How to care for expensive samurai swords
How to Care for Expensive Samurai Swords
Keep your sword away from humid environments. Every point of contact is a potential place for water to condense. If rust develops on your blade, you should clean it off as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the deeper the rust will pit your sword. If you clean it quickly then you can usually restore the original polish.
Wooden handles may be treated with a light coating of lemon oil or tung oil to help prevent cracking.
Use a sheet of harai gami or erufu to remove oil and debris from the blade. Hold the sharp edge away from you while working on the blade.
Tap the uchiko lightly against the blade. Continue tapping to the tip of the blade.
After powdering the blade, use a clean harai gami or erufu to polish the blade in a circular motion. Repeat this until the powder dissolves.
Repeat steps 1-3 for the other side of the blade.
Apply a few drops of oil along each side of the blade and use a piece of harai gami or erufu to spread the oil evenly over the blade.
Do not touch the blade before re-sheathing as the oils on your hand will promote rusting on the blade.
There are many types of cleaning kits available for swords and depending on your budget, select the kit that best suits your needs.
The more expensive the swords you own the more care should be taken to keep them in prime condition. Your swords could be handed down to your next generation and prodly displayed just as they have been in your home.