Metal De-Corroder and its effects

[josh stout]

I have been working on a technique with decent results. First I wash the blade with soap and water using a plastic pot scrubber. This is to partially degrease and partially to remove any easily removed rust. Then I degrease with Windex following with a vinegar soak. This gives similar results to the product you are using. After that there is still some patina, the rust is almost entirely gone, and pattern welding shows with high carbon steel darker than the softer parts. The problem is the graying you have mentioned. So I polish the blade with 6000 grit micromesh (http://micro-surface.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=15). The micromesh gently brightens the gray areas without completely obscuring the pattern brought out by the acid.

Josh

[rand]

I have heard that the Met uses kerosene and sawdust in a slow turning barrel to clean mail.

Am very glad you posted these before and after photo's. Am interested in the renaissance liquid decorroder for cleaning mail. From the photo's that does not seem like the best approach because of the dull finish.

rand

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

The weird and wonderful cleaning agents and solutions for restoring and preserving ethnographic arms and Armour is a subject perhaps best placed in the margins of Forum activity ...and I respectfully request its placement in Miscellaneous ( Ethnographic Miscellania ) for concise referencing by members..

I suspect this form of aggressive rust remover will tear a good sword apart removing patina and sword blade at the same time. I find it reasonable to know the less dangerous chemicals and apply them first such as light cleaning with warm soapy water...then step up to cold coke cola... but to check every 8 to12 hours removing with soapy water and rinse at the first sign of action. The juices come next and any fruit juice will do ...Then comes the paste with Tomato being quite good...again check every 12 hours... etc The worst stuff is acid... and even worse than that hot solutions ... Hot acid will destroy your item if left too long ...and check every half minute ... its that fast...Dont use it is my advice. I put this de corrosion stuff in the same category...

The action suggested at #22 by Josh Stout is excellent...

[mariusgmioc]

Hello and forgive my late reply as I was very busy with work lately!

I have been using Ren. Met. Decorroder for years and I can confirm it is an excellent product. It is absolutely safe for healthy metal and much better than any alternatives suggested here.

For example pineapple juice that was recommended by some, is quite effective but it is acidic. Moreover, the acidity and thus, aggresivity depends on the brand used. Coca-cola is even more acidic than pineapple juice and definitely less effective than Ren. Met. Decorroder.

Yes, Ren. Met. Decorroder removes etching because etching IS a form of corrosion. Practically etching is a controlled and selective corrosion of certain areas of the metal surface. It's just that the oxidation is not brown and flaky like rust is but dark grey and in the form of a thin film that covers just some areas of the metal.

So after treating either Wootz Damascus or Pattern Welded Damascus with Decorroder, it must definitely be re-etched to get back its patterning.

The dull grey patination that remains after the treatment with Ren. Met. Decorroder is easily removed with Pre-lim or any other very gentle polish. However, the dull grey patination has a protective role as it prevents the formation of rust for several weeks, so if you decide to remove it, you should apply some kind of protection to the metal immediately afterwards (I normally use Ren. Wax and rarely, mineral oil).

And I tried Ren. Wax on leather with great results. I assume that can also be used as shoe polish, but it will be probably the most expensive shoe polish on the market.