What would you do with this rust spot?

[Loco Al]

Small rust circle on mune which I just found today.

Steel wool and Rustoleum (just kidding), or just oil frequently and hope it doesn't grow larger?

 

 

Alan

[GrantK]

I wish I could help, but really I'm also interested in this question. I've never had to deal with any rust on my blades, so it is a curiosity how one would handle this. Thanks in advance as well, if anyone has any good ideas!

[almeister]

Hi Alan ,

Orange/yellow rust = "Active Corrosion " = Bad News

This however is not detrimental in your case

It's only a small area

I would clean only with oil & cloth only

Do every day & monitor until the coloured area " darkens "

Then the corrosion is no longer active

From there , monitor & oil regularly

Just my opinion .

Cheers , AlanK

[Gabriel L]

Might as well use uchiko too, it may help. It's on the mune and it's small, so while it's annoying it could be worse.

[Kai-Gunto]

Never talk with a sword drawn

 

Use oil to remove rust carefully and then little uchiko and oil mixed.

[Dr Fox]

Did I read somewhere that a red lacquer was applied to rust spots?. Yes the effect was visible, but was a preventative of further corrosion!

[runagmc]

Does this look like an Umegane... if so, hopefully it won't continue to rust away underneath. It may be hrd to tell in a burnished area...

 

Oil and be careful wiping so the rust doesn't end up scratching blade...

[Stephen]

id lightly bone it then oil, and keep eye on it to see its not getting bigger.

[Brian]

I was going to say the same thing. Bone or ivory chip lightly applied to remove surface rust, like you use to clean iron tsuba. Then oil and uchiko.

 

Brian

[b.hennick]

Old ivory piano keys are a great source of ivory for this kind of task.

[seattle1]

Hello:

I believe you will find that if you get a large British penny, one with a high copper content, ideally one showing Queen Victoria with its edge not entirely rounded, that the coin will remove the rust to the level of the surrounding surface and without scratching or otherwise disfiguring if there are overruns as there surely will be. Hold at about a 45 degree angle and applied only as much pressure as necessary to remove the rust and confine yourself to the rusted area even though over extending should do no damage. To prove the benign nature of this "high tech" approach, practice on some rust on another surface where the metal has about the same composition as a Japanese sword. When you have demonstrated the effects to your satisfaction, try it on the sword.

I used to give such coins out at sword shows and heard no complaints from users.

Any coin store will have such coins and 25 - 50 cents should get you one.

Arnold F.

[b.hennick]

I still have the coin Arnold gave me twenty years ago. I do still use it as well as ivory and deer antler. Thanks again for the coin.

[Loco Al]

Thanks to all for your replies and advice.

 

Adam asked if it looks like an umegane. I don't think that it is, but it does look like there is a tiny depression there. Perhaps a small flaw that might permit corrosion below the surface, which would worry me. The picture is magnified quite a bit, so it really is quite small.

 

I may post another pic after I attempt to remove the rust.

 

Alan

[benatthelake]

Alan:

 

Please keep us posted on your progress with pictures too. Newbies (like myself) soak all of this up. Do my eyes deceive me or is that also some rust running along the center of the Hi?

 

Best regards,

Ben M.

[Loco Al]

You had me worried there for a minute , Ben. Cripes, my sword has cancer! It does look like a rusty line in the photo.

No, that must be a reflection or photographic artifact showing in the hi. I looked at the hi with a magnifying glass and even took a few more close-up photos to study by zooming in. I can't see any rust in the hi. I'll be keeping a close eye on it, though.

 

Alan

[Marius]

Gents, this spot is tiny - this is a macro picture

 

This is not umegane, just a burst bubble of spittle. Uchiko and oil should be quite enough.

 

Alan, when handling a blade, always wipe it before re-sheathing.

[Jean]

Mariusz,

 

You must have meant "before re-sheathing" and not "after re-sheathing"

[Marius]

Jean, thanks, post adjusted. My spell-checker has let this one go unnoticed, but it was very obstinate when it came to correcting tanago-bara (thread the yahoo.co.jp Muramasa). It insists on tango-bars

[Loco Al]

Gents, this spot is tiny - this is a macro picture

 

This is not umegane, just a burst bubble of spittle. Uchiko and oil should be quite enough.

 

Alan, when handling a blade, always wipe it before re-sheathing.

 

Corrosion from a tiny blob of spittle! Surely not of my own origin! Yes, I guess that I have been busted for being a bit of an alarmist. I did say that it was small. Perhaps not good to take close-up (macro) photos of blades. Tends to reveal many small imperfections that you would rather not be aware of.

 

Alan