Rusted 17th C persian shamshir within decayed scabbard

[katana]

Hi Celtan,
olive oil is a good idea. I used a similar process to 'liberate' a very nice African dagger from an equally intricate scabbard (leather with woven reed patterning.)

I had the knife/scabbard standing up-right and introduced small amounts of olive oil around the mouth of the scabbard and left to 'stand'......many....many repeated doses later I was able to get a little 'movement'. Constant additions of oil and gentle applied pressure/ movement, eventually allowed the knife to be removed. Although the scabbard 'survived' the leather and reed work had become saturated in oil ....wrapping in absorbant paper removed a lot of this excess, but the oil had darkened the leather and lighter coloured woven reed decoration permanently.

The oil helps 'break up' the rust (between blade and scabbard), softens the leather a little (useful if the leather has dried out and shrunk) and provides lubrication for the blade to 'slide' out of the scabbard more easily.

Hope this helps

Kind Regards David

[celtan]

I guessed as much. I've seen olive oil darkening the metal of our flintlocks when used as preservative. Yet, its better to have a darkened leather than no leather at all...: )

Now, since the weapon is curved. I need to find a pliable thin container. Or a plastic tube/conduit than can be capped at its bottom end. Not too large, or I will need too large a volume of oil.

Gotta visit Home Depot, and get creative as I look at the stuff.

Best

Manuel

[Gavin Nugent]

Celtan,

Please grace us all with a couple of images of the sword as it currently stands, it would be very interesting to note how it sat in a tomb.

Gav

[celtan]

Sure thing, click on the thumbs for a larger image