New Moro kris

[apolaki]

Hello all,

Is sand papering the only solution to this?

I thought vinegear will losen rust and it can just be scrubed with a hard brush and then dried with hair dryer and fonally oiled down.


But many are stating sand papering woth dofferent grades. What are some alternate solutions?

[apolaki]

Is the black smudge a result of zinc coating on the blade? I saw a video where vinegar turns zinc coated screws black. So did i essentially strip thhe zinc off the blade?

[Ian]

Originally Posted by apolaki

Is the black smudge a result of zinc coating on the blade? I saw a video where vinegar turns zinc coated screws black. So did i essentially strip the zinc off the blade?

I don't think zinc is involved to any great degree here. The blade is iron/steel with a number of impurities and has likely been heat treated. Heat treatment can make those areas darker when etched, owing to different crystalline structures and inclusions relative to the untreated areas. We have professional bladesmiths here who can probably give you a more complete answer.

Ian.

[kai]

Hello Apolaki,

I doubt that the blade produces any really toxic fumes. It's most certainly not arsenic nor zink. (However, it is common sense not to sniff any fumes that smell bad, just to be sure...)

Steel with higher carbon content stains darker.
Hardened steel stains darker than the same steel unhardened, too.

Also, both are corroding faster than mild/unhardened steel.

The current state does not look that bad. In Jaw this would be fully acceptable (except for the splash of fresh rust which should be avoided by quick drying/oiling).

For a Moro kris, the metal surface should preferably be more shiny. It's a fine line between too shiny and no laminations visible and too strong an etch with a dull surface which just needs some experience to achieve. And even experienced folks here will retry the process several times to obtain a better result.

Regards,
Kai

[Ian]

Originally Posted by apolaki

Hello all,

Is sand papering the only solution to this? ...

Manual removal with mild abrasive materials is standard operating procedures for this process. The same is true for Japanese swords, which use a slightly different abrasive method that (for me) is even more demanding and tedious.

... I thought vinegear will losen rust and it can just be scrubed with a hard brush and then dried with hair dryer and fonally oiled down. ...

Oh, if it were only that easy! There are no easy and quick short cuts I'm afraid. Not if you want a good result.

... But many are stating sand papering woth dofferent grades. What are some alternate solutions?

Manual removal, as has been suggested, is the simplest way to proceed. An alternative is to use mild abrasive blasting in a cabinet, BUT this takes experience (you need the right abrasive material, right flow rate, correct nozzle, etc.) and of course the necessary equipment including an abrasive blasting cabinet big enough to fit your work piece. The final result is a clean surface with a slightly matte finish. This will still need hand polishing and etching if you want an excellent result.

Some degree of manual work is necessary IMO if you want to achieve a good result that will be relatively maintenance free. Working the blade with your hands also gives a sense of what the original panday was trying to achieve, and an appreciation for the skill in forging these weapons. I always have a stronger sense of ownership when I have worked for several hours polishing and cleaning, and bringing an antique blade back to its earlier condition. Some people say they can feel the "spirit" of the blade when they are working on it. Can't say that I have, but I do have a greater affinity for a piece when there has been some sweat equity gone into making it look beautiful again.

Ian

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Ian

Manual removal with mild abrasive materials is standard operating procedures for this process. The same is true for Japanese swords, which use a slightly different abrasive method that (for me) is even more demanding and tedious.

Oh, if it were only that easy! There are no easy and quick short cuts I'm afraid. Not if you want a good result.

Manual removal, as has been suggested, is the simplest way to proceed. An alternative is to use mild abrasive blasting in a cabinet, BUT this takes experience (you need the right abrasive material, right flow rate, correct nozzle, etc.) and of course the necessary equipment including an abrasive blasting cabinet big enough to fit your work piece. The final result is a clean surface with a slightly matte finish. This will still need hand polishing and etching if you want an excellent result.

Some degree of manual work is necessary IMO if you want to achieve a good result that will be relatively maintenance free. Working the blade with your hands also gives a sense of what the original panday was trying to achieve, and an appreciation for the skill in forging these weapons. I always have a stronger sense of ownership when I have worked for several hours polishing and cleaning, and bringing an antique blade back to its earlier condition. Some people say they can feel the "spirit" of the blade when they are working on it. Can't say that I have, but I do have a greater affinity for a piece when there has been some sweat equity gone into making it look beautiful again.

Ian

Agree complete with Ian!