Restoration of an Algerian Flyssa — Pattern Revealed

Video Description

Hi! Today restoration, of an antique dagger of the Algerian Flyssa dagger. This is Berber knife. This item was purchased in France. It has an interesting history, but its condition is average: there is rust on the brass hilt and the blade—in some areas, the corrosion is quite deep. The scabbard is damaged; it has a crack, and the metal fittings that hold it together are severely rusted and need restoration. Now I will restore this item First, I began cleaning the blade and hilt. Given my experience working with antique weapons like this, I used gentle, including natural, cleaning methods. I started by removing the surface rust with a soft brush. Then, using two types of cleaning powders and warm water, I performed a deeper cleaning with a toothbrush. For additional effect, I also applied baking soda and a small amount of acid. After that, I moved on to polishing. I used polishing pastes and a special metal cleaning solution. Once the main rust was removed, I applied high-grit sandpaper and a soft brass brush. I then polished the blade and treated it with oil. Next came the restoration of the scabbard. Disassembling the scabbard was quick—the fittings that held it together were completely rusted through. After disassembly, I thoroughly cleaned the inside and outside: removed the rust, dirt, and dust. Then I sanded the ends of the scabbard with sandpaper. Once the preparation was complete, I degreased the surfaces—to ensure that dust and dirt wouldn't interfere with the glue. I used special wood glue, joined the parts together, and left them to dry for more than a day. That was necessary because the joint was quite short, and the wood had gaps. To preserve the shape of the scabbard, I extended the drying time. In parallel, I began making new fittings. To prevent future rusting, I chose nickel silver. I cut the pieces according to the original shapes. Initially, I soldered them with silver, but I made a mistake: I didn’t take into account that the scabbard has an uneven surface, so it was impossible to attach the fittings precisely. I had to redo everything. This time, I used copper. I cut the new shapes again and secured them manually — just like in the original design. Once the work was completed, I coated both the scabbard and fittings with a quick-drying wood lacquer. After drying, the scabbard turned out beautifully — I’m pleased with the result. As usual I made a small test — just for you. Please don’t forget to share this video. Thank you! Sincerely, Alex. Thanks for attention! Good luck and health to everyone! With best wishes, Alex! Please subscribe to my channel: @ScrewsAndTools 🍖 My New Cooking channel! @screwsandtoolscooking Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Screwsandtools Paypal: paypal.me/screwsandtools Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scresandtools/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/screwsandtools/ #screwsandtools #dagger #restoration