How to prevent runner marks and clean an SA dagger - Page 4 - Wehrmacht-Awards.com Militaria Forums

preachere · 12-13-2009, 07:43 PM

I was just looking at my Red Cross hewer and it does have four screws that keep the throat and tip of the scabbard in place, but when looking inside with my bore light I didn't see what was keeping the runners in place.

Regards,
Eric

kingtiger · 12-13-2009, 08:29 PM

Eric,

I have a bunch of Red Cross hewers but I have yet to inspect them as I need to get all these SA and SS ones done. I will take a look and let you know soon.

Mark

kingtiger · 12-13-2009, 08:33 PM

Here is a great minty SA that has suffered no damage as the vertigris, seen in following pictures, was softened by some silicone or light oil and it had no grit in it yet.

Here is the dagger first...funk to follow. See it on the runners on the left side of the picture?

Mark

kingtiger · 12-13-2009, 08:35 PM

This is what lives inside the best of scabbards..unseen...collecting dust that turns into grit sooner or later.

Mark

kingtiger · 12-13-2009, 08:36 PM

This is the shape that grips the blade...it is squeezed by the scabbard shell to almost touch together. The blade should be snug inside NOT tough to put in or take out. If it is...something is very wrong. Don't force them.

Mark

kingtiger · 12-13-2009, 08:41 PM

I have observed three different methods of runner attachment to the throat of the scabbard fitting...I will show all three in a row, but I think this method is the most common, but not the most secure.

Mark

kingtiger · 12-13-2009, 08:43 PM

I like this method the best. Very strong.

Mark

kingtiger · 12-13-2009, 08:49 PM

This is not factory, but notable as a varient.

Well, that's 45 cleaned over 2 1/2 days and I'm bushed...more to follow as I go where no man has gone before (or at least talked about it openly)...Kirk out!

Mark

Ed Sunday · 12-13-2009, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingtiger

This is not factory, but notable as a varient.

Well, that's 45 cleaned over 2 1/2 days and I'm bushed...more to follow as I go where no man has gone before (or at least talked about it openly)...Kirk out!

Mark

I'm not sure that's not a factory item as I have encountered many like this on RZM pieces.

Ed Sunday · 12-13-2009, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by preachere

I was just looking at my Red Cross hewer and it does have four screws that keep the throat and tip of the scabbard in place, but when looking inside with my bore light I didn't see what was keeping the runners in place.

Regards,
Eric

The runners on Red Cross EM's are either riveted like the ones on SA's or they are two seperate runners which attatch themselves under the front and rear lip of the scabbard throat. Much the same as first model luft daggers.

kingtiger · 12-13-2009, 11:01 PM

Thanks for that info Ed, I only saw one in 45 so I thought it was a repair. I have about 150 to go so I will see if I find any more. Although I am not much of an RZM fan...they eat themselves alive without my assistance and I know of no way to stop the "lifting" of the plating. Do you?

Mark

rajko84 · 12-13-2009, 11:13 PM

Thank you Mark, for your help.
Regards Rajko

SwordFish · 12-14-2009, 01:17 AM

Good thread and excellent points and meathods...many of which are identical to those techniques I utilize. Maint., preservation, etc., can be touchy issues and i've always cringed at the thought of helping a collector who is more of a novice than perhaps I had thought, only to learn that person made a mistake and destroyed their artifact...I would feel bad. When someone asks me my opinion or what I use to resolve certain maint/preservational issues, I offer what I can from my experiences, both good and bad, my mistakes and the collective experience i'm aware from my peers, but also now always provide reasons why not to proceed with the job..counter arguments..a little food for thought for that person and hopefully guid them to be truly introspective and not overestimate their abilities and/or experience.

I'm a Renwax (other microcrytal. museum grade waxes too) fan, and can speak very highly of these museum waxes. Disassembly, cleaning and so on always needs to be tempered with forethought and sound judgement. Rusty, dirty, and fouled metal runners can cause some real problems...especially if long term storage or repeated sheathing/unsheathing occurs. Wooden scabbard runners can be highly problematic as well...seen almost exclusively on every Heer saber.

Just my 2 Pesos,
Tom

Mac 66 · 12-14-2009, 06:59 AM

Mark, have you ever had nickle SA crossguards that were damaged/pitted by verdigris & managed to get rid of the pitting by some method?

Regards Scott.

kingtiger · 12-14-2009, 09:15 AM

Scott,

No I have not seen them that bad. Some staining and etching is all I am aware of. I think to put pits in nickle silver, some other corrosive substance was responsible but that is just a guess on my part.

Mark