nice tsuba with red rust

[Reinier]

hey guys,

 

i just bought this nice tsuba which i really like:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=350004014392

 

unfortunately it has some bad red rust.

 

what do you recommend doing about the rust?

[remzy]

The real question is, are you willing to endure pain and suffering to remove this rust with your fingers? this has to be done entirely by hand and it will not be a quick process.

 

i will let the pros here inform you of the method as i do not remember it by heart but it had to do with gently and slowly scrubbing the red rust with antlers or bones pieces...

[Reinier]

yes i'm willing to put some time and effort into this

it's one of the nicest carp tsuba's i've seen for sale.

[Stephen]

well for 500, deer horn rubbing with a light oil wipe after each rub, should bring it back.

[remzy]

http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/tsuba/tsubacln.htm

taken from here : http://www.militaria.co.za/nihontomessageboard/viewtopic.php?t=2209&highlight=ivory

 

Good read.

[Bugyotsuji]

hey guys,

 

i just bought this nice tsuba which i really like:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=350004014392

 

unfortunately it has some bad red rust.

 

what do you recommend doing about the rust?

 

Just had a read up on red rust. In order not to damage the black rust, use a horn or bone spatula etc., which will lift one but not the other.

 

One other traditional method is to leave it on the roof in frosty weather. Nowadays this can be accomplished by leaving in the freezer for 10-20 minutes, after first wetting the rust spots. The water is absorbed into the active rust, freezes and in doing so lifts the red rust.

[nagamaki - Franco]

If using the freezer method, which works very well, repeat at least 3-5 times for better results. In addition to using horn (deer antler) and ivory (old broken ivory crochet hooks work very well), to work away the heavier rust, purchase a couple of different size lg, sm., natural bristled paint brushes (horse hair). After removing the heavier rust via horn start brushing. Usually, I do this sitting in front of the tv, where a 1/2 hour to an hours time easily passes by, personally I find doing this very relaxing. Do not exert any sort of undue pressure, let the paint brush and repetition do all the work of removing the red surface rust. It is important to realize and know when to stop, more is not always better.

[nagamaki - Franco]

In retrospect a word to the wise here, please. When it comes to nihonto and tosogu there is often a thirst for knowledge in "how to restore" some of these art objects. Unfortunately, this is one area of collecting where a little knowledge, and sometimes even a lot of knowledge, can easily go a long way towards ruining some of these objects of art in a big hurry. Clean the wrong surface here, take off a touch too much there, and a grand piece can easily become, "it used to be a grand piece", if you catch my drift.

Sometimes its best to just leave things alone, do no harm. The point being that not until someone has the experience to know when something is appropriate, and more importantly when it is not appropriate, then it's best to leave the restoring to those that do know or at least seek their help first.

[Henry Wilson]

Don't know about the freezer but....

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~jggilbert/Cleaning.htm

 

Thank you Mr Gilbert

[remzy]

Hehe i posted that link some post above Henry ^.^

 

I agree with you Franco, but i personnaly think that someone who try to get information on how to proprely restore an antique is generaly more careful and respectful toward said antique (regardless of origin) than someone who just "think that he know" how to do it and fire up his grinder without taking the time to ask around. :lol: Only personnal perceptions there.