[Tony Brass]

I know this topic has been addressed from several perspectives already, but here is my question:

I have an A&A 12th century sword and a matching leather scabbard. I like to store my sword in the scabbard, but i am concerned the tannins in the leather will create rust on the blade. I have been told if i saturate the leather in neatsfoot oil, then the sword will be safe. Will it really be safe, or just safer? Is this a good or not?

Any advice, before I spend a ton of money on a wood lined scabbard.

[Chase S-R]

Put metalglo on the blade I do once every 3 months or after use I don't usually keep it in the scabbard but it should be safe.
If you are concerned buy a plastic gun case at a hunting store like gander mountain they can be purchased for $3.00
they hold the sword and scabbard and take up little space.

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Tony Brass]

It sounds like coating the sword in rennaissance wax, or metal glow is the key, as opposed to saturating the scabbard in neatsfoot oil.

Where does one acquire ren wax, or mteal glo?

and BTW, thank you for your responses.

[Chuck Russell]

doesnt that ren wax take a coating off the metal? more like scratching the surface with the micro abrasiveness?

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Bob Burns]

Hi Tony, first of all you have a sword that I have the absolute "Hots" for, it's major bigtime on my "To Get" list. I would have bought it last year at the Bristol Faire, but 2007 was the "No Expensive Sword Year" as agreed with my wife. Besides, I had two high end polearms I wanted from Arms & Armor, a Custom Sparth Axe and a Bec De Corbin, the custom Sparth Axe was $420.00 as opposed to the standard Sparth Axe which is $290.00 and the Bec was $480.00 and it was the very last opportunity to get this specific model of the Bec De Corbin and I'd been almost nagging Craig for 2 years for them to make the Becs again. So the 12th Century Sword is still on hold, speaking of which pardon the pun but I did get the opportunity to hold and wield the sword.
In reading your post about "soaking" your leather scabbard in neatsfoot oil, from what I learned from my friend
Joe Wheeler, a leather Expert and the most respected bullwhip maker in the world, this will cause leather rot, so to speak, it will cause the leather to lose it's body. However, I could get a hold of Joe and recheck this for you, if your interested?
I'm always glad to help a colleague when I can!

Sincerely,

Bob

Feel free to Private Message me.

[J. Pav]

I've stored my swords in their scabbards, with only a healthy application of Mineral Oil every few months to the blade.

Cheaper then most other coatings, and readily available in your local pharmacy or Walmart. In the laxatives section.

Thick, coats well, and doesn't gum up like organic oils(such as olive/canola oils) will.

[Chad Arnow]

It largely depends on how the leather is tanned. I've had a maker actually recommend I store a custom knife in its scabbard. It was fine and didn't require anything but a normal wipedown with oil. No soaking of blade or scabbard were required.

When using the proper tanning method it should be safe assuming it's not too humid where you live.

[Christopher Gregg]

Tony,

Using Renaissance Wax is probably a good idea before putting your sword back in its sheath, but I wouldn't trust Metal-Glo to protect your sword from rust. Metal-Glo is an aluminum oxide polishing paste good for most metals (at least non-precious, anyway), and i use it on my blades to clean rust, tarnishing and grime off of them after test cutting organic materials. I do not put any faith in its ability to prevent rust from forming, especially if your bare steel blade is kept in its leather sheath. As others have mentioned, moisture, humidity and sticky organic products are the biggest concern when steel is stored in direct proximity to an absorbent organic material, such as a leather sheath. I have had blades rust from being stored in non-organic sheaths, too.

Chase has the best idea for storage - use a plastic gun case, commonly lined in foam. I store several of my best swords in just such a case, and it's also great to transport your sword in, too.

[Ed Toton]

Thanks for pointing out that metalglo is a polishing agent, not a protective wax or oil... I was about to bring that up.

I've had Renaissance Wax result in black grime coming off of some blades, even after a pretty thorough cleaning. It's possible that these particular blades might not have cleaned up as well as I thought, though. I thought I had read that it does contain a very mild polishing agent, so that repeated use of it will, by itself, keep the fnish very bright. But it's been a long time so I don't remember.

I've used Turtle Wax, but I find mineral oil to be a very cost effective material to use. It's sometimes hard to preserve the sheen on the more mirror-like finishes with mineral oil, since it doesn't apply quite smoothly enough for that. For everything else it's great.

[Chuck Russell]

[Robin Palmer]

Hi Tony.

At the risk of going slightly off line may I recommend a system I have used for years and I am told is traditional. I place a piece of sheepskin inside the throat of of the scabbard this can be oiled or greased lightly this not only seals the blade in the scabbard keeping out moisture. It also oils the blade each time it is sheathed or drawn.

The Saxon used to line their scabbards with sheepskin the natural lanolin in the wool acted as a grease to protect the blade.

[Jean Thibodeau]

Storing out of the sheath or scabbard is probably the best idea but for safety reasons I tend to prefer leaving my swords in their scabbards, and I've had no problem with rust. It is a good idea to check them for rust or staining regularly though and if I had had a rust problem even once I might be checking more often. ( Again this might vary depending on humidity where one lives ).

With knives that have brass guards there is a tendency for verdigris to form if left in the leather sheaths for extended periods of time.

Mineral oil I think is like " baby oil " but unscented ? Well, baby oil does seem to work also.

[D. Hager]

I have a an AT1433 that lives under my bed and stays in its scabbard - I do take it out ever couple of weeks and oil it, but there's yet to be a spot of rust on the blade. I did notice that I was getting some black "splotches" when I was using mineral oil, but I switched to 3 in 1 and the problem has gone away. I don't live in a particularly humid climate, though, and I suppose that could make a difference (upstate NY in the mountains).

I actually purchased one of those plastic gun cases from Gander Mountain to ship my other sword (AT1313) to Christian Fletcher for a new hilt and scabbard. I left the sword in the case over night and the next discovered that there was "staining" on the blade at ever point where the grey foam rubber touched metal (blade, pommel and crossguard). It took 30-60 minutes of light polishing (with WD40 and a soft cloth) to get the discoloration off. I'm curious whether the foam rubber reacted to the 3in1, but that would seem really strange.

I personally wouldn't leave a blade in a scabbard uncared for months at a time - of course part of the fun for me is taking it out and admiring it. My wife sometimes jokes about how I enjoy "polishing my sword" so much. ;-)

[Jean Thibodeau]

[D. Hager]

[Jean Thibodeau]