GREAT RUST REMOVAL process.

Tim Simmons · 9th February 2007, 05:32 PM

Hi Douglas,

When I am faced with rust like this I use a brass or even a steel brush with oil to start with. Then from your local DIY store an assorted pack of abrasive paper for metal surfaces. Using finger tips, folded pieces of paper and lots of oil go through the grades. Also large lumps of course steel wool to get in awkward places or clean round sections. Wipe clean regularly to check on the progress. It is easy to work on small stubborn spots in circular movements. The end finish is up to you. In a couple of hours of careful work you should end up with a clean but old looking surface, there may still be dark stains on the blade but this is what I want to see and like. At the end I give the blade a good rubbing or polishing with the fine steel wool and shoe wax. Your spear does look a bit scary but I think a Saturday morning or afternoons work on this will end up with a nice looking spear that somebody would pay good money for. There is no real substitute for hard dirty and most often painful work. If the blade does not cut you, pieces of steel wool get into your fingers. Show us the before and after pics.

fenlander · 10th February 2007, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

Hi Douglas,

When I am faced with rust like this I use a brass or even a steel brush with oil to start with. Then from your local DIY store an assorted pack of abrasive paper for metal surfaces. Using finger tips, folded pieces of paper and lots of oil go through the grades. Also large lumps of course steel wool to get in awkward places or clean round sections. Wipe clean regularly to check on the progress. It is easy to work on small stubborn spots in circular movements. The end finish is up to you. In a couple of hours of careful work you should end up with a clean but old looking surface, there may still be dark stains on the blade but this is what I want to see and like..

What are the dark stains ? I have used exactly the method you state a few weeks ago. Hard work but eventually got good results but lots of dark stains. What are they ?

The Double D · 10th February 2007, 08:14 AM

While watching the A&E DVD Shaka Zulu I came up with the solution to my problem, and another great way to derust. By the way if you are interested in Zulu ethnographic art, costumes and weapons this a great video.

In one of the scenes it shows the Zulu's getting ready to go to a battle and the are sharpening their spears on a stone.

So this morning I went out in the garden and found a nice flat quartz like garden stone and started honing.

For finish and detail I got a small stone.

The result was a blade didn't have that fake flat gray chemically cleaned look but a more authentic look with a lot of charactor.

Before and After:

The blade now looks like a typical Zulu blade

Tim Simmons · 10th February 2007, 12:20 PM

Nice one!

katana · 10th February 2007, 12:45 PM

Hi DD,
so simple....yet so effective

I would assume most cultures had their own way of maintaining their weapons......so it would seem for the sake of an authentic look....adopting these 'techniques' for a specific ethnographic blade would be the best solution.
It would be interesting to discover what methods were used by different groups. I know that sand mixed with animal fat is one method employed by nomadic arabic tribes. Formed into a 'paste' and rubbed onto the metal directly.
We all know the use of 'acidic' fruit juice to etch and clean blades in SEA. I wonder if some African tribes used this technique

Are there other maintanence techniques that are known to members..

The Double D · 11th February 2007, 10:55 AM

One word of caution about pineapple juice and fresh pinapple. Should you decide to try this method and ask your wife to add these items to her grocery list, be sure, if you decide on another rust removal method, to let her know before she goes shopping.

Excuse me now I have this desire for a fresh pineapple and pinapple juice snack...yes dear I am coming. With 40 years of marriage you would think I would have learned by now.

9th February 2007, 05:32 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,854	Hi Douglas, When I am faced with rust like this I use a brass or even a steel brush with oil to start with. Then from your local DIY store an assorted pack of abrasive paper for metal surfaces. Using finger tips, folded pieces of paper and lots of oil go through the grades. Also large lumps of course steel wool to get in awkward places or clean round sections. Wipe clean regularly to check on the progress. It is easy to work on small stubborn spots in circular movements. The end finish is up to you. In a couple of hours of careful work you should end up with a clean but old looking surface, there may still be dark stains on the blade but this is what I want to see and like. At the end I give the blade a good rubbing or polishing with the fine steel wool and shoe wax. Your spear does look a bit scary but I think a Saturday morning or afternoons work on this will end up with a nice looking spear that somebody would pay good money for. There is no real substitute for hard dirty and most often painful work. If the blade does not cut you, pieces of steel wool get into your fingers. Show us the before and after pics.

10th February 2007, 08:14 AM	#3
The Double D Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: On the banks of Cut Bank Creek, Montana Posts: 189	While watching the A&E DVD Shaka Zulu I came up with the solution to my problem, and another great way to derust. By the way if you are interested in Zulu ethnographic art, costumes and weapons this a great video. In one of the scenes it shows the Zulu's getting ready to go to a battle and the are sharpening their spears on a stone. So this morning I went out in the garden and found a nice flat quartz like garden stone and started honing. For finish and detail I got a small stone. The result was a blade didn't have that fake flat gray chemically cleaned look but a more authentic look with a lot of charactor. Before and After: The blade now looks like a typical Zulu blade

10th February 2007, 12:20 PM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,854	Nice one!

10th February 2007, 12:45 PM	#5
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Hi DD, so simple....yet so effective I would assume most cultures had their own way of maintaining their weapons......so it would seem for the sake of an authentic look....adopting these 'techniques' for a specific ethnographic blade would be the best solution. It would be interesting to discover what methods were used by different groups. I know that sand mixed with animal fat is one method employed by nomadic arabic tribes. Formed into a 'paste' and rubbed onto the metal directly. We all know the use of 'acidic' fruit juice to etch and clean blades in SEA. I wonder if some African tribes used this technique Are there other maintanence techniques that are known to members..

11th February 2007, 10:55 AM	#6
The Double D Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: On the banks of Cut Bank Creek, Montana Posts: 189	One word of caution about pineapple juice and fresh pinapple. Should you decide to try this method and ask your wife to add these items to her grocery list, be sure, if you decide on another rust removal method, to let her know before she goes shopping. Excuse me now I have this desire for a fresh pineapple and pinapple juice snack...yes dear I am coming. With 40 years of marriage you would think I would have learned by now.