Steel sword

Brittany Bishop <blbishop37 [at] yahoo__com> writes

>I am a conservation student currently conserving a 1906 steel
>British Cavalry officer's sword.  The sword has been stored in poor
>conditions and is quite corroded.  I have cleaned the upper
>corrosion layers off and will soon apply a layer of micro
>crystalline wax.  I want to package it with silica gel when I am
>finished treating it, but there is also shagreen on the handle and
>leather on the scabbard.  I know that low relative humidities are
>detrimental to shagreen and leather, but I am also worried about the
>metal deteriorating further and would like to keep it as dry as
>possible.  Has anyone come across this problem or have any advice
>about dealing with this kind of thing?

If the object does not suffer from chloride ions (and just from
oxides or hydroxides) then you could adjust the RH to a medium level
to satisfy both materials. If you believe that low RH should be
applied to the blade then you should try to isolate as best as you
can the sward's blade from the handle. Don't know what materials you
have available but it can be easily done with a polyethylene sheet
held in place at the upper part (close to the handle) with a
material like parafilm. Or even better you can wrap the blade in
marvelseal. Which ever material you choose you can place a small bag
of silica gel into the wrap close to the material. Do not insert
loose silica gel cause it will dust the blade. Of cause the blade
its not going to be 100% sealed so you will need to change the
silica gel quite often. If you decide to go down that root then you
will need to store the scabbard separately.

Konstantina Tsatsouli, MSc
Archaeological/ Art Objects Conservator
Greece


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 24:43
                 Distributed: Wednesday, March 16, 2011
                       Message Id: cdl-24-43-006
                                  ***