Removing varnish from a blade?

[CurtisR]

Hello All,

 

I was brought a sword today (decent gunto) but the blade has been coated in either varnish or shellac. Either way, it's old enough to have yellowed and fortunately stops just under the habaki.

 

Does anyone know of a chemical treatment (nail-polish remover?) that will get this off yet not harm the steel? The owner's grandfather brought it back as a "surrender sword" and it's unknown who put the varnish on. The saya has cloth "piping" along it's edges which is very nicely done, so I'm guessing Naval...don't yet have the mei translated but working on it.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Curtis R.

[cabowen]

acetone (fingernail polish remover) would be a good first attempt.

[Grey Doffin]

If it is shellac, alcohol will melt it off. Denatured alcohol from any hardware or paint store. Alcohol is less toxic than acetone so I would try it first.

Grey

[Marius]

Sorry to hijack this thread, but what effect does alcohol (IPA, to be precise) have on urushi?

 

I am asking this in the context of tsuba, not swords - sometimes you have remnants of urushi on the plate, sometimes this could be crud.

 

Thanks and apologies

[John A Stuart]

None. John

[Marius]

Thank you John, I appreciate it

 

Once again, apologies, for hijacking the thread

[CurtisR]

Thanks everyone....I advised him how to best remove it (hopfully) and told him to give it a go. I've been translating the mei as well, which I'll post in Translation Assistance (stuck on ONE kanji).

 

Curtis R.