Tiny rust stains on lame - problem?

I noticed that my sabre lame (a stainless Uhlmann, 2 years old) has
developed a few tiny rust stains here and there on the lame, both on the
torso and weapon arm. They're really small (like 1 mm wide) and are just
rust-colored, not green corrosion-colored.

Is this something to worry about, ie. a sign of impending corrosion
and/or a signal that I'm not caring for the lame well enough? (I let it
air out after every use - it gets used 1-2 times per week - though it
gets shut up in the bag for 45min-1 hour during the drive back from the
tournament; and I wash it in Ivory soap/ammonia mix about once a month.)

Or is it just a cosmetic stain, maybe from other people's rusty blades
hitting me?

Thoughts? Suggestions for improved care?

--Holly

It's likely from from other people's weapons, and it won't affect the
functionality of the lame, as it's
just the backing fabric that's stained. If you find yourself unable to bear
them from a cosmetic standpoint, there
are spot-removers that are designed to deal with rust that shouldn't have
any effect on the stainelss steel strands (just
hand wash the lame as normal after using them).

-Dave

"Holly E. Ordway" wrote:

> I noticed that my sabre lame (a stainless Uhlmann, 2 years old) has
> developed a few tiny rust stains here and there on the lame, both on the
> torso and weapon arm. They're really small (like 1 mm wide) and are just
> rust-colored, not green corrosion-colored.
>
> Is this something to worry about, ie. a sign of impending corrosion
> and/or a signal that I'm not caring for the lame well enough? (I let it
> air out after every use - it gets used 1-2 times per week - though it
> gets shut up in the bag for 45min-1 hour during the drive back from the
> tournament; and I wash it in Ivory soap/ammonia mix about once a month.)
>
> Or is it just a cosmetic stain, maybe from other people's rusty blades
> hitting me?
>
> Thoughts? Suggestions for improved care?
>
> --Holly

David Neevel <neevel@execpc.com> wrote in
news:3EDBD5F9.569967C8@execpc.com:

> It's likely from from other people's weapons, and it won't affect
> the functionality of the lame, as it's
> just the backing fabric that's stained. If you find yourself unable
> to bear them from a cosmetic standpoint, there
> are spot-removers that are designed to deal with rust that
> shouldn't have any effect on the stainelss steel strands (just
> hand wash the lame as normal after using them).

Thanks for the reply! Looking at the lame really closely, it indeed is
just the white backing fabric that is stained. OK, it won't bug me as
long as I know it won't do my lame any harm :-)

Cheers,
Holly

Holly E. Ordway wrote:
> David Neevel <neevel@execpc.com> wrote in
> news:3EDBD5F9.569967C8@execpc.com:
>
>
>>It's likely from from other people's weapons, and it won't affect
>>the functionality of the lame, as it's
>>just the backing fabric that's stained. If you find yourself unable
>>to bear them from a cosmetic standpoint, there
>>are spot-removers that are designed to deal with rust that
>>shouldn't have any effect on the stainelss steel strands (just
>>hand wash the lame as normal after using them).
>
>
> Thanks for the reply! Looking at the lame really closely, it indeed is
> just the white backing fabric that is stained. OK, it won't bug me as
> long as I know it won't do my lame any harm :-)
>
> Cheers,
> Holly

Also check your mask to see if you have a rusting rivet. Between bouts
you may be cradling your mask in your weapon arm and holding it against
your lame. This may cause the rusty rivet to come into contact with the
lame in those places. I had a jacket that was picking up rust spots
that way.

Dave Mikolaitis

"David W. Mikolaitis" <dwm@aero.ufl.edu> wrote in message
news:3EE0D86E.9020103@aero.ufl.edu...
>
>
> Holly E. Ordway wrote:
> > David Neevel <neevel@execpc.com> wrote in
> > news:3EDBD5F9.569967C8@execpc.com:
> >
> >
> >>It's likely from from other people's weapons, and it won't affect
> >>the functionality of the lame, as it's
> >>just the backing fabric that's stained. If you find yourself unable
> >>to bear them from a cosmetic standpoint, there
> >>are spot-removers that are designed to deal with rust that
> >>shouldn't have any effect on the stainelss steel strands (just
> >>hand wash the lame as normal after using them).
> >
> >
> > Thanks for the reply! Looking at the lame really closely, it indeed is
> > just the white backing fabric that is stained. OK, it won't bug me as
> > long as I know it won't do my lame any harm :-)
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Holly
>
> Also check your mask to see if you have a rusting rivet. Between bouts
> you may be cradling your mask in your weapon arm and holding it against
> your lame. This may cause the rusty rivet to come into contact with the
> lame in those places. I had a jacket that was picking up rust spots
> that way.
>
> Dave Mikolaitis
>
>

About rusty rivets in the mask, any way I could get rid of or remove some of
the rust (other than sanding or changing rivets)? I've got a 1998 Uhlmann
FIE mask and the rust spots have spread to the fabric around the rivets.

On Sun, 8 Jun 2003 13:40:07 +0800, "Kherubim" <someone@somewhere.com>
wrote:

> About rusty rivets in the mask, any way I could get rid of or remove some of
> the rust (other than sanding or changing rivets)?

Naval jelly should do the trick.

-Mark-

In article <bbuhht$e5n$1@reader01.singnet.com.sg>, "Kherubim"
<someone@somewhere.com> writes:

>About rusty rivets in the mask, any way I could get rid of or remove some of
>the rust (other than sanding or changing rivets)? I've got a 1998 Uhlmann
>FIE mask and the rust spots have spread to the fabric around the rivets.
>

Won't help this time, but you should be better about opening your fencing bag
and letting your mask dry out between uses. It will also help about it stinking
so badly.

Bill Hall

In article <3EE0D86E.9020103@aero.ufl.edu>, "David W. Mikolaitis"
<dwm@aero.ufl.edu> writes:

>
>Also check your mask to see if you have a rusting rivet. Between bouts
>you may be cradling your mask in your weapon arm and holding it against
>your lame.

Rust spots notwithstanding, this is generally NOT a real good habit tto get
into:
You are likely to find that repeated rubbing of the wires of the mask against
the wires of the lamé will (eventually...) create a dead spot right in the
front of your lamé...

That'$ no fun!