- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 2
Hey all,
First post! I made this account specifically to ask for help with an issue that I can't seem to resolve on my own. I recently acquired a katana from a friend who hadn't used it in years. I traded him a knife I never use for it, so it's no big investment of cash for me (this is important). The sword itself is on the cheaper side of the spectrum (I believe it was one of the assemble-your-own kits from true swords or some such place) but feels well put-together, all the fittings are tight, and the steel of the blade is I believe 1095 high carbon. Below are pictures of the sword in and out of its saya.
My problem is with the rather sorry state of the blade itself. As I said, it had been laying in my friend's closet for quite a while, and as such was not cleaned or protected against rust. When he did use it, he was careless with his cuts and then simply slammed it back into its saya without a proper cleaning. The blade is marred by what appears to be both rust and water spots (?). My question is how do I best go about removing this? Polish has done nothing, nor has super-fine steel wool. I've heard sandpaper in extremely fine grits - does this work? Again, the blade is not of crucial value to me, so if it were to be damaged beyond use I would not be too bummed. It is NOT a folded steel blade! I would just like to restore it to its former lustre and cutting abilities. As of now, I have the blade oiled to prevent further damage and sitting in its saya, awaiting advice. Any thoughts, tips, or instructions would be greatly appreciated! Below are some detailed pictures of the damage.
Water damage (?) near habaki
Some sort of rust or corrosion along the curve - this is present over most of the blade
More corrosion near the kissaki - the burrs and chips are not of as big a concern as the corrosion
The worst of the rust - the blade here has no shine whatsoever.
That's pretty much it. Any help whatsoever would be extremely appreciated!
Proost
Harrison
First post! I made this account specifically to ask for help with an issue that I can't seem to resolve on my own. I recently acquired a katana from a friend who hadn't used it in years. I traded him a knife I never use for it, so it's no big investment of cash for me (this is important). The sword itself is on the cheaper side of the spectrum (I believe it was one of the assemble-your-own kits from true swords or some such place) but feels well put-together, all the fittings are tight, and the steel of the blade is I believe 1095 high carbon. Below are pictures of the sword in and out of its saya.
My problem is with the rather sorry state of the blade itself. As I said, it had been laying in my friend's closet for quite a while, and as such was not cleaned or protected against rust. When he did use it, he was careless with his cuts and then simply slammed it back into its saya without a proper cleaning. The blade is marred by what appears to be both rust and water spots (?). My question is how do I best go about removing this? Polish has done nothing, nor has super-fine steel wool. I've heard sandpaper in extremely fine grits - does this work? Again, the blade is not of crucial value to me, so if it were to be damaged beyond use I would not be too bummed. It is NOT a folded steel blade! I would just like to restore it to its former lustre and cutting abilities. As of now, I have the blade oiled to prevent further damage and sitting in its saya, awaiting advice. Any thoughts, tips, or instructions would be greatly appreciated! Below are some detailed pictures of the damage.
Water damage (?) near habaki
Some sort of rust or corrosion along the curve - this is present over most of the blade
More corrosion near the kissaki - the burrs and chips are not of as big a concern as the corrosion
The worst of the rust - the blade here has no shine whatsoever.
That's pretty much it. Any help whatsoever would be extremely appreciated!
Proost
Harrison
