Help needed: Small rust spots on nihonto katana

[Winchester]

Friends, I have a katana that has a few smaller rust spots/areas; it is lighter brown/red in color. 

 

I'd like to send it to Woody Hall in the spring next year, because I don't want to mail it in colder temperatures and have temperature fluctuations in transit.

 

Am I ok just using choji oil on it until I can have it professionally polished in about six months?

 

Do you have any recommendations you can share? Thank you, I really appreciate it and am uncertain how best to proceed.

[ChrisW]

You can use electronics-grade isopropyl alcohol to deactivate the rust and then use some choji oil on it.

[Mark S.]

26 minutes ago, Winchester said:

 

I'd like to send it to Woody Hall in the spring next year, because I don't want to mail it in colder temperatures and have temperature fluctuations in transit.

 

You might want to reach out to Woody for his opinion.  If you’re going to get it polished anyway, then catching the rust early may be better than waiting.  Mailing it with a heavy coat of oil should get it to him in good condition.  He can give the best recommendation on how you should send it.  And if I was worried about early rust causing more permanent damage, I would rather have it in the hands of the polisher who knows how to keep the blade stable until polish.  All just my humble opinion.

[Winchester]

Does anyone have his contact info.? All I have is a name. Any additional advice is welcome.

[ROKUJURO]

42 minutes ago, ChrisW said:

You can use electronics-grade isopropyl alcohol to deactivate the rust and then use some choji oil on it.

Chris,

I have never heard that any kind of alcohol could 'deactivate' rust. As far as I know, isoprpylic alcohol can dilute/dissolve oil or fat. To slow down corrosion you can try to limit or even stop oxygen attack with a layer of a suitable substance (mostly oil) or chemically transform the iron oxide with phosphoric acid.

[ChrisW]

If you remove the water/oils/fats that are the source of the rust, then oxygen starve it with oil, that is effectively deactivating it. Don't quibble over small points.

[Winchester]

Received info. requested. Thanks, everyone.