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Post by TheNewDavout on Jul 23, 2013 22:04:32 GMT
Hi, I'm relatively new to the world of armor, but have been a sword-nerd for some time. I'm looking for a way to prevent rust on armor designed for historical fencing (gauntlets, steel buckler, elbows) from rusting due to their contact with a nice sweaty fencer. I'm wondering if some sort of finish or bluing would help. Does anyone have a particular method that works for them?
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Post by Onimusha on Jul 23, 2013 22:05:53 GMT
You could hit it with some clear coat.
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Post by TheNewDavout on Jul 23, 2013 22:21:13 GMT
I've thought about it, how prone to scratching off would it be?
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Post by C.J. on Aug 1, 2013 2:18:59 GMT
I fight SCA when I get the chance and on my mild steel stuff I use renaissance wax. It protects very well and lasts a real long time when you don't have a chance to get out and fight. When you're done for the day just reapply and your good to go. You also don't have the problem of oil staining your clothes. But the best way to get around rusty armor is to buy stainless
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Post by Beowulf on Aug 4, 2013 5:25:23 GMT
I've had problems with clearcoat on helms. These pieces didn't get used for sparring. The clearcoat started cracking, very small and rather even cracks. I think it was because the coating I used had no flexibility, whereas the sallet and bevor did get flexed slightly often: putting them on, scrambling for the visor button, dropping the lames on the bevor. Some thoughts. Some armours were painted. Seems odd to us now, especially with movies and books getting us to espouse to the notion of shiny metal armours. I am unsure where to go next, but one thing for me is residue. I did try a 50/50 mix of natural turpentine and linseed oil. Looked good at first. Got nasty and thick and dark after a year or so. Natural turpentine by itself leaves an invisible coating behind when it evaporates. I do use it on some sword blades sometimes. Seems to keep the rust away. It has been difficult to convince anyone else to try it, since there is no real tangible "mechanism" to latch onto. Wipe it on, forget it, hope it works. The turpentine was pointed out to me by Gaufried (Jeffery Hull). It was used back in the day for at least medical purposes, who knows what else. I am also trying to "trust history" with another safe extrapolation: Pure Lanolin. It is almost like honey in consistency, a little goes a long ways, it clings tenaciously to what blades I have tried it on. It would wipe/smear from contact on armours, but hey, it's lanolin. Apply a bit more to resmooth the coating out on surfaces. Browning is a good possibility, but in the end that is an arrested rust process. So it could be scratched through and rebrowning takes some time. Really, if you think about it you've got the liquid coating route and the solid coating route. Seems like the liquid coating wins for the ease of reapplication, but on a real historical campaign the solid coatings would win for durability UP to the point of battle. These things always remind me that people with names, money, power and land back in the day had servants to take care of these details. Like someone somewhere has probably said, the fighter jet includes pilot and groundcrew. Without either you have a flightless sculpture.
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pgandy
Moderator
Senior Forumite
Posts: 10,296
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Post by pgandy on Dec 28, 2013 17:37:19 GMT
I can throw out some ideas based on past experience with other items. If sweat is the cause as you say wash thoroughly with hot water after using to remove the salt deposited on the metal by sweat, a trick used by black powder shooters to remove powder residue. The hot water heats the metal decreasing drying time. You might have to adjust somewhat if leather or other such materials are involved. Then apply a preservative. Oils such as WD-40 or LPS 1 will get between any remaining water and the metal. These types of oils are not good for long lasting protection but give excellent immediate and short protection. While visiting the US a few months ago I purchased some LPS 3. I used this decades ago with excellent long term results. They have changed the formula since I used it back then. At that time it was very much like cosmoline, something that never dries and you wouldn’t want to wear. Now it dries giving an appearance like car wax before buffing. I assume that it is still as effective. I’ve been using the new stuff here in the tropics for only 2 months on my blades that are stored more than used and I am pleased so far. The manufacturer is claiming that it works for two years. The old stuff worked longer in my experience. You might try car wax once the metal is thoroughly dry. It is cheaper and may work satisfactory if you use your amour frequently. At any rate you will have a problem until you remove any residual salt on the metal regardless of what you use. To remove rust itself use a light oil such as WD-40 and #000 or #0000 steel oil. I prefer #000. This will not remove stains or pitting but will take care of rust. Those will have to be taken care of by a metal polish such as Metal Glo. In extreme cases wet dry paper ending with #1500 or finer then metal polish and LOTS of elbow grease. You might be better off leaving those alone. Like I said, you will continue to experience rust problem regardless, until you remove all of the residual salt/acids. I don’t recommend a coating unless at some time you are willing to remove it when it becomes worn. Renaissance Wax is very good although I have experienced rusting more than once with it. Here in the tropics with the heat, rain, and humidity fighting rust is a never ending problem for me. I hope this helps.
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Taran
Member
Posts: 2,621
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Post by Taran on Jan 17, 2014 20:32:03 GMT
Black it, brown it, or blue it, per your preference. Cold blueing/browning with an acid wash doesn't last very long and needs redone often. If you can do a hot salt-acid wash, that should do the job permanently.
Alternatively, Rustoleum lasts fairly well, but does need reapplied and falls in with the medieval tendency to painting the armour.
Another period option is lamination. Don't know how that one is done, though.
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Razor
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,883
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Post by Razor on Jan 21, 2014 3:10:25 GMT
What we use here in CA for armor and bucklers is sanding sponges or black sand paper. But sanding sponges work the best. One WMA school here in Nor CA takes one armor class day to do armor maintenance, and that is to check the rivets and sand the rust away. www.amazon.com/3M-Sanding-Sponge ... ing+sponge Scotch-brite and Metal Glow also works for light maintenance. But I wouldn't recommend steel wool because the scratches is causes rust even quicker and are harder to get rid of.
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Post by Kasey on Sept 8, 2014 11:19:27 GMT
The suit of armor which medieval knight used to wear was made up of steel and steel is well known for rust free feature. Particularly I am taking about stainless steel which has alloy feature which doesnot allow it to rust. No suit of armor is made from iron. One of the technique called "bluing" that is still used today to protect steel from rust.
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Post by Lukas MG (chenessfan) on Sept 8, 2014 13:00:22 GMT
Wait, are you saying they used stainless steel for armor back in period? Stainless didn't even exist then... and yes, a lot of armor was made from iron. Not everybody could afford heat treated steel armor. Both rust easily. Bluing is a possibility to protect steel from oxidation, another option would be hiring a squire
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Post by Sir Thorfinn on Sept 9, 2014 0:15:48 GMT
Lol... Ok, here in humid Ohio...for SCA a lot of folks use plain old Johnsons paste wax. Before I swapped to a fill stainless kit, that is what I used. For me, the trick was to have a clean towel to wipe my gear down when done, *RIGHT* after practice. I transported gear in old pillowcases or cloth bags, letting the wax buff around in transport, then rewax and clean as needed. Worked like a charm, and I was the only person in out 40+ person camp to make it thru over a week of Pennsic war with zero rust.
So, once you get the finish you like, wax is cheap and easy...
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Post by gerrye on Oct 7, 2015 21:34:43 GMT
In the Agincourt campaign the English got very rusty. They were constantly being harrassed and nobody had much of a chance to get scrubbed and oiled by their minions, so they just had to oxidise.
I thought I'd heard that stainless was too brittle for sparring use?? Can't say I'd be too keen on the idea of armour shards.*shudder*
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