Tidying up???
 

I'm not sure what the term is for the rubbish left on what I could
guess is cast metal, but I want to remove some from a sword I bought.

I did try to take pics and I will try again soon.

This metal is in the hollow spaces and recesses at the edge of the
metal work. It's kind of flat and a flexible. I hope i'm making sense.
I need to try clear it off and tidy it up a bit. I have a dremel if
that is any use. I don't want to do anything that might mess up this
sword.

Any advice would be most appriecated.

Many Thanks

TR

In general, such debris left over from casting is known as "flash".

Bob Swinney
"TrailRat" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm not sure what the term is for the rubbish left on what I could
guess is cast metal, but I want to remove some from a sword I bought.

I did try to take pics and I will try again soon.

This metal is in the hollow spaces and recesses at the edge of the
metal work. It's kind of flat and a flexible. I hope i'm making sense.
I need to try clear it off and tidy it up a bit. I have a dremel if
that is any use. I don't want to do anything that might mess up this
sword.

Any advice would be most appriecated.

Many Thanks

TR

TrailRat wrote:
I'm not sure what the term is for the rubbish left on what I could
guess is cast metal, but I want to remove some from a sword I bought.

I did try to take pics and I will try again soon.

This metal is in the hollow spaces and recesses at the edge of the
metal work. It's kind of flat and a flexible. I hope i'm making sense.
I need to try clear it off and tidy it up a bit. I have a dremel if
that is any use. I don't want to do anything that might mess up this
sword.

Any advice would be most appriecated.

Sounds like flash left over after the thing was die cast. Sort of like stuck on
sheet metal, all in one plane? First thing to try is to just cut it off with an
X-Acto knife. Super-thin metal actually whittles pretty easily. Then I'd go up
to straight-bladed fingernail clippers. For awhile the 3 boys in my house were
gaga over Warhammers (little die-cast fantasy creatures the guys have to paint)
so I got pretty good at this sort of thing. You'll get the idea. A really good
quality needle file might come in handy. Of course, I don't know what kind of
metal it is (is it possible they're casting swords in zinc now?).

GWE

Er yeah, sorry about that. Should have mentioned it's stainless steel.

TR

I suggest that before you do anything that you check with a
knowledgeable curator, collector, etc. There are tons of stories
about people who have "cleaned" things up, from guns to
furniture, and by doing so reduced the value of the object by 90%
or more. What you term "rubbish" may well be another persons
patina.

On 16 Jun 2005 06:19:03 -0700, "TrailRat"
wrote:

I'm not sure what the term is for the rubbish left on what I could
guess is cast metal, but I want to remove some from a sword I bought.

I did try to take pics and I will try again soon.

This metal is in the hollow spaces and recesses at the edge of the
metal work. It's kind of flat and a flexible. I hope i'm making sense.
I need to try clear it off and tidy it up a bit. I have a dremel if
that is any use. I don't want to do anything that might mess up this
sword.

Any advice would be most appriecated.

Many Thanks

TR

I don't think its a collectors item, I bought on Ebay from Hong Kong
for a British Penny.
Can be found here.

http://tinyurl.co.uk/enou

TrailRat wrote:

Er yeah, sorry about that. Should have mentioned it's stainless steel.

I bet the blade's stainless and the handle is die-cast zinc. Try a small sharp
stiff knife on the flashing, see if it will cut. If it's really stainless, then
yes, you'll need something like a Dremel and a steady hand, easy on the coffee.

When I get into doing bench electronics it always takes me quite an effort to
get myself psyched up for doing it, which usually involves 3 or 4 strong cups of
coffee. Then I get down there and dang, the soldering iron tip is shaking around
again! :-)

GWE

On 16 Jun 2005 07:59:52 -0700, "TrailRat"
wrote:

I don't think its a collectors item, I bought on Ebay from Hong Kong
for a British Penny.
Can be found here.

http://tinyurl.co.uk/enou


Zinc or Aluminum casting. My son has a few of those types...shrug.
And while actually pretty well executed..the materials....suck

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire.
Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us)
off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give
them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the **** out of you
for torturing the cat." Gunner

Hard to cut the flashing with a craft knife. Won't even come away with
a Stanley knife. Going to dig out my small craft files. I knew I'd find
a use for them even if SWMBO said a full set is pointless.

TR