as I recall. I think if you search "rust" you will get more information that you wanted on preservation! We have been discussing mining the archives to put together articles or FAQs about topics like this, but there never seems to be enough time.

6th April 2006, 03:13 AM	#4
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Ernesto Just clean the blade with some 0000 steel wool and some wd-40 oil the rust as I see it is just light surface rust. As far as the leather goes I find Kiwi brand neutral shoe polish paste works just fine but only apply it to the smooth side of the belt and buff it with a good horse hair shoe brush. It will darken the leather a little but it leaves the natural patina on the leather. Good Luck Lew

6th April 2006, 06:16 PM	#5
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	LEAVE OUT THE ARSNIC AND MIX THE PINAPPLE JUICE AND RUM THEN DRINK IT THE PINEAPPLE JUICE, ARSNIC MIX IS ONLY FOR BRINGING OUT THE PARMOR(PATTERN) IN KERIS AND OTHER RELATED INDONESIAN BLADES AND IS NOT SOMETHING TO TRY ON A GOOD BLADE WITHOUT A LOT OF ADVICE AND PRACTICE ON ITEMS OF LOW VALUE THAT CAN'T BE HURT. THERE ARE QUITE A FEW POSTS DEALING WITH CONSERVATION, PRESERVATION AND REPAIR IN THE NEWER POSTS AND LOTS IN THE ARCHIVES, BUT SOME METHODS ARE SPECIFIC TO CERTIAN WEAPONS AND MATERIALS AND COULD BE HARMFUL IF USED ON SOMETHING THAT IS NOT COMPATABLE. AFRICAN WEAPONS ARE USUALLY FORGIVING BUT TRY NOT TO GET MATERIALS USED FOR CLEANING THE BLADE ON THE WOOD OR LEATHER AND VICA-VERSA. GOOD LUCK!

9th April 2006, 11:14 AM	#6
ErnestoJuan Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Europa Posts: 60	Hello guys, Thanks for all your replies containing very usefull advice! If I would not have had a nasty flu I would have responded earlier to your replies, sorry for that. Yes I did read old threads containing keywords like "rust" "preservation"etc, but as Vandoo imho rightfully pointed out; what goes for item A does not neccessarily go for item B. I can imagine that for example one would use different preservation or cleaning agents on the wooden handle of a keris than on say the wooden handle of a koummya. Simply because the wood is of a different type of tree. Lew, first of all, your collection of arm daggers is really amazing, very nice items you have and lots of them. Might you ever sell any of them don't hesitate to send me a PM :>) . I have one question regarding the advice to use WD40 oil in combination with 0000 metal wool; my first thought was that you meant the general oil for car engines. Though there is this product on the market called wd40, see http://www.wd40.com/Brands/wd40_product_info.html. Maybe this is what you recommend? Kind regards, Ernesto.

9th April 2006, 05:56 PM	#7
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	This exactly the oil. I use it mostly to take off the rust. Someone here wrote that it is no good to leave it on a blade for years and I believe him.