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Post by divinewind on Mar 23, 2022 12:37:45 GMT
I've been reading about how to maintain my swords, and pretty much every guide instructs to completely remove the old oil prior to applying fresh oil.
Does the old oil break down and no longer protect the blade? When some of the recommended maintenance periods are once or twice a month, I'm wondering what processes are actually taking place in the oil and on the blade that the oil needs to be replaced so quickly?
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Post by Sir Thorfinn on Mar 23, 2022 13:17:13 GMT
I can attest to this... Oil can *dry out* over time, leaving just a gummy inconsistent film. But I don't think bi-weekly maintenance is necessary, unless you're using/carrying the sword. Consider that might be advice if you live near the beach, or in a humid environment.
BUT>>>>>>
I am no expert. I'll leave that to the other forumites.
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stormmaster
Member
I like viking/migration era swords
Posts: 7,647
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Post by stormmaster on Mar 23, 2022 13:36:54 GMT
Twice a month is quite excessive for most locations, once every 2 months should be ok
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Post by RickDastardly on Mar 23, 2022 15:07:56 GMT
Lubricating oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons with varying vapour pressures. The higher VP ones will evaporate first leaving the heavier, stickier ones behind. Heat speeds this up of course. Agreed that every two weeks seems excessive. It's generally cool and damp here, and I re-oil every three-ish months, sometimes longer, without issues.
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Post by divinewind on Mar 23, 2022 23:25:05 GMT
Thanks guys. That makes sense. I do live in a humid, tropical area so I was a bit worried about needing to go through the whole process so frequently. I was thinking I might be able to get away with a quick wipe down with fresh oil.
I have also just found out about Renaissance Wax. This could be a solution for me as several of the blades I have will likely go into storage as I will infrequently rotate them out for display.
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Post by carbon on Mar 24, 2022 0:07:06 GMT
The best oil I've found for long term storage is Break-Free CO. I've used it on my guns and knives for some time now and the stuff works as advertised.
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Post by RickDastardly on Mar 24, 2022 0:35:27 GMT
If you're going to use Ren wax, make sure the blade is very clean and warm the blade before applying. I leave mine on a radiator on medium for an hour - just warm to the touch.
It makes sure the blade is really dry (otherwise the wax can trap moisture underneath it) and makes the wax easier to apply and spread to cover the surface properly.
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Post by divinewind on Mar 24, 2022 4:05:41 GMT
Thanks for the tips. carbon - I've been using Ballistol on my guns although I'm also fan of Break-Free products. They can be hard to get where I am, sometimes.
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