Basic cleaning pointers

[PaulE]

Hi everyone I'm a novice in the area of collecting edged weapons so can anyone give me a few pointers in the basics of cleaning.
1:I have found the product called Autosol to which I think my be the British version of semichrome am I correct. also is it safe to use on a dress bayonet,NSKK dagger and a red cross hewer
2: when cleaning does you go across the blade or down the length of the blade
Thanks in advance for any replies
Paul

[Larry Lipps]

Paul, I have no idea whether or not this is a semichrome equivalent. I have seen semichrome on Ebay and that would be my first choice. When I clean a plated blade, I polish the length of the blade. On a blade with crossgraining, I try and go with the grain. Whatever you use try and keep it away from any etch on the blade as it will be tough to remove. A little goes a long way and don't get heavy handed. If a stain doesn't come off fairly easily, it probably won't come off at all. Don't over do it!

[PaulE]

Cheers Larry. whats the best way to see the cross grain is it under a magnifying glass.
i know dumb question but i'd hate to damage the items

[Ron Weinand]

Simichrome

Over the years I find that Simichrome is by far the best. It will gently polish out dark areas (avoid direct contact with the motto and TM dark area). It will remove light rust on blued or anodized scabbards and will not remove crossgraining with careful application.
Next, a light coat will remove finger print oil and will leave a light coating of silicon to prevent further damage.
As with any product, you must begin on a less valuable item and learn its traits and how to use it. OVER POLISHING LEAVES A PIECE LOOKING LIKE IT HAS BEEN CLEANED, REGARDLESS OF HOW CAREFUL YOU ARE IN APPLICATION.
I also find that applying any kind of oil to a dress dagger blade with cause problems down the road. On plated blades it will penetrate under the plating through any breaks in the surface (eg. scratches from putting the blade in and out of the scabbard as in dress bayonets and plated dress dagger blades) and will flake the surface platings.
Next oil application on natural finished blades WILL DARKEN THE BLADE OVER TIME AND WILL CAUSE DIRT TO SPOT THE BLADE WHEN HELD IN CONTACT WITH THE SURFACE OVER TIME.
Also, if the humidity is high when the oil is applied, some moisture can be trapped under the oil and cause damage.
Lastly, I store my daggers out of the scabbard in anti silver tarnish cloth bags my wife makes for my daggers. As I keep my dagger in safety deposit boxes at local banks (on the road a lot, so safety is a problem for me) and find that this keeps them in original polish best.
Ron Weinand
Weinand Militaria

[PaulE]

Thank you Ron
I'm learning a little bit more with every post.
cheers

[CurtD]

Take Ron's advice regarding Simichrome. I am not a dagger expert by any means (I have owned 2 NSKK's and 1 SA). I used Simichrome on a blade that was in fairly bad shape. It did not have any rust, but it had a lot of "splotchiness" caused by I don't know what.

Afterwards, it looked like it had been buffed and polished -- very obviously cleaned. I wish I had never touched it.

From now on, I buy blades in better condition and just put a coat of Ren. Wax on it for protection and store it with dessicant bags.

Unless you know what you are doing, I would advise not doing anything other than that. Leave the restoration work to professionals.

[David C]

I can only echo the sound advice given above.

Avoid cleaning if at all possible. If you have to do it be very very careful. The Autosol product is from the same manufacturer as Simichrome but I don't think it is the exact same product but it's close.

I add Autosol to the media in a vibratory tumbler for cleaning pinball machine parts. It works wonderfully in this application, sparkling clean parts with a thin coating of silicon.

I have never used Simichrome.

I have used Autosol in extreme cases on blades. From what I have heard it performs just like Simichrome although I suspect it may be a little more abrasive. It doesn't take much to start wearing crossgraining away even when working in the right direction and stay away from makers marks and etchings.

Sounds a bit scary but it can work. I have an heer dagger with a pitted blade that now looks much better and an otherwise very nice plain bladed kriegsmarine sword that was covered in streaks that came out totally clean and shiny.

Again, avoid if you can. If you have to be careful.

Cheers,
David.

[PaulE]

Thanks for the advice, the blades I have are not in that bad a condition so I think I will stick to just using a glass cleaning cloth to remove the minor marks
paul

[Scott R.]

I have been using (Mothers Brand "Mag & Aluminum Polish")
It is non abrasive, gentle and leaves behind a slick coating to protect the blade. I don't use it on any etching, or plating.

Reading this thread got me wondering if I am doing the right thing. I looked at the label, and it says that it contains "Petrolium Distilates".
It is designed to leave behind a protective coating, but the Petrolium part has me wondering. (I am certainly no chemist).
Any thoughts?

[Scott R.]

I just found the MSDS sheet on Simichrome. It contains Kerosene, so maybe Petolium distilates is no big deal.

[David C]

I have found that most of these cleaning products contain petroleum distilates as a spreading agent. Indeed it causes some confusion amongst novice pinball machine collectors. You see to get the best performance and to provide the best protection playfields should be cleaned and waxed regularly. Many of the cleaning products and the highly recommended carnuba waxes contain petroleum distilates. If they did not they would be solid blocks.

The problem is that for some unfathomable reason all Williams/Bally pinball machine manuals carry a warning to the effect of 'Don't use any products that contain petroleum distilates for cleaning the playfield'.

Advice that is routinely ignored to no ill affect.

Cheers,
David.