# Communities > Modern-era Swords and Collecting Community > Modern Production Katanas >  Help!  I need to clean my poor blade

## J. Houchin

Hello all,
   I recently bought an economy Musashi blade which I am in love with but I have had some problems cleaning it.  I used it to kill some produce and wiped it down with a towel immediately after.  I then lightly oiled it and placed it back into the scabbard.  This morning I went to check on it and now there are streaks all across the blade.  I don't know what to do at this point because if I used anything too rough I fear I may mess up the finish  :Confused: .  What are my options at this point?  Did I do something wrong when I went to clean it or??  I imagine that this is not the first time something like this has happened but I couldn't find much on the board about this.

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## Tony Vannelli

Using something like a terry-cloth towel can leave residue on the blade that could result in streaks.  Not sure what the streaks are, exactly, but it could be left over gunk from your produce.  What I would do is wipe off the oil, then use some isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol to clean the blade.  This will help remove any left over plant residue.

One thing to try, as far as wiping materials go, is to get some new _white_ undershirts and cut them into small strips or patches.  They are very handy for wiping down your blade, and you get a whole lot of them from a pack of cheap shirts.

You can use old t-shirts, but keep in mind that some fabric softeners contain abrasives that will stay with the cloth.  Probably would not hurt the blade, but why take the chance?  Better to use t-shirts that have never been through the laundry.

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## Mark Trick

Alcohol will not remove all plant residue as I found out early on when I pruned a spruce tree.  You may need to use something stronger such as a commercial gunk and stain remover.  WD40 works on some residue also.

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## Paul Smith

To remove stains without damaging the finish, I recommend a product called Noxon. It is an extremly mild abrasive, so it will clean off the stains but won't hurt the finish unless you scrub it really hard, which you shouldn't have to do. It has the added bonus of being ammonia based, which will stop the beginning rust that you can often get from using your sword as a glorified chef's knife.  :Smilie:

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## scott_haberman

noxon is what id recomend also..but its kinda hard to find inless you have an ace hardware near by. thats the only place i know where to get it other than online

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## David Lewis Smith

I am asking an opinion and putting forth a possible suggestion,

Bon-Ami, the 'hasnt scratched yet' pot cleaner?  

I dont know thats why asking and suggestion at the same time

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## Glen C.

I had once been quite a detractor regarding the use of Noxon 7 Metal Polish but I have (over time) used a great many products that do clean and have a mild level of abrasives. A look inside via an MSDS sheet and a prompt from another forumite led me even further to rhubarb leaves  :Wink: 

http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Vis...etalPolish.pdf

It seems the oxalic acid in the compound is what really does help cut a lot of sticky grime and dirt. I have actually been quite impressed with the stuff as a good and quite natural product, as opposed to petroleum based products to cut the grease. 

Nevr-Dull had been another regular favorite of mine until I went through a can over the course of a decade or so. Nevr-Dull is actually a more aggressive abrasive but the grit is the same base (silica/quartz). Bon Ami (I believe) is a "China Clay" abrasive  product, again natural but without any of the acids or spirits. I have and continue to use Bon Ami in solution (and for kitchen/bathroom use) but it lacks some of the benefits mild acids or spirits offer.

What had brought Noxon home to me as an alternative for cleaning antiques is that the de-corroder product from Picreator uses a stronger hydrocarboxylic acid that does attack the surface of the steel. 
http://talasonline.com/photos/msds/R...decorroder.pdf

What had been a very good product for cleaning grime and cutting rust is a product called Liquid Wrench and something I had used often in the automotive trade and had adopted it in use to help conservation of some antique swords. For some reason I had not been thinking this through clearly (since a stroke) is that the stuff is really not very good for you. Two very basic ingredients that led me to wonder why I had aggravated the nerves in my right hand, my right index finger specifically and ended up getting an MRI without putting two and two together. Silly me. Naptha and dry cleaning fluid.

Tetrachloroethelyne and Napthenic Petroleum Distillate

http://www.liquidwrench.com/assets/p...rating-oil.pdf

So anyway, attacking rhubarb seems a great way to relieve stress if cutting vegetation and may even help you keep a clean blade  :Hyuk!:  However, acids do stain blades and acids alone for cleaning may etch your steel.

Never-Dull is white spirits (basically light kerosene) cotton waste, China clay and ground quartz (silica). Having now hopefully learned my lesson regarding petroleum distillates and other chemicals, Noxon and Bon Ami both come through with great marks for health. I have not yet played with the Picreator de-corroder but there are reports that the result will leave a gray surface. That is probably something to stay away from for regular sword cleaning chores.

Cheers

Hotspur; _shake Noxon well and let dry on stains to achieve the most benefit of the rhubarb juice (oxalic acid)_

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