Uhlan
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Post by Uhlan on Dec 4, 2021 19:05:35 GMT
Saturday :: 04-11-2021. Started at 14.00 and ended the session at about 18.00 hours. This Turkish Tamzin period (Cavalry) Officer sabre has to go and must wait for the presentation sometime in the future. So, here's El Signor. All of it. It's damn long. Has two sides too. Crap! As you can see here the factory polish is slightly over 3M red/brown mat grade. I want that polish back, but without the little black dots and other small stuff and the gray layer covering it up right now. I think it is possible to do it without damaging the lines. Overall it is the cleanest blade I have had the privilege to work on in a long time. Compared to this one, the Turk above looks like a piece of junk pulled straight from the bottom of the Bosporus. Here is the skin. Gray but shiny underneath and with what looks like a lot of little black dots, some scratching and some black streaks. It looks way worse than it actually is. Most of what you can see here can be removed with good rubbing with the 3M mat. The black dots are dots still. A few turned into superficial little pits but most are just that, dots. Here you can see the wonders worked with 3M. I made a small roll and started working on the edges first. With the blade and the edge slightly over the polishing bench I can hold the little roll with two fingers while correcting the strokes by rubbing the other fingers along the cutting edge, thus resulting in straight strokes in length with the blade edge and not skooting all over the place. Say about 95% of crap came off. Only once or twice I had to resort to 180. Apart from the tip of any sabre or sword or knife, this here is the most tricky part. You do not want to mess with engravings. Still you'll have to do something to brighten the blade up in that spot. This is how it looked like before. Looks much better already I think. What I did was first to work around the engraving with 3M, doing the ricasso and the top edge. To get really close to the washer I made a piece of 3M (can do this with paper too) and held it down with a flat end popsickle stick. Now one can push the 3M or paper right up to the washer with force. Done this way there will be no gray line just under the washer where you cannot go otherwise. Now it looks like the polish runs under the washer, as it should. Done. Bright and the shiny too. Did the other edge first and went over the flat (It sure does look flat, but it is ever so slightly hollow!), with a strip of 400 grid rolled over my little 1.5x1.5x5cm sanding block. Where it did not touch I rolled the paper over a little oval block. This way you can sand to some extent but will not erase the deeper engraving. Works wonders, but take care not to stay there too long or else! So now the two edges are done + the ricasso and the flat just over the engraving. Clean and bright. Tomorrow is doing the rest of the flat time, fixing up the lines a wee bit where the 3M may have softened them up a bit and that'll be side 1. Like I said, ,,a doddle''. Damage report :: Three very small V shaped contact dents in the cutting edge along the blade. Can feel them but they hardly show. One very small black delamination (it looks like that but who knows with the Toledo layer cake forging going on here) line in the cutting edge near the tip. That is all. Very satisfied. Cheers.
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Post by treeslicer on Dec 4, 2021 19:33:22 GMT
Thanks much for posting this. I really like your setup.
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Post by jack88 on Dec 4, 2021 22:20:38 GMT
Easy day, looks great!
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Uhlan
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Posts: 3,121
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Post by Uhlan on Dec 5, 2021 9:53:40 GMT
Slicer :: Have to lift the sabre or sword free from the workbench to make space for the baskets and to have the blade lay flat. Much better to work on now that the blade can be clamped down. Also better for my back. That elevated part has two sections so in effect it can be made to follow and support any curved blade. Made it out of left over bits and pieces of wood from the sword racks I made out of wooden ready to mount garage storage racks. Like cheap Home Depot or Ikea stuff. Best brainwave. Saved me a world of agony.
Cheers.
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Post by pellius on Dec 5, 2021 13:48:23 GMT
It’s great to see this! Polishing while preserving those edges/transitions - studious craftsmanship that you make look as easy as strolling through a park. Very nice indeed! Thanks for sharing.
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Uhlan
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Post by Uhlan on Dec 5, 2021 18:06:11 GMT
Sunday :: 05-11-2021. Started at 12.00. Took longer than expected. The ,,flat'' middle part of the blade is indeed ground slightly hollow to about 1" from the tip. There it bulges up to form the fat and mean spear point. That hollow made me do the polishing with small bits of paper. Much like Japanese water stones. Very time consuming. To straighten out the transition from edge to hollow I polished and formed the line with 600 grid on the little block. Looks quite good now. Ended the session at 16.30 after a last polish with grey 3M mat. This is as close to the factory polish as it gets. Had to have a severe and stern talk with myself the old Presbyteran way so as not to fall for the abominations of my black and weak sinner's mind and keep my sweaty paws from creeping in the general direction of the nice and ever so softly silver shining dots of steel wool singing and winking to me with the sweet voices of corruption and whorish Babylon, in order to make me sin and wip up the polish to Officers grade. Oh the temptation! One side done. Not bad. Cheers.
