UBB.threads Forums General Interest Restoration, Conservation, and Maintenance Forum Cleaning your Daggers, NO don't clean them

I need to understand some things. I have just gotten interested in the collecting of WW2 german daggers and the ones that I have are in moderate condition. I have been looking around at pictures and also joining discussions about these bueatiful objects and it seams clear that most of the ones I see are in great condition. They are shined and there is little wear on them. How is this possible if you are not supposed to clean them. They are from the 30's and 40"s an dhave been through so much, so how are they preserved so well.
I have pictures of one of my SA's in the Rohms discussions.
Please help me understand so that I can put any thoughts of cleanning out of my mind.
Thank you

Hello, I come from the school that patina is dirt, but when you see an even patina on a army officers dagger it is best left alone, A luftwaffe comes in a varieght of finishes and should never be cleaned except for the blade.
It has been my expierience that if a seller says I will leave it up to the new owner to clean it, you had better give it the twice over, because it usually means it will not clean up. But this is not always true. If you have a SA all shinnning and setting next to a old grungy looking one, which one catches your eye. If it is the old grungy one, then that is your answer. That is what you like, untouched examples. But some SA daggers do need the pommel nut loosed just to releve the pressure of 65 years of wood expansion and contraction.
Beauty is in the eye of the owner. I hope this helps, I really only know what I feel from my years of messing with this stuff and it is just my opinion.

There is always an opinion about the dags being cleaned up and washing away 60 years of patina...I myself like the older looking dags but would never pass up a clean beauty...as shown in the photo, Tiep

i only clean the dirt off the outside and gently polish the blade with autosolve which removes ,and protects from , rust

I've said this before but it's worth repeating. The biggest problem we have in the Southwest is low humidity which can play havok with wood. I routinely wax my wood gripped daggers and would advise anyone living in a low humidity area to do the same.
Jim

I replied to your question in the SA forum.
IMO clean them, this patina is TOXIC DIRT(NICOTINE) it doesn't get any better.

I rather drive around in a clean car then an aged PATINA one.

And I think your SA is an easy clean up.

Somewhere, in the last 6 months or so there was a nicotine/patina debate. I think it's in this section. There were varied opinions and made for interesting reading.

Just remember, once you have cleaned it, the patina takes 60-70 years to come back! I like the unmessed with daggers, BUT I also enjoy the cleaned ones as well. IMO Patina adds value and authenticy.

and Don't look to anyone no matter WHO they are to touch them up!!!!


Rod

Regardless of the faults you may think it has.... you are NOT buying it from the original owner,,,, the faults may just be from resting in the rust bucket in ole Uncle Jim's bucket in the barn where it has resided for most of the time since WW2 or past through the hands of several disinterested owners ...

Be happy with what you have!!!

I wish someone would have given me this OBVIOUS advice...

Some cleaning sins are foregiveable. Case in point. An army I cleaned a few years ago is showing some real nice promise regarding its re-patinaing. It'll be tough to completely reachieve the patina it once had, but it's certianly on its way. Pics are posted in a thread in the army, luft, etc section.

Regarding army sabers, I stand by my feelings. These need to be clean and crisp looking (IMHO). But that's also coming from a sword guy