Navigating The Sword Care Maze...

"Tips and Techniques for Oiling, Cleaning, Sharpening and Caring for your swords!"

Look at a dozen different websites, and you'll get at least twenty four different sword care methods to help keep your new sword in tip top condition.

Just as an example, a lot of sword selling sites recommend using WD-40 to protect your sword from rust.

Yet on many sword forums a lot of the more senior guys there will say it's a bad choice.

Unfortunately, the same kind of contradictions occur when it comes to sharpening a sword, polishing out scratches, removing rust and basically...

...I can understand why so many beginners get confused!

The reality is that each person in time finds their own personal favorite sword care methods depending on the type of sword, how they use it, the climate they live in and a whole host of other factors.

But here's a few solid basics that can get you started to finding your own way...

Oiling Your Sword

One of the best things about stainless steel ornamental swords is that they don't generally rust, so all you need to clean them up is a bit of Windex and a cloth. Easy.

On the other hand, functional replicas require a bit more sword care - and at the very least need to be cleaned and oiled on a semi regular basis. How often depends on your climate, in most temperate climates once a month seems to be enough - but if where you live is very humid, you may need to oil your swords weekly.

Essentially all you really need to know is to keep a very light, fine sheeny film of either machine oil (i.e. such as 3 in 1, Rem Oil or Sewing Machine Oil), light mineral oil (such as liquid paraffin) or Hanwei Sword oil on the blade at all times. If you can achieve this, you really shouldn't have any problems with rust. WD-40 is fine in a pinch (and it's great for cleaning gunk of a sword after cutting), but for regular maintenance you'd have to use it much more frequently than the other oils as it evaporates considerably faster.

If you are planning on more long term storage, you can coat the blade with petroleum jelly (Vaseline) or better yet a product known as Renaissance Wax, wrap it in some oily cloth and keep it in a cool, dry place.

For more detailed instructions on oiling and protecting the blade from rust, you can check out my quick and easy guide to creating your own sword cleaning kit here.

Sharpening Guide

If you've got a seriously pitted, damaged edge, something like a Makita Wet Grinder is ok as the wheels turn slowly and the water stops the blade from overheating, but just everything else will ruin the swords temper.

But even with a wet grinder, it's all too easy to completely ruin the blades geometry - so even though it takes longer, I strongly recommend you sharpen your swords manually.

While there are many different methods of sharpening a sword by hand, my favourite is the traditional file - whetstone - abrasive paper method (that accordingly shapes - sharpens - and then polishes the blade to whatever sharpness you desire).

Click here to learn more about how to sharpen swords using this method

As this method is geared more towards Western style swords than Japanese Katana, you can find a nice video guide below on how to resharpen and touch up a Katana by noted swordsmith Paul Champagne.

THE ‘NO BRAINER’ SHARPENING METHOD

While the techniques above require a reasonable amount of trial and error to get them to work consistently – there is one tool in particular that ANYONE can use to put a serviceable edge on an unsharpened sword – or even touch up or make much sharper an already edged one (though it will change the edge geometry and create a secondary bevel).

With ceramic blades angled inside the head of the device, the Accusharp is an inexpensive ($13) tool that requires no skill to use. While it was designed for knives, as you will see, it works quite well for swords too...

Polishing out Scratches

It’s par for the course that if you use a sword for cutting exercises, it’s going to get a few minor scratches here and there.

There are several sword care methods for removing scratches depending on how deep they are – and I cover the main method for deep scratches in my free ebook sword care and maintenance 101 (see below).

However, for every day low level abrasions, just about everyone swears by a polishing paste designed specifically for swords by United Cutlery called Metal Glo.

Metal Glo 12 Tube Case Dozen Tube Case. Twelve (1.75 oz.) tube counter top retail display. A formulation of aluminum oxide that is perfect for cleaning and polishing any metal surface. Can be used to polish stainless and carbon steel, brass, gold, silver, chrome, copper, a... List Price: $63.95* Our Price:$47.95 You Save: $16.00 (33%) Metal Glo - Single Tube Metal Glo Premium Polishing Paste (1 tube is 1.75 oz.) is perfect for cleaning and polishing any metal surface!Can be used on stainless and carbon steel, brass, gold, silver, chrome, copper, and many other hard surfaces.Made in USA.Customer Testimoni... List Price: $8.95* Our Price:$5.95 You Save: $3.00 (50%) Metal Glo 3 Tube Value Pack Metal Glo Premium Polishing Paste. A formulation of aluminum oxide that is perfect for cleaning and polishing any metal surface. Can be used to polish stainless and carbon steel, brass, gold, silver, chrome, copper and many other hard surfaces. Th... List Price: $17.95* Our Price:$14.95 You Save: $3.00 (20%)

This stuff is PERFECT for general purpose polishing – and indeed, for swords – there is no other product that comes close. Highly recommended...

Miscellaneous Sword Care Tips

• Don’t Leave your sword in a leather scabbard for long periods of time. Wooden scabbards are ok (as long as they are only lightly oiled, or the oil will cause the wooden scabbard to swell), but a leather scabbard will trap moisture and cause nasty rust spots on the blade.

• In general, avoid touching the blade with your fingers as the acid from your fingertips can etch into carbon steel over time.