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Uhlan
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Post by Uhlan on Dec 6, 2021 19:47:48 GMT
Monday :: 06-11-2021.
Not done very much today. Started too late for serious work. What I could do however was, contrary to Presbyteran demands (see above), go over the blade with some coarse steel wool. In the light of a new day I found the finish to be not realy there, so I gave it an hour long going over. This resulted in A: The finish to be much better resembling factory state with scratches all over but under the polish and B: The Toledo steel coming into its own, with faint lines and patches of different coloured metal coming up, resembling something like the skin of birch bark. Silver and dark ,,blue''. Not easy to photographe. My simple camera does not pick it up, but it is there. The finish has now a much better, deeper, shine, but not over polished to Officer grade and the Toledo steel has come into its own. Cleaned it and taped it over. Ready for the other side.
Up to day 4.
Cheers.
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Post by snubnoze on Dec 6, 2021 23:37:14 GMT
Love this. Those 3M scrubby mats are great, I used to use the white ones for car interiors back in my car detailing days. I have the grey and red ones as well that I've used on some of my swords with some oil. I cut them into small squares and wrap around a battery for fullers and around half of a clothes pin for flat areas.
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Uhlan
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Post by Uhlan on Dec 7, 2021 8:12:32 GMT
Yes, I think the 3M red mats are great too. In this case I used them for a general cleaning of the skin, to remove most of the tiny black spots and the grey layer. Once done, this shows you what really is going on and isolates the real problem spots. Great stuff. For fuller work I just roll tight a 1.5 cm wide strip of about 5 cm long. Do this with assorted grids of paper too, though longer strips. I hope that it doesn't get aborted from the 3M catalogue like the P255 60 grid. Cannot buy that anymore over here. There is something with the P255 stuff that makes it bite like no other. Bought some 60 grid for metal from assorted other brands and a new version (replacement) of 3M 60 grid for metal too. Don't work. Skoots right over the steel. No bite, nada. Great way to do business 3M. Remove stuff that actually works, introduce the new and shiny rubbish and hike the price. P255 is made with or from aluminium oxyde I believe. Is there a problem with aluminium in the market? Greens not wanting it because ,,whatever works is bad for you''? Would like to know. Bought a sempr!niload of P255 80 grid. Just in case some genius somewhere gets any bright ideas.
Cheers.
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Uhlan
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Post by Uhlan on Dec 7, 2021 19:38:48 GMT
Tuesday :: 06-11-2021.
Started at 12.00. Did the sides and stopped at 16.30. Repaired to the couch for my siesta and again started work at 18.00 on the hollow middle section. Found that in the first section, about 35 cm long and going from the tip, the dots and grey skin, which looked just like the rest of the blade, that the damage there was much deeper and called for 60 grid and no nonsense. Bummer. Enfin, the hollow section is now clean and at 400 grid. Have to do the rest tomorrow. Ended this session at 20.30. I sure hope I can find 3M P255 60 grid somewhere. Some stuff will not come out without it and I used my last little leftover bits too.
Cheers.
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Post by Pino on Dec 7, 2021 23:45:20 GMT
I remember that model! Is yours also with a floppy, whippy blade btw?
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Uhlan
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Post by Uhlan on Dec 8, 2021 6:55:04 GMT
The blade is more flexible than I expected yes. Was a bit surprised by that. Haven't really looked at the handling and the numbers etc yet, but yesterday, when I was looking at the polish of the finished side, holding the sword in my left hand and turning the blade around to have the light play over it, it occured to me that it looked like that the blade was a bit sagging. Remember asking myself how the hell one is supposed to work with it the French Cuirassier way, holding it straight out like a spear. Vincente Toledo utters the word ,,Estoque'' when he describes this M1832, but as I imagine an Estoque to be stiff like a poker, like a sharp pointed rod of steel, a skewer if you will, this really isn't it. All I can think of is that Spanish Cavalry probably had other notions or needs than the French. Another way of fighting maybe? As an old fashioned two sided 17th C. like side sword and used in that way it would not be bad at all I think. Good you bring this up. Will have to compare it with my Bilbo now and that may be fun. Jack88 wants me to compare this M1832 with an AN XIII but I getting this notion these are too far apart. Different species. But still, it can be fun, just for the heck of it. Also, cannot imagine Toledo not knowing what they do. There must be a reason. After all, Toledo blades are supposed to have been the best in town.
