Greg
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Post by Greg on Mar 5, 2011 9:53:57 GMT
So, I just thought I'd share this and see what the community had to say about it.
I've had a couple bare blades that I got a year ago that I just haven't figured out what I want to do with them. So for long term storage, I rubbed a light coating of Vaseline on them and put them aside.
Well, due to a recent epiphany in how I'll finish it out, I went and retrieved one of em and thought "What is this stuff all over my blade?" Then I remembered the Vaseline.
So far, it hasn't rusted... at all. Granted it's a Del Tin blade which is made of Chrome-Vanadium, but I KNOW they do corrode just like any other metal.
Anyway, can any one think of why this would be bad? I don't really have any 1060 or 5160 blades that I'd want to put up for that long, so I'm not sure if it would discolor tho's metals or not. I'd imagine not tho.
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Post by chuckinohio on Mar 5, 2011 12:34:58 GMT
We commonly refer to our blades as "sexy", and now we are lubing them......................................
"Keep an eye on that Greg guy" Chuck says to himself.
Actually it shouldn't be too much different that using cosmoline. A good barrier for storage.
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Post by Ninjadave89 on Mar 5, 2011 13:17:06 GMT
I use it for all my swords and though it might look ugly, it does work for long term storage. I used it on my Hanwei katana and stored it for around 6 months and the blade was fine!
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Post by Elheru Aran on Mar 5, 2011 15:13:57 GMT
Petroleum jelly and cosmoline are basically the same thing, I believe. So, yes, it's fine for long term storage as long as you aren't vaselining them up and then putting them in the scabbard. I might take off leather-wrapped grips before storing as I'm not sure what the jelly might do to the leather, though, but aside from that I really can't see it doing any wrong to your blade as long as...
1.) they're dry first, the jelly will trap any moisture underneath it... not that hard to fix though. 2.) you wipe off completely afterwards, it picks up dirt like you wouldn't believe.
Basically the same principle as the military used to store their guns, and it works fine for them, so if you have some swords that you only pull out once or twice a year, you could do worse than this, that's for sure.
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Sean (Shadowhowler)
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Post by Sean (Shadowhowler) on Mar 5, 2011 15:24:42 GMT
Seems like it would work fine to me... especially if you could put the Petroleum Jelly on the blade then wrap it in a plastic wrap... seems it should keep for a long time that way.
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Post by 14thforsaken on Mar 5, 2011 16:45:54 GMT
I use vaseline on any sword I put into long term storage. I've had some blades I kept that way for 5+ years that way. You don't have to wrap it in saran or anything. Mine were wrapped in rags and old pillowcases mainly because I didn't want the vaseline to get on anything else.
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Sam H
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Post by Sam H on Mar 7, 2011 2:51:52 GMT
I use Militec-1 for my swords and guns. A fine (invisible) layer of Militec-1 grease protects my blades for 6 months to a year at a time - depending on the amount of use I give them - without cleaning. A slightly thicker layer (just enough so you can see the wipe marks on the blade) and they blades stay rust free for years. If you put a fine layer on your blades you can return them to their scabbards and put them away for storage. A thicker layer and I'd suggest not putting it back in the scabbard.
I also swear by Militec-1 for my firearms - and I have way more money invested in my firearms than I do my swords. Every firearm I own has been cleaned then lubed with Militec-1 oil (or grease for long term storage). None of my guns are ever used "dripping wet" and none have failed to function due to a lubrication problem... er at least not that I can remember within the last 10 yrs.
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Greg
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Post by Greg on Mar 7, 2011 4:23:57 GMT
Sam, I've really been meaning to get around to ordering a tube of the grease, but I've always put it off. However, my last cutting session got rained on and I got lazy and didn't disassemble the blades for a thourogh cleaning and found some rust. I'd imagine that Militec, applied to the tang, would keep it rust free for the rest of my natural life.
But, I thought I'd share the Vaseline idea for anyone who was looking for another everyday product for sword storage.
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Post by SlayerofDarkness on Mar 7, 2011 20:57:07 GMT
Sam- do you use the stuff listed on their website as plain 'Militec1', or the stuff listed as 'Militec1 Grease'? :?:
I seriously need to order some; maintaining 18 blades, 16 of which are swords, is getting to be quite a hassle having to re-oil every few weeks. :roll: Militec1 seems to be the perfect solution.
Thanks, -Slayer
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Greg
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Post by Greg on Mar 7, 2011 23:28:27 GMT
If I'm not mistaken, he uses the grease for swords. I'll end up buying the tube of grease as it seems like the best band for my buck. www.militec1.com/miva/merchant.m ... ory_Code=1
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Post by SlayerofDarkness on Mar 8, 2011 1:16:53 GMT
I agree, that seems the most likely choice, and the best buy... I was just hoping to get some confirmation before I order it. Thanks for the input. -Slayer
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Post by bleachsword on Mar 8, 2011 1:38:50 GMT
Thanks for the link, now to get me some of that
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Sam H
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Post by Sam H on Mar 8, 2011 3:22:10 GMT
I do use the grease for the swords. I have a tube of grease I bought years ago specifically for swords and I think unless my the number of swords I own increases in numbers dramatically - like by 100x (which I don't foresee happening any time soon) I think the tube of grease will last me the rest of my life.
