correct scabbard?

[1903sprfld]

I recently got this 1840 saber the blade is nice. It is stamped Ames 1847. The person I got it from said that he got it without a scabbard so he dug up a scabbard that fit.The scabbards has no stamps or markings. So I was wondering if someone could tell from the pics if this is a 1840 scabbard or even a US scabbard. Also is there anything I can do about the brow

n staining

 

[bobinwmass]

It is not an Ames Model 1840 cavalry scabbard. The Ames scabbard has a thin throat insert and doesn't have those screws top and bottom.

It may be an imported scabbard, as many Model 1840 type sabers were imported. It also looks like the scabbard was nickel plated after the war, with much of it now flaking off, allow the metal underneath to oxidize.

 

[1903sprfld]

how would one go about trying get rid of what is left of the nickel plating stopping the oxidation so that it looks better

 

[R. Porter]

It looks like a British made scabbard. The screws on leading and trailing edges of the throat and that expansion at the very top I believe are British traits.

 

[bobinwmass]

how would one go about trying get rid of what is left of the nickel plating stopping the oxidation so that it looks better

I don't think there is an easy or inexpensive way to remove the rest of the nickel plating. If I wanted to try cleaning the exposed brown portions, I'd probably coat the scabbard with some penetrating oil, let it sit a bit, then scrub with a nonabrasive cleaning pad. It may remove some of the loosened rust but shouldn't harm the metal. A copper wool cleaning scrub would be a bit more aggressive, but the softer copper shouldn't scratch the steel scabbard.

 

[Glen_C]

how would one go about trying get rid of what is left of the nickel plating stopping the oxidation so that it looks better

Electrolysis.