Don't handle or swing any edged weapon carelessly. Even a dull blade can inflict serious damage or injury. Just remember that sword and dagger blades were designed for cutting and stabbing human flesh. If you want to pretend that you're a medieval knight, be sure you are well out of range of anyone, in case you lose control of the blade and it flies out of your hands.
Rust is the primary enemy of your blade. It is much easier to prevent it than to have to remove it. Therefore, your sword or knife should always be protected from moisture.
Ideally, you should keep your blades at a relatively constant temperature and humidity. If this is not possible, you should compensate by applying oil on a more regular schedule. A thin coat of
a light, non-acidic, lubricating oil is appropriate. In this area, you
have several choices:
a. Gun oil -- I have been using Lucas and Remington gun oil on my blades for several years with excellent results. Just about any non-corrosive gun oil will do, but Remington's oil has been around for a while and most sporting goods stores in the US keep it in stock. The advantage with Lucas Gun Oil is that it seems to last a bit longer than Remington's.
b. Choji oil -- Used by owners of Japanese swords. It protects well, has a nice aroma, and should work fine on European blades too. You might find it in martial arts stores, or places where Japanese blades are sold. I have read that it is simply oil of cloves, which you can buy at the grocery or health food store.
c. WD-40 -- Can be used to clean blades in a pinch, but it's really a solvent, so you don't want to use it for rust prevention. Also, it does tend to remove the bluing on guns (bluing is actually a form of rust), but that is not an issue with blades, unless you're trying to remove rust from them.
Back to our cleaning lesson. After each use, wipe your blade with a soft, dry clean cloth so that any and all foreign objects are completely removed. It only takes a couple of minutes for a proper cleaning, and your dilligent maintenance will keep the blade healthy for future generations to enjoy.
When your blade is clean, put a small amount of oil on a new white cloth. Paper towels and tissue paper can be used, but some kinds will leave fibers on the metal. Some oils such as Choji will cause the color to bleed and stain your sword, that's why you should use a white cloth or tissue. Gently wipe the oil on to your blade and be sure not to use
too much or to cut your hand in the process.
A very light coating is optimal. If the oil is running down your blade when you are finished, you need to wipe off some of it. All the other metal parts of your sword, including any wire wrapping on the handles, should also be protected with a light coat of oil to prevent rust.
Another approach to rust prevention, and one that I do not fully endorse, is the silicone-coated gun/reel cloth. While I don't recommend it as a total care alternative to regular oiling, I can see the benefits of its use in the field, such as wiping your blade before replacing it in its scabbard.
Even when you are not using your sword, check on it regularly and re-oil. This is especially important when using Choji, in order to prevent the old oil from becoming gummy. Remove the old oil with a different cloth and then re-oil with your oiling cloth.
If you live near salt water, or the weather is very humid, check and re-oil your blade at least once a week. If it is exposed to these conditions or you will be storing it un-attended for a long period of time, you might need to use a product such as Cosmoline. Specially formulated to protect metal parts during shipping and long-term storage, this product and others like it, can be purchased from gunsmithing suppliers and occasionally from military surplus stores. Heavy grease or Vaseline could also be used, if nothing better is on hand.
Finally, do not store your blade in its scabbard because it will trap moisture. You need to make sure it will not be able to fall down and hurt someone. Also, place it where it will be out of sight and
reach of children.
Always wipe the blade with a clean cloth (such as the aforementioned silicone-coated gun/reel cloth) before resheathing it to insure that no dirt or grime comes in contact with the scabbard. If it is contaminated with gunk, it will scratch your blade and encourage rust to form.
You can treat the wooden handles with a light coating of lemon oil or tung oil to keep them from cracking. Also, leather scabbards and sheaths as well as leather covered handles could be treated with a good paste wax. The scabbard can also be treated with neatsfoot or mink oil for waterproofing, but this should not be done for gripping surfaces.
If the surface of your blade starts to rust despite your efforts, it can be removed with a green scrubbing pad such as 3M's Scotch-Brite pad and some lightweight oil. In the photo at left, this stainless steel kitchen knife has a couple of rust spots on it, despite the fact that I always clean and dry it after use. Most likely, it was caused by the acid in tomatoes. Because of the surface polish, I didn't use a scrubbie and just left the spots in place.
For this purpose, WD-40 might be a good choice because of its rust-removing properties. Your gun oil will also work. I have never used a green scrubbie to remove rust, but I suspect that it could scratch your blade. Proceed with caution if you decide to use one.
When I need to remove rust I like to use a stainless steel scrub pad. It's really quite amazing to watch the rust come right off while the finish of the gun remains intact. It should be noted that not all stainless steel scrubbies are created equal. Some will scratch the metal and others will not. You just have to test them, preferrably on a rusty piece of metal, to find one that won't scratch.
I have read that Amway's are safe to use, but haven't tested them myself. I do know that the really cheap ones from stores like Dollar General are not satisfactory. One good source for these might be your local resturant supply service. The ones I use, which are safe for use on firearms, can be obtained from gunsmith suppliers.
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a. Gun oil -- I have been using Lucas and Remington gun oil on my blades for several years with excellent results. Just about any non-corrosive gun oil will do, but Remington's oil has been around for a while and most sporting goods stores in the US keep it in stock. The advantage with Lucas Gun Oil is that it seems to last a bit longer than Remington's.
Back to our cleaning lesson. After each use, wipe your blade with a soft, dry clean cloth so that any and all foreign objects are completely removed. It only takes a couple of minutes for a proper cleaning, and your dilligent maintenance will keep the blade healthy for future generations to enjoy.
When your blade is clean, put a small amount of oil on a new white cloth. Paper towels and tissue paper can be used, but some kinds will leave fibers on the metal. Some oils such as Choji will cause the color to bleed and stain your sword, that's why you should use a white cloth or tissue. Gently wipe the oil on to your blade and be sure not to use
too much or to cut your hand in the process.
A very light coating is optimal. If the oil is running down your blade when you are finished, you need to wipe off some of it. All the other metal parts of your sword, including any wire wrapping on the handles, should also be protected with a light coat of oil to prevent rust.
Another approach to rust prevention, and one that I do not fully endorse, is the silicone-coated gun/reel cloth. While I don't recommend it as a total care alternative to regular oiling, I can see the benefits of its use in the field, such as wiping your blade before replacing it in its scabbard.
If the surface of your blade starts to rust despite your efforts, it can be removed with a green scrubbing pad such as 3M's Scotch-Brite pad and some lightweight oil. In the photo at left, this stainless steel kitchen knife has a couple of rust spots on it, despite the fact that I always clean and dry it after use. Most likely, it was caused by the acid in tomatoes. Because of the surface polish, I didn't use a scrubbie and just left the spots in place.
