"aji"

[cabowen]

Since Steve directed a question my way on "aji" and the preservation of iron/steel, I started this new thread as it seemed more appropriate than to take the other off topic...

 

Steve wrote: "I'd also like to ask Chris, who seems so taken with the notion of "aji," where he draws the line between appropriate cleaning and inappropriate (too much) cleaning. Does the primacy of aji mean leaving some rust on an iron tsuba? After all, that rust does add the "flavor" of decades/centuries of aging, reflecting so "wabi-ly" the "natural decay, imperfection, and organic form and process...the entropy with grace." Right? On the other hand, active red rust IS eating away at the steel, the steel the artist rendered in a particular way for a particular effect, an effect being "defaced" by the activities of the red rust. Right, Ford? Sasano and Kremers would have us clean away every trace of red rust from our steel guards. But doesn't that wreck the "entropy with grace" so highly prized by some?"

 

In discussing restoration with professionals, I have often heard it said,"do no harm".

 

There are two common forms of rust: Fe2O3, which is red rust and is "bad", and Fe3O4, which is black and is "good". All tsuba are covered with rust, hopefully the black type.

 

Loose red rust can be gently removed, and then converted to black rust. One does not need to remove steel and grind down the faces of the tsuba until it is smooth and featureless.

 

It is the same with a nakago. Red rust is converted to black. You don't grind down the nakago....

[christianmalterre]

Dear Chris,

 

this post/question or thematics or whatever you like to call it-is in mine personal view much better and also "usefuller"-as here an thematics of certain seriosity begins.

(Paranthese!)

There are different-partially contradictionary meanings/politics/interests and religions-me for mine part i do have that one you can see in live-size in the Rüstkammer zu Dresden.(Point I.)(in future the collection will be possible to study in the Residenzschloss)((as there i do mine business in some part))

Point.II-is from point of view of chemistry(which was(still is) naturally part of mine education as an professional Restaurator) essentiallyFe3o4 results further or later to the "Holy" Fe3o4-and that´s no magic at all.

Point III and the in those all thematics discussion is any answer very simple: If one person does have not the profound backround-that person should better,to do in field-work and spending his or her time in analytics before waging battle.(THIS IS MEANT NOT PERSONALLY TO ANYONE AND DEFINITELY NOT TO YOU ALSO!)

All those objects do have history-it is not our´s part to destroy them-that´s all!

 

Christian

[sanjuro]

Not wishing to divert the thread in any way, but just a very small question if I may. How does Fe203 get converted to Fe304? and how can one bring about that conversion deliberately? Does that process itself, (natural or deliberate), cause further deterioration?

[cabowen]

Not wishing to divert the thread in any way, but just a very small question if I may. How does Fe203 get converted to Fe304? and how can one bring about that conversion deliberately? Does that process itself, (natural or deliberate), cause further deterioration?

 

Not wanting to see someone mess something up, I think it best you google that and see what you can find. There are ways to do it that do not cause any harm. You need to know what you are doing.....

 

Once Fe3O4, the oxidation stops as the Fe3O4 protects the steel surface from any further corrosion.

[sanjuro]

Thanks Chris.

I wasn't contemplating making any attempt at such a conversion myself unless it were on a piece of steel scrap rather than a tsuba. I was trying to gain some insight into the Sasano school of thought as against the 'leave well enough alone' philosophy on tsuba restoration/conservation, not to mention all the extremes of each point of view. This merely to have a more balanced and informed view myself.

 

Sorry for the diversion everyone....... back to topic please, I follow this and related threads with great interest :D

[cabowen]

Thanks Chris.

I wasn't contemplating making any attempt at such a conversion myself unless it were on a piece of steel scrap rather than a tsuba.

 

Not you I would worry about....

 

I was trying to gain some insight into the Sasano school of thought as against the 'leave well enough alone' pholosophy on tsuba restoration/conservation. This merely to have a more balanced and informed view myself.

 

I have heard many times that Sasano took a lot of heat for what he did and latter admitted that he was overzealous in his "restoration"...