UBB.threads Forums General Interest Restoration, Conservation, and Maintenance Forum How do I clean this blade?

I have a dagger that has (what I believe to be) remains of grease or oil on the blade. I allready tried acetone but that didn't work. Also tried simichrome but that didn't work eighter. I hope someone can give me some advise on how to clean this blade.

Danny

My best results have been from placing the weapon in a very warm and sunny area for an afternoon and then wiping with a very soft cotton rag. I would avoid chemical cleaners except as a last resort. A very simple answer,I know, but on hundreds of firearms covered with dried cosmoline and grease has been the best answer doe me

Thank you for your advice. I will wait untill the weather gets a little better and try it then.

Danny

Is the blade plated? It appears in the photos that it might be. If that is the case, it could be some of the plating has peeled away from the blade. If so, there is not much you can do, except replate it, remove the remaining plating or leave it as it is. I hope that is not the situation.

The blade is not plated. On the places I managed to get some of the dirt of I can see the crossgrain. It looks like a mint blade, if it wasn't for the substance that doesn't go of.

Danny

You might try lacquer thinner, gasoline or enamel reducer - all strong solvents and highly flammable. Safety precautions are a must and you must keep the liquid from getting on the grip and anything else it could adversely affect. Paint remover might also work, but I have never tried it, so you would need to proceed with caution.

I'm late to the party, but thought I'd throw in my $.02. Gasoline works great, but I've found diesel fuel to do just about as well and it much safer to work with. The Russian mentioned about the least evasive way. I've used the sun to soften or leach out oil and grease from wood and metal fairly successfully. You can even put the item in a black trash bag and put it in a vehicle to turn the heat up a notch as long as the item isn't too heat sensitive.