[Sean Cooney]

Hey guys, a couple questions regarding maintaince. I have three swords that I need to clean. They have a couple spots of surface corrosion. I do oil them, but they've developed anyway. I talked to a couple experts, I was told to use grade #0000 steel wool, start at the hilt and work down. My questions are is there a certain amount of pressure I'm supposed to apply? And is there a time frame I should be applying per spot? Thank you

[Daniel Wallace]

well, you can sit there with the #0000 steel wool, buff the heck out of a spot and notice its not getting any different, in that case you'd have to just up to a heavier wool and try again. once the spot is gone - go back to the lighter wool.

depending on how bad your oxidation is, some products with lift it out for you. i use eagle one mag and aluminum polish and this will lift the little black freckles out of steel. but if you actually have red rust forming, you may have to get a little more aggressive than what you think to get rid of it.

everyone here is a little different on how they treat that. some use scotch bite pads, wet sanding paper, polishing compounds. if you have to use something really abrasive, just make sure you work it the length of the blade so that you don't wear a shallow point in your blade.

[Peter Messent]

The main issues are really how bad the corrosion is and how polished the blades are. If the blades are highly polished, then it will be a bit of a pain regardless (one of the reasons I hate high polishes). If the finish is softer, fine steel wool may be sufficient on its own. How long it takes varies a lot; it's just a matter of going til the corrosion is gone. More info and ideally, pictures, would help a lot.

For the record, I've been using Johnson's Paste Wax (comes in a yellow can, for waxing wood furniture I believe) on swords and guns and it works a treat. You can apply it heavy for when the sword's in a scabbard/in storage or buff it to a shine for display. Works on wood and leather, too. I have not had any rust issues where it's been applied - admittedly, I do live in a desert right now, but for whatever reason unwaxed parts still rust! I had a lot of grief with oils before using paste wax, and won't go back.

[Tim Harris]

I'm with Peter on this. The same product is sold in Australia, so it should be generally available. Brilliant stuff.