How To Best way to clean ivory on a sword?

LPtroll

LPtroll

Joined
Aug 5, 2021
Messages
12
Hello. I found a sword while cleaning out my grandparents basement! Unfortunately, it's kinda rusty and there's something on the ivory handle. What's the best way to clean the ivory without damaging it?

If anyone's curious, it's a Knight's Templer sword by the Cincinnati Regalia company.

https://flic.kr/p/2mfkRHJ
 
I clean my ivory piano keys with mild toothpaste, believe it or not :)
 
LPtroll said:
Thank you. I couldn't find anything when I googled. I'll try YouTube. 😊 I'm afraid it won't come off easily.
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Try Googling the phrase
Cleaning Ivory.

Also, that may or may not be ivory.
 
If that really is ivory, it will need more than cleaning.
Look it up, but I believe ivory needs oiling - mineral or glycerin. Otherwise it dries and breaks down.
Same is true for horn and bone.
The color doesn't look particularly like old ivory, but I'm not experienced with it.
 
Ourorboros said:
If that really is ivory, it will need more than cleaning.
Look it up, but I believe ivory needs oiling - mineral or glycerin. Otherwise it dries and breaks down.
Same is true for horn and bone.
The color doesn't look particularly like old ivory, but I'm not experienced with it.
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I don't have a clue what old Ivory looks like but all my research says that's what it likely is. Yes, I planned to oil it, but I was hoping to reduce the staining first.
 
knarfeng said:
Try Googling the phrase
Cleaning Ivory.

Also, that may or may not be ivory.
Click to expand...
Thanks. That's the first thing I tried. Everyone seemed to have a different idea of what worked and what not to do, and I don't want to whiten it.

I don't have a clue how to identify ivory, that's just what my research said this likely was.
 
CAP55 said:
I would just oil it and keep the "patina" for authenticity.
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Yeah. That's my problem. I don't want to mess with the patina but it has something on it. Some kind of brown staining I was hoping to reduce.
 
LPtroll said:
Yeah. That's my problem. I don't want to mess with the patina but it has something on it. Some kind of brown staining I was hoping to reduce.
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I doubt you could reduce just the stain without affecting the surrounding material. It adds to the value to show age and use in my opinion.
 
CAP55 said:
I doubt you could reduce just the stain without affecting the surrounding material. It adds to the value to show age and use in my opinion.
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Thanks. I was afraid of that. Unfortunately, it's just something that got on it in the basement. 🤦‍♂️
 
"If that really is ivory, it will need more than cleaning.
Look it up, but I believe ivory needs oiling - mineral or glycerin. Otherwise it dries and breaks down.
Same is true for horn and bone.
The color doesn't look particularly like old ivory, but I'm not experienced with it."

Neither ivory, horn, or bone should be oiled. These materials don't contain oil naturally, and adding it will ruin them.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
"If that really is ivory, it will need more than cleaning.
Look it up, but I believe ivory needs oiling - mineral or glycerin. Otherwise it dries and breaks down.
Same is true for horn and bone.
The color doesn't look particularly like old ivory, but I'm not experienced with it."

Neither ivory, horn, or bone should be oiled. These materials don't contain oil naturally, and adding it will ruin them.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much! I'd read that you should oil it. Luckily, I haven't done anything yet. 👍

You wouldn't happen to know how to get rust out of the shieth would you? A friend tapped out as much as he could but there was quite a bit in there.
 
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Just a thought, I've had great results cleaning all sorts of white bone with a "Magic Eraser:. Just dampen it and light rubbing the handle may surprise you. Don't have any ivory to test it on,so at your risk.
Rich
 
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