OOP'S !! RIGHT YOU ARE FINE STEEL WOOL IT IS
, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL IN THE PICTURES IT LOOKS LIKE THE RUST IS BLACK AND STABLE. IF THERE ARE THICK RAISED SPOTS OF RUST ON THE BLADE IT MEANS THE RUST WENT DEEP AND THERE WILL BE PITS SO REMOVING THE OLD BLACK RUST AND PATINA WILL RESULT IN A SHINEY BLADE WITH BLACK PITS. TO REMOVE PITS REQUIRES MUCH MORE ELBOW GREASE THAN I WOULD LIKE TO USE SO I PREFER TO LEAVE SUCH A BLADE ALONE ,JUST STABELIZING IT WITH OIL. IT IS ALSO NEVER WISE TO ATTEMPT TO USE POWER TOOLS ON A OLD BLADE AS IT WILL DO MUCH MORE DAMMAGE THAN WHAT IS USUALLY THERE. I HAVE HAD TO USE POWER A FEW TIMES BUT THAT WAS BECAUSE SOMEONE HAD ALREADY MESSED UP THE BLADE BADLY WITH POWER TOOLS AND IT WAS THE BEST WAY TO GET BACK TO WHERE I COULD DO PROPER RESTORATION BY HAND. THIS COVERS OLD GROUND AND YOU CAN FIND LOTS OF GOOD INFORMATION ON WHAT TO DO AND NOT DO WHEN RESTORING VARIOUS MATERIALS IN OLD FORUM POSTS.