A naginata ... real or fake.

[Battara]

Oh I agree. I have a koto wakazashi with my favorite - mokume hada. However it has some issues and is mumei. Thus it is not a high value piece, but I keep it and love it, imperfections and all (and for a koto blade some kizu imperfections are to be expected.).

Again congratulations!

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Battara

...Again congratulations!

Thank you José.

[Kmaddock]

Hi Fernando,

Following on from the PM

If it were mine I would purchase 2 + M of sewer pipe with caps on both ends and suspend the staff inside the pipe with some string and an old T shirt soaked in ammonis at the bottom (not touching the shaft) and close both caps.

Ammonia is very volatile after a few hours there should be nothing left alive.

Lovely historical item from the time of Christopher Columbus, I have some Japanese swords and the condition of such ancient artefacts can be amazing.

Regards,

Ken

[fernando]

Lovely idea, Ken. What would be the pipe diameter; as to leave some space for the 1 1/4 " staff (32 m/m)

[Kmaddock]

Hi Fernando,
I would purchase around 100mm diameter "nominally 4 inch in Ireland" but anything similar would suffice,
You would want a bit of circulation to occur.
Regards
ken

[fernando]

Fine Ken; thanks much.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Kmaddock

...Ammonia is very volatile after a few hours there should be nothing left alive.

Are you there Ken ? Can you define a "few hours" ?

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by fernando

Are you there Ken ? Can you define a "few hours" ?

Few is more than 2.

Normal household ammonia evaporates quickly & is used to clean glass because of it. If you are using a stronger clinical concentration, I'd expect it to 'dry', i.e. the NH3/4 gasifies, very quick, quicker than water. The water component then dries as you would expect for your local Temp and humidity.


I'd wait a couple hours, then sniff it, if you smell ammonia, wait some more, until the smell dissipates.


Make sure you ventilate the area, do not mix ammonia with bleach or you'll generate poison gas. It can also darken woods with residual tannin, like oak.

[fernando]

Thank you Wayne.
I have used Ken's recipe; the wooden pole hanging inside a plastic tube ... completely sealed. In the bottom, two pieces of cloth heavily soaked in 24% ammonia, 2/3 liter of it. I left it sealed during 4 1/2 hours. When we opened it, the whole product was kept in there; i could evaorate, but couldn't escape from inside the tube. The burning vapors of this thing are completely unbearable, despite the (COVID) mask and glasses. I realize that, if any worms were still living inside the wood, the ammonia wacked them for good.


.