Shotley Bridge smallsword

Raf · 4th April 2022, 04:49 PM

Or maybe not. The copper finish is more likely the result of surface enrichment . This occurs when an alloy suffers from corrosion which etches out one element of the alloy ,in this case the zinc leaving copper on the surface Not suggesting your sword has ever been buried but aggressive chemical cleaning can have the same effect. Lavatory cleaner used to be popular. Good for cleaning very dirty brass but can leave a superficial coppery finish easily removed with steel wool and polish.

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4th April 2022, 04:49 PM	#4
Raf Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 252	Or maybe not. The copper finish is more likely the result of surface enrichment . This occurs when an alloy suffers from corrosion which etches out one element of the alloy ,in this case the zinc leaving copper on the surface Not suggesting your sword has ever been buried but aggressive chemical cleaning can have the same effect. Lavatory cleaner used to be popular. Good for cleaning very dirty brass but can leave a superficial coppery finish easily removed with steel wool and polish.