UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons German Sword & Miniatures Forum WKC sword, Imperial or not?/Clean the patina?

I know WKC is still building swords. Is there any way to tell the age range on them? I picked up this sword. It has the Crown and WKC markings, but I don't know if it's from the WWI range or 1973!

The second part is what the "most accepted" thoughts on cleaning swords. I know the daggers guys would never clean off the patina, but it's seem more sword guys do. This one is covered in a brown/yellow stain.

Try using lacquer thinner on the blade.
Don`t get any on the grip!!!
As for the date,need a pic or two of the trade mark.

So I gather you're in the "clean them" camp.

I'd like to get a photo of the trademark, but it's hidden behind the guard. I don't think I could get a clear photo.

The trademark on this one is the helmeted knight's head over "WKC" if that helmet narrow it down. Not the same symbols on a shield that I've seen in some photos.

Timboo, I think that I would strike the word never from my vocabulary when it comes to what some dagger collectors do with their daggers. There is actually a fairly large number of daggers which have been �tarted up� to try and make them look like new. So much so that it�s not uncommon to see other collectors tell a new owner of a dagger to not destroy its originality and leave it alone. (Instead of turning it into something that looks more like a new reproduction that somebody has artificially aged to make it look period.)

As for the sword here I think that it�s probably TR era for a (horse) mounted enlisted man. As for the �patina�: To me it looks more like old congealed grease - that might have been used many years ago to protect the plating from rust. And old grease, oil, dirt etc. are fair game (IMO) as they were not an integral part of the item as it looked when it left the factory. Regards, Fred

Perhaps I should have written "most of the more experienced dagger collectors" I'll see if the grime come off easily.

- well not a dagger/sword guy but,,,
I had gotten a sword like that as a present many years ago. It had hung in a heavy smokers home [no scabbard]. The blade looked like that, it ended up being nicotine! The guy would occasionally get drunk and play with the thing and the handle looked clean like yours...

IF, if it hung like that and has no scabbard I'd say it could be nicotine or IF it does have a scabbard , a cosmoline type grease as Fred mentions..
Easy to remove and I don't think many will fault you for doing so..

Gaspare, you're right. It hung for years without a scabbard.

Mineral spirits, acetone, and denatured alcohol wouldn't touch the stain. I'll guess I'll have to break out the Flitz to cut it off.

I was going to say try sudsy ammonia but if acetone didn't do it! ,wow!
Maybe try a search here or on the reference only GDC and maybe you'll find something on removing nicotine..
Good luck,,and tell us what finally worked!

Kerosine didn't work either. It down to Flitz and a old sock.

It does look like nicotine staining, or as mentioned, old cosmoline- though i'm more iclined to cast my vote for the smokers nicotine. I've come accross a fair number of nicotine stained blades. I've used Semichrome on nickle plated blades before, with some gentle elbow grease, a very soft rag, and very conservative use of the product, with good results. Semichrome is often associated with negative, though in certain instances, I believe it has it's place.

Watch the acetone on the saber. If you get any splash up or accidentally allow any acetone to contact the sabers celluloid grip, it WILL melt it. I've seen it done. Just an FYI. You may have better luck with something like naptha or xylol. Just an idea...only used it once on some really rough saber grip wire which was coated with epoxy and the usual methoads would not remove the expoxy glue. Sudy amonia, either store bought or homemade is a great product which is both gentle and effective- though results on blades is typically a dissapointment. I've found it's best application for cleaning up a gold colored gilted saber hilt.

T