Cleaning pieces for fossil damascus?

[Leon Husock]

I've finally got enough odds and ends to fill a canister, but as you'd expect most of them are butt ends and weird bits that have a lot of scale and odd folds and stuff like that. I've ground them as clean as I can, but there are still pockets of scale on pretty much every piece. Is there any good way (short of something like sandblasting) to clean these? Is it super important that I do? I was thinking I'd put a piece of HC monosteel in the center of the can for edge-holding purposes.

 

[Don Hanson III]

Scale is the one thing you Don't want in the can. Rust, paint, oil is not a problem.

 

[Don Hanson III]

Cold shuts & bad welds are no good either.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I would just soak them in dilute muriatic acid for a while, rinse well, and heat in the oven/forge to dry out all moisture. Then put in the canister with the powder and vibrate down.

 

[A.McPherson]

You might try to put the open ends up ( ie the handle ends and tip ends). Fill the bottom with your cut-offs, fill a little with steel powder, vibrate, put a few more pieces, more powder, vibrate, etc...

I think the more caution you put into filling all the voids as you go the better your chances.

 

[JTknives]

I would just soak them in dilute muriatic acid for a while, rinse well, and heat in the oven/forge to dry out all moisture. Then put in the canister with the powder and vibrate down.

What about vinegar, I know it eats scale rather good and not hazardous?