Well this is a lesson you had to learn.
NEVER EVER do this again.
You destroyed the original crossgrain of the blade.
That is a deadly sin towards a blade.
And No i dont like shiny polished blades.
Ger
Well this is a lesson you had to learn.
NEVER EVER do this again.
You destroyed the original crossgrain of the blade.
That is a deadly sin towards a blade.
And No i dont like shiny polished blades.
Ger
I used smooth cloth, oil and vinegar , i didnt repolish the blade.The original polish is still there.by gerrit
The crossgrain is very fragile. It only takes light polishing to remove it. Any kind of cleaning or restoration of this nature will more often than not negatively impact the blade's value, in both a monetary and historical sense. What you have done has degraded, rather than improved, the overall condition of this dagger.
B.B.
I understand , thank you for the information.
Unless you are making a salad ..why did you use an Oil / Vinegar combination ?
I never heard of this kind of cleaning method.
There still may be oil residue left on the blade.
It is not the size of a Collection in History that matters......Its the size of your Passion for it!!- Larry C
One never knows what tree roots push to the surface of what laid buried before the tree was planted - Larry C
“The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” - Winston Churchill
In future, it would be best to avoid things like cleaning and restoration in general. Unless you're dealing with a relic, you are likely to do far more harm than good. While it may be possible to remove stains from a blade, you'll also be removing decades of patina and natural wear. The same is true of any military collectible. Be it a medal, a uniform, a helmet.... Generally, collectors will always prefer an item that has not been messed with since 1945, even if it is in less than stellar condition. 'Original' always trumps 'mint', at least in my experience.
Don't fret. You made an honest mistake. All collectors have done something similar in their formative years. Any collector who says he hasn't accidentally broken or damaged something somewhere along the line is probably lying. Sometimes it's poor storage, or poor display. Sometimes, as in this case, it's a well-meaning attempt to improve the condition of the item.
In future, when contemplating restoration, assess the process before hand and try to predict any 'collateral damage' that may occur. While it may be worth carefully removing surface rust from a blade to protect it from permanent corrosion, it is better to assume that there is nothing that can be done if said corrosion has already taken place. Sometimes it's simply too late by the time the item comes into our possession, and that's okay.
Remember, we collect to preserve. Keep that at the forefront of everything that you do in this hobby, and you will go far.
Regards, B.B.
In the future only use WD40 and a toothbrush
sprah it, wait a day and use a toothbrush (i cut half of the hairs) brush it cross on the blade, like the grain
Thats all you have to do.
Regards
Ger
Thats what i did
well i dont brush with a brass brush, LOL
Avoid any metal or polish paste it destroys factory grain and give a polish surface look....
Ger
Damn that is not good jaspar, an overcleaned Dagger is putting the Value lower. I liked it way more before you cleaned it!
I hope you learned the lesson. The Blade was in decent condition before no need to be so aggressive to that poor Dagger
I would use Renwax to clean it and mostly for maintenance.
Do not worry almost every Collector did make a Mistake in the past… as Long as you learning from it, its all good!
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