Condition & Care

Cleaning, care and storage — and keeping a record of your collection.

Cleaning

If you want to clean your dagger, there is no need to take it apart. Stay away from harsh abrasive cleaners, steel wool and wet-and-dry sandpaper: they cause damage, remove the patina and lower the value. Oils and WD-40 are no good for cleaning either — they stay on the surface, attract dust and dirt and can turn hard or sticky.

Blade: clean with a cotton cloth and a product such as Simichrome or Autosol. It is a mild abrasive that removes grime and fingerprints, which would otherwise eventually eat into the metal. Used once and sparingly, it is fine for the blade and cross-grain.
Rust: rust keeps attacking the metal, so remove it as well as you can and treat the spot to stop it returning. Water damage, age greying and spotting leave permanent staining and pitting.
Grip: a few drops of mild detergent in water on a damp cloth, then dry and wax.
Hanger: leather conditioner or saddle soap.
Scabbard, fittings and crossguards: wax.

Care and storage

Once cleaned and waxed, keeping your daggers in good condition depends on how and where you store them. Some collectors keep them in protective bags or wrapped in fabric; others, like the author, prefer to display them. Shadow boxes and glass cabinets look good and offer good overall protection. Avoid direct sunlight, dust regularly and check for any rust or mould, especially in humid or damp conditions. Every six months or so, wipe each dagger with a cotton cloth and reapply a coat of Renaissance Wax all over.

Keep an inventory

Most serious collectors keep an inventory, for their own records and for insurance. Record where and when you bought each piece and what you paid, notes on current market values, and the contact details of trusted collector friends and dealers — so that if something happens to you, your family will benefit and won’t sell the collection for a fraction of its worth. And update your will to include the daggers.