Cheers.
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Uhlan
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Posts: 3,121
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Post by Uhlan on Dec 8, 2021 16:38:39 GMT
Wednesday :: 07-11-2021. Started at 13.30 and worked to about 17.00. Finished the blade and did the hilt. Looks like the grip is a wood affair covered in leather. What looked like a crack in horn is in fact the overlap of the seam of the leather cover. One would expect this seam to be located at the inside of the grip, so out of sight. Here it sits up front. Cannot see signs anybody did restoration work here, so I assume it is original. Cleaned the bronze with acetone and a cloth and tried to remove the now rock solid residue of cleaning compount some knucklehead left behind in the cravasses and difficult to reach spots. Some g!t (probably same g!t) also thought it a good idea to use said compound to brighten up the Alpaca grip wire. I mean, the idea is okay I guess, but for G's sake get the residue out you plurk! Tried softening the stuff with acetone and a cotton tip, but most of it still remains. Did not go over the bronze with Mothers or anything. Just left it as I found it. It has a rich buttery gold tone and I do not want this to change. Just cleaned it and polished it up a wee bit with a dry cloth. So, the sword is done. Tomorrow I hope to start with the scabbard. On a side note: I tested the flex. Placed the ricasso on the polishing bench with the tip free and about 10cm up. Slowly lowered the blade and saw the tip touching the bench first with about 1 cm free space in the middle. Flexible yes, but floppy? I do not think so. For its length and the fact that it is a double edged sword it behaves quite normal to me. Hitting the pommel also did not show any ,,flop''. On the contrary. The Shiny. Cheers.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Dec 8, 2021 18:34:22 GMT
Thanks for what appears to be a daily log of your restore. It’s looking great. Now for the scabbard.
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Post by Pino on Dec 9, 2021 0:01:07 GMT
It seems these sword had flexible blades, a tad way too flexible for my own taste but that seemed to be very Spanish because I had a 1728 Bilbo for officer and its blade was just as thin and had much flex.
Pretty good for cutting, not so much for thrusting. Beautiful model however and not super expensive for collector value.
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Post by jack88 on Dec 9, 2021 4:09:25 GMT
I remember reading that the Spanish considered a flexible blade a mark of quality. As Pino points out my 1728 Bilbo has a very flexible blade. It would be fine at thrusting though I believe.
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Uhlan
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Post by Uhlan on Dec 9, 2021 9:30:19 GMT
The thin blades are typical for the Toledo breed. Makes them light and fast and easy on the arms and wrist. Toledo's 6 mm versus the French AN XIII's 10-11 mm with about the same hilt mass and length of blade. I think here we see a different philosophy exposed. French HC with the thrust and Spanish HC chopping and cutting. For the thrusting bit the Spanish had the Lancers. As far as thrusting is concerned: The Toledo blades I have thus far expose the same characteristics. While it is fairly easy to have them flex, this flex is concentrated to about say 30 cm from the tip. This section does the flex compared to the rest of the blade that does not flex at all or as much. I mean, if I set the blade on the floor and push, I see this top section flex and this quasy stopping at about 30 cm from the tip. What also is very fascinating to see is that the flexing bit snaps back, really like a spring with tension applied. It does this really fast. A typical flexible Windlass blade springs back to normal too, but in general lacks this snake like behaviour. More like the flex energy is already half way expended and diverted to ,,taking a set'' territory. The only one I know of that comes close to this Toledo behaviour is the Christus Imperat. No wonder I like that one so much. I hope this makes sense. At the moment, after only two cups of coffee and barely awake, it is the best I can do to describe the phenomenon. There's this difference between ,,snapping back'' and merely ,,springing back''. Try to explain that one.... Also, this is what I think I see. Your mileage may vary. Also also, like Pgandy says: ,,Now for the scabbard''. Cheers.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Dec 9, 2021 12:49:26 GMT
Your picture of a Spanish soldier reminds me of Don Quixote, except this fellow is younger at least than the mental picture I have of him. Nice picture. One thing that caught my eye was the way that he puts his foot in the stirrup, only the toe. This is as I was taught and I see so many today putting their foot in up to the heel. The idea is if one comes off they won’t be dragged. I came off once and that is maybe what save me from being dragged and serious injury. I find your theory of the thinner, flexible blades Spanish swords interesting.
