myArmoury.com - ancient and early medieval metal abrasives/ rust removers

Posts: 3,637 Location: Maitland, NSW, Australia

Thu 17 Aug, 2017 2:56 pm

You don't need sand or anything else to clean mail. It is self abrasive. Bran was more likely used as a polishing agent not cleaning agent. It contains natural oils and it is a byproduct of the agriculture industry. Bran was used for all sorts of things to stop it from going to waste.

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Richard Worthington

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Posts: 91

Thu 17 Aug, 2017 3:43 pm

Historically, bran shows up in reference to polishing glass items, such as beads. In the early needle-making industry, after polishing, needles were washed and then tumbled in bran. That possibly has to do with the oil in bran that was mentioned earlier. Bran probably soaks up excess moisture.

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William P

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Posts: 1,524 Location: Sydney, Australia

Thu 17 Aug, 2017 11:34 pm

Dan Howard wrote:

You don't need sand or anything else to clean mail. It is self abrasive. Bran was more likely used as a polishing agent not cleaning agent. It contains natural oils and it is a byproduct of the agriculture industry. Bran was used for all sorts of things to stop it from going to waste.

thats not very helpful if someone doesnt use his maile except for bigger events only a few times a year

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Dan Howard

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Posts: 3,637 Location: Maitland, NSW, Australia

Fri 18 Aug, 2017 1:25 am

William P wrote:

Dan Howard wrote:

You don't need sand or anything else to clean mail. It is self abrasive. Bran was more likely used as a polishing agent not cleaning agent. It contains natural oils and it is a byproduct of the agriculture industry. Bran was used for all sorts of things to stop it from going to waste.

thats not very helpful if someone doesnt use his maile except for bigger events only a few times a year

You stick it in a barrel and tumble it just like they did in the past. My point is that you don't need to add sand or vinegar or anything else. If you don't want to do it manually, perhaps a rock tumbler or small cement mixer would do the job. When it is clean you can collect the iron oxide to use as a paint pigment (or to make thermite).

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Peter Spätling

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Posts: 119 Location: Germany

Fri 18 Aug, 2017 8:14 am

Dan Howard wrote:

William P wrote:

Dan Howard wrote:

You don't need sand or anything else to clean mail. It is self abrasive. Bran was more likely used as a polishing agent not cleaning agent. It contains natural oils and it is a byproduct of the agriculture industry. Bran was used for all sorts of things to stop it from going to waste.

thats not very helpful if someone doesnt use his maile except for bigger events only a few times a year

You stick it in a barrel and tumble it just like they did in the past. My point is that you don't need to add sand or vinegar or anything else. If you don't want to do it manually, perhaps a rock tumbler or small cement mixer would do the job. When it is clean you can collect the iron oxide to use as a paint pigment (or to make thermite).

I already tried the trick with the cement mixer. Had to add sand to get a satisfying result.

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Iagoba Ferreira

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Posts: 192

Sat 19 Aug, 2017 2:34 am

I know that there is a Navarrese late XIVth century royal receipt of the money paid to an armourer to clean armours.

Sand and another substance is mentioned, but I don't remeber if oil or vinegar. No salt or lettucce for sure :p

...but it's not in the book I thought :(

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Dan Howard

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Posts: 3,637 Location: Maitland, NSW, Australia

Sat 19 Aug, 2017 3:41 am

We know that sand was used to clean plate. There is little to suggest that it was ever used to clean mail.

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