• Wooden handles should be treated with a light coating of lemon or tung oil to help prevent cracking.

• Leather scabbards, sheaths and covered handles should be treated with a good leather paste wax. The scabbard can also be treated with neatsfoot or mink oil for waterproofing, although this is not recommended for the handle as it is slippery.

• Avoid contacting oil onto any leather parts of the sword as it will cause the leather to rot very quickly.

FREE Sword Care Ebook! For more information on how to clean your swords, prevent and deal with rust problems, as well as a simple technique you can use to polish the blade and remove surface scratches, download my FREE 11 page PDF ebook: Basic Sword Care and Maintenance 101 It's no fluff and filler, straight to the point information on how to keep your swords in tip top condition. And best of all, it's 100% FREE!

What's YOUR sword care tip?

Do you have some tips on sharpening, cleaning, oiling or polishing a sword that isn't covered here? Share it!

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

a whetstone substitute 
I rubbed my machete on a brick, like a whetstone, and it gave my machete a crude, yet razor edge. If you cannot afford a whetstone, I reccomend using a ...

How to fix a siblings blunders  
A few days ago I recieved my first fully functional Katanas, without listening to me my brother starts unpacking one of my Katanas, he then unsheths it ...

Gun Cleaning products for Swords 
There are several gun cleaning products available that are extremely good for cleaning the surface of a sword. Any general purpose firearm oil (aerosol ...

Trumpet oil and almond oil - works for me... 
I'm a huge fan of Windlass swords; most of my sword collection is made up of MRL product. But my very first sword, which I received for my 13th birthday,...

"stay sharp sword sheath" 
Well this is an idea i have had for a while now and is intended for custom or home made swords but the whole concept is a sheath that whenever you draw ...

gun polish!!! and a nintendo ds cleaning cloth. 
The title says it all...!

Rock  Not rated yet
Basically I only use an oil to lubricate knives with blades that move,e.g. pocket knife or switchblade. To protect the blade "steel" or the handle "Stag ...

Polishing Out Scratches on Sword Blades  Not rated yet
I found auto body sanding paper in 1500, then 1800, and finally 2000 grit will do an excellent job of sanding out scratches on my sword blades from katanas ...

The best way to sharpen  Not rated yet
The best way to get a edge on any sort of blade is to use a wet stone, the only trick is getting the angle right. Insted of using watter use oil, simply ...

Don't use vegetable oil!  Not rated yet
When I was a child, I was given an ornamental lodge sword (by default, as my dad left us). I knew that oiling a sword was important, so I used the only ...

Polishing With Brasso  Not rated yet
I have this katana which I use to learn sharpening and with all the scratches it is well it only cost $54.00.

After each sharpening session I have ...

Long Term Rust Prevention  Not rated yet
I had a vintage 1854 US Navy saber that I wanted to display out of its scabbard, but didn't have any access to a protective wax to prevent rust. Looking ...

wash wash wash  Not rated yet
i own about ....hmmm five good handmade (true) battle ready swords and about three wall hangers or S.L.O. and i have noticed how much better the sword ...

I hate to say it....  Not rated yet
I really hate to say it, but I've tried to find different ways to sharpen my swords and knives, and BELIEVE IT, or most likely not, The Samurai Shark, that ...

My way of sharpening katana (as seen on SFI)  Not rated yet
I'd just like to highlight a post on SFI (which can be difficult to search), describing the method I use to sharpen my katana-blades:

http://forums....

cold bluing tips   Not rated yet
A great way to improve the finish on steel and iron sword fittings is to use cold gun blue - this is actually a well known method but heres a few tips ...

quick fix on cleaning scabbards/saya  Not rated yet
Some katanas have a type of wax build up in the saya that gets on the blade. Simple fix use a gun cleaning kit (barrel rod and stiff nylon brush)and clean ...

microfibre and lens cloths  Not rated yet
HI There

For a number of years now - when I come to clean my katana blades i find that certain cloths leave a streak free sheen and lustre far better ...

Tuff Cloth  Not rated yet
I personally use 3 products to maintain my swords:

1) Nevr-Dull, an automotive cleaning product that removes rust. It comes in a metal tin and applied ...

Avoiding Cuts  Not rated yet
When polishing a sword, knife or any sharp implement, there is always a high risk of cutting fingers of limbs. To avoid this, here are a few tips:

- Wear ...

Japanese Swords - Tsuka and Tang  Not rated yet
Just a heads up, I realise this is more appropriate for true nihonto than our sub $300 market but figured it was worth posting.

The part of the blade ...

Further Resources

One of the best articles on the net about basic sword care is to be found at My Armory.com: Care and Maintenance of the Modern Replica.

You can also find a myriad of different threads discussing the pros and cons of all the latest different sword care methods over here at the esteemed Sword Forum International.

And finally, for the best information on the net on how to maintain traditional Japanese swords I recommend this article on Richard Stein's Japanese Sword Guide

SWORD CARE INDEX

SUB-ARTICLES

Oiling Your Sword and Making Your Own Cleaning Kit
A Beginners Guide to Sharpening Swords
Sharpening Swords the EASY way

FREE E-BOOKS (PDF)

Basic Sword Care and Maintenance 101 - By Paul Southren