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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...
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.
When it comes to sharpening your swords (either from scratch or just touching up the edge a bit) my first advise is NO POWER TOOLS!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...
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.
This stuff is PERFECT for general purpose polishing – and indeed, for swords – there is no other product that comes close. Highly recommended...
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! Visitor Submitted Sword Care TipsClick below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Gun Cleaning products for Swords
Trumpet oil and almond oil - works for me...
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Long Term Rust Prevention
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wash wash wash
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I hate to say it....
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My way of sharpening katana (as seen on SFI)
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cold bluing tips
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quick fix on cleaning scabbards/saya
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microfibre and lens cloths
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Tuff Cloth
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Avoiding Cuts
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Japanese Swords - Tsuka and Tang
Not rated yet 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 I hope this information on basic sword care has been helpful. Click here to return to Sword-Buyers-Guide.com's homepage from Navigating Sword Care Maze.
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