I tried the oil on swords but found that in order for it to really be effective I have to heat up the blade a heat gun after putting a coat of oil on it and rub it into the blade while hot to the touch. Then afterwards re-oil and buff clean. The blade doesn't feel like its been oiled but is protected as if it were. Something to do with the bonding chemicals in the oil that gives a dry lubricant/rust preventative after its been allowed to be absorbed into the structure of the steel. I do use both the Militec-1 oil and grease on my firearms - depending on the parts and application of the firearms. I like using the oil in firearms that I abuse - like my AKs and my 1911s that I take to the public range nearby because that range is sandy and dusty. On windier days my firearms can be covered in sand and dust in just a half hour and with grease that stuff tends to collect in the grease. The oil, when applied correctly, does not gather dust or sand and still provides good lubrication and rust protection. Just a note - none of said firearms have failed to function while lubricated with Militec-1. Using Remington's gun oil and other oils like CLP I have had the 1911s fail when covered in dust and sand. Since I've changed to Militec-1 they have not failed to operate aside from the occasional mag failure (like a defective mag spring).
Greg - I thought it was a good thing to let the tang get rusty? Or was that only on katana?
Slayer - I'm quite certain that if you purchase a tube of their grease you'll be happy with the end results, especially if you have a lot of swords and/or you play with them often. The grease cuts down on maintenance dramatically. Now I'm one of those lazy guys who don't ever wipe down their blades after cutting a bottle of water - or for that matter often forgets to wipe down the blade after a cutting session till the next time he cuts (which for me now is a matter of months lately since its winter). Frankly if I trust my life on the firearms I use this product on I'll trust my swords with this product too.
I'd add a link but Greg already beat me to it.
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Greg
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Post by Greg on Mar 8, 2011 3:40:58 GMT
Well Sam, that's what tho's crazy Japanese think. But for me, on a euro that I can take apart with a hex nut, I don't really see any reason not to keep rust off the blade. With katanas, I can kinda see why. Their whole works relies on two pieces of bamboo, which if they come under a lot of stress, could fail. If there is rust helping the bamboo pegs, then the grip will have better chances of staying on. But for me, rust is rust and I don't want it anywhere near my blades. Gonna go order the tube of grease now, I've put it off for to long. After it arrives, you'll have another person up on your soapbox.
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Post by SlayerofDarkness on Mar 8, 2011 3:48:36 GMT
Haha, sounds PERFECT for me, man! I have 19 blades I'm taking care of, ATM, 17 of which are swords... and it can get real old, real fast, when I'm doing my monthly cleaning ritual. :lol: If a $12 tube of Militec1 can help with that, I'm all in. I also fail to wipe down my swords after each cut; I never clean them until I'm done cutting and go inside, which is why I go through Metal Glo really fast. Sometimes I forget or get lazy, and end up cleaning them a week after a cutting session, which only akes matters worse... yeah, this stuff will help a lot. So, I assume Metal Glo will remove it, so I should try to not use it unless absolutely neccesary, right? Also, will simply wiping the blade with a cloth (to remove water, etc) take off the Militec1? :?: I just want to make sure that I don't negate its usefulness due to my own lack of knowledge. :oops: Thanks! -Slayer
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Greg
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Post by Greg on Mar 8, 2011 3:55:28 GMT
From what I remember on the old forums, he had cut up various fruits and vegetables one day with it, and the wiped off the "guts" with a rag, then stored the blades. 6 months later, there was a small smear of dried up pumpkin on the blade, but no other adverse effects.
So from what I can tell, a wipe with a soft cloth won't remove the stuff. However, with as much as I cut, I do wonder if constantly rubbing the blade with a soft cloth would remove it. I'm inclined to think that it would still be ok tho.
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Sam H
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Post by Sam H on Mar 8, 2011 4:02:55 GMT
Slayer I'v never used Metal Glo but have used Flitz polish from time to time. Even withe the Militec-1 on it my blades do get a bit discolored from cutting pumpkins and veggies - but I hit it with Flitz metal polish and that brightens things up. Then I re-apply the Militec and its good again. As for wiping the blade to remove water - it won't hurt the Militec at all. Many times I've wiped the blade down till it was bone dry and stored it for weeks even months without additional lube and not had it rust. The claim that the manufacturer of Militec-1 makes is that its got some synthetics in it that actually bonds to the metal on a molecular level - much like Rainex bonds to glass - and gives the steel this sort of dry lubrication/rust protection. It works best when the steel is heated up to about 150 degrees or so from my personal experience when applied to swords (apply it to the blade, heat the blade, rub and buff till dry, re-apply then wipe till dry to the touch). In my firearms I do the same with the oil for adverse (sandy, dusty or muddy) conditions. The grease is left with a nearly un-noticeable layer on the steel for additional protection from rust and moisture. Greg - it'll be nice to have another person on the soap box - its kinda lonely up here lol. Really though I love this stuff and tell everybody about it who uses either firearms or blades. I've been told I should start getting commissions from them considering how much I rave about it. However at $12 a tube I doubt they have a great margin in it and as such they probably won't pay me a commission. Now - maybe some free oil or grease - that'd be nice. As for the tang - yeah you're right about the reasoning for the rust on a katana's tang. I guess I figured it was the same way with Euros. Shows you how much I know about that side of the sword world. Really though I just like sharing the secret. It works for me and I figure the way I abuse things - it'd work for people who are far less abusive with their swords and firearms than I am.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2011 19:53:32 GMT
So, to make sure I understand, if a sword is not going to be used for some time, the best method of storage is to coat it with petroleum jelly, then cover the bade with rages/etc or plastic wrap, not placing it inside the scabbard?
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Greg
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Post by Greg on Mar 17, 2011 5:35:00 GMT
Best is a subjective term.
I chose petroleum jelly because it's what I had on hand at the moment and it's fairly easy to get. If we wanted to talk best, I'd imagine that it would involve a temp controlled vacuum chamber and some NASA grease or something.
But for the casual collector, I've found petroleum jelly to work with good results. Mine wasn't covered in rags, but it had a relativly dust free corner to lean in. I did, however, just get my sample packet of the Militec-1 stuff, so I'm gonna go update that post about what they hand out.
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