How to Clean and Maintain Japanese Swords

A detailed tutorial on the basic care and maintenance of Japanese-style swords.

Edit: For those of you wondering where to get a sword maintenance kit, I've provided a link to Nihonzashi. This is the best place I've found for basic maintenance items- they're reputable and their service is very good. They have everything you'll need to keep your blades sparkly, shiny and sharp.

http://www.nihonzashi.com/sword_maintenance.aspx

Category:

Education

Tags:

• how
• to
• clean
• maintain
• your
• japanese
• sword
• katana
• tanto
• wakizashi
• nagamaki
• swords
• blade
• blades
• tutorial

[Fangeroo]

Wait, at the end when you put on your Choji Oil, do you wipe off the excess? Or do you just leave it and put it back into the scabbard?

[Jimaera]

@Fangeroo Leave the oil on the blade, don't wipe it off. The oil forms a protective coating which prevents oxygen from causing the blade to rust, so you want to make sure that it stays on, lol.

[Fangeroo]

@Jimaera Also why do people take off the handle part and clean the sword?I've watched a video where a guy takes off the handle part,cleans the sword,and puts the handle back on. Why do people do that?

[Jimaera]

@Fangeroo Because the part of the blade that goes through the tsuka is made of steel just like the rest, and is just as susceptible to rust. If you don't clean it periodically it will start to rust over, which is basically... uh... bad, lol

[Fangeroo]

@Jimaera But he didn't clean it.... He just took off the handle, cleaned the sword (NOT THE HANDLE), and put it back on. How are you supposed to clean it anyways? With a napkin or something lol....

[Jimaera]

@Fangeroo Lol... all I can think is that he probably forgot. Either that, or he was just showing how to disassemble the tsuka. You clean it the same way you would clean the sharp part of the blade- wipe it down, apply uchiko, wipe it down again and apply new oil.

[DoncasterBoy]

This was great, thanks :)

[Jimaera]

@MrRyanhancock1234 Lol, sorry to say I don't live in Canada... I would suggest doing some digging online to see if there's a dojo near you that offers shinkendo or iaijutsu. The sword in this video was made by a Chinese smith who specializes in traditional Japanese forging techniques.

[MrRyanhancock1234]

p.s. that is a beautiful peice of steel! its japanese I gather?

[MrRyanhancock1234]

Do you live in Ontario by any chance? I need a someone to teach me the sword, I know a little ninjitisu and I teach yoga, I just bought my first katana! :)??/