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Uhlan
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Post by Uhlan on Dec 9, 2021 19:01:53 GMT
Pgandy:: The picture was done by Dalmau, a rather famous Spanish artist and painter of military inspired scenes. Think he is or was some kind of Officer. Enormous sense for mood and does fabulous detail. Studies everything down to the last little bit, so it is historically 100% correct down to the button and everything else. I like his work very much. The scene above depicts a Carlista Lancer with his, by the looks of it, very keen and smart dog. Seems the Lancer is out scouting or has lost his squad. To the left and out of our view something is happening and the dog has alerted its master. Dog doesn't seem to like it one bit. Its tail is going straight down. See many dogs in Dalmaus paintings. Smart move to have a dog. Better ears and smell. Will alert you way before you ever had an inkling stuff was about to go down. Here's a link to a video. He has a new book out so that's why the PR and promo :: Thursday :: 09-11-2021. Scabbard time. Started at 11.30 and ended the session at 16.30. Not bad as the scabbard is now totally clean. Only the drag is still to be done (30 minutes) and the cleaning skin to be polished. But that is for tomorrow. Began with cleaning the scabbard with acetone. There was a lot of grease and black dirt coming off. Now you have a clear view of what is waiting down there. It is obvious that, just as with the sword, the two sides show a very different degree of corrosion. As the corrosion reminds me of dust flakes, it may be so that the sword and the scabbard hung on a wall or were laid down for display, in the same position for a long time. Now, after cleaning the grease and lose dirt, it is possible to see the what is left of the original factory polish. Before going into the sanding I will always remove the screws if there are any, note which side they came from and place them in a cup with acetone. The mouth piece does not come out. It is either soldered shut or it is stuck. There are however wooden liners in there. As nothing drops out after a hammering with a wood block on the drag, I think the liners are okay. Would have liked to inspect them, but one can not have everything the way one wants. And secondly, look for stamps, so I will not sand them out. Here, apart from the FA TOLEDO stamp near the scabbard mouth, there was nothing to find until I looked at the underside of the drag. Big fad I stamp! The last place one would expect to see one and the first place one will merrily do some intensive sanding as the drag is often quite corroded and damaged. Mounted the scabbard in the vice by inserting some painter sticks in the scabbard mouth and the sticks in the vice. That makes for a secure mount which can be easily adjusted to any position one wants. The drag end I secure like so: This way the scabbard will not be able to move, nothing will rattle and one has the hands free for work. The drag support can be moved up the scabbard so as to free the drag to be worked on. With this all out of the way, the rest was peanuts. 3M red mat cleaned a lot but not enough to my liking, so I went for 600 grid. Wrapped half a sheat over my sanding stick and to my surprise I could easily do the entire scabbard. Well, it took its time, but to be able to do a good clean with 600 grid is a first for me. In general it is the last stage paper, 80 or 120 grid being the first. Happy me! So, now the entire thing is done, rings, ring mounts, the lot. Tomorrow is drag and polish time. One last note: This is the best made scabbard I laid my hands on outside of Solingen government contract work, which is always best of first class. Better than French and let's not get started on English, which can be a joke if the utter disdain for their lower class troopers wasn't so obvious and sad. There are no shoddy file marks to be seen, nowhere! The thing is as clean as a whistle. All parts are made to fit 100% and no not fitting spaces just filled up with brass. The scabbard folding seam can hardly be seen. Perfection! What I see makes me wonder whether Solingen was involved in the production somehow. If these scabbards were indeed made in Spain by Spanish workers, I take my hat off and salute them. But I have this notion that maybe a Solingen forge got a contract or someone on the Spanish side invited a bunch of German folks to come over and instruct them. That ,,I'' on the underside of the drag, well out of the way, raises questions. Cheers.
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Uhlan
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Post by Uhlan on Dec 10, 2021 14:52:06 GMT
Friday :: 10-11-2021. Started at 11.30 and worked to 15.30. Scabbard is done. Sword is done. Tomorrow, I hope, shooting of the glamour shots. Here is the scabbard in the raw, with the drag support moved up so the drag can be polished. As it was. As it is. Scabbard done. 600 grid on the stick to remove nasties, 600 grid strip to get the skin from the previous round even, red 3M mat, grey 3M mat, 800 grid strip to even out the grey, coarse steel wool to bring it all home. Everything done over the width. Under the polish is still a lot of the old skin intact. Like I said: A doddle. Cheers.
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