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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2010 14:51:51 GMT
Here is a question for you all. When people see your swords for the first time do they touch the blade.
It always seems that the first thing they go for is the blade. Not that the blade can't be oiled again or that they cut themselves when they touch it.
I once found a big rusty thumb print on one of my blades. I think the guy pulled the sword off the wall out of curiosity while I was in the john or something.
I understand peoples fascination with the blade but does this ever happen to you folks?
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2010 15:04:50 GMT
Yes people want to touch the blade, hell I want to touch the blade of my swords and knives. There is a draw of your fingers to a naked blade like the call of a lover to caress their naked body. There of course are many who consider it a great insult for others to touch their blades, especially unasked. I think there is little you can do to really prevent this unless you seal your swords under lock & key, and practice your mean face and growl. Otherwise people with want to touch the blade, to run their fingers down the smooth metal, to test the edge with their thumbs. It just seems to come with the territory.
Maybe make them clean the sword after touching, let them see how much care goes into it?
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2010 15:13:02 GMT
I keep all of my blades oiled heavier than necessary just for this reason. If someone handles one, they will notice oil on their fingers. The oil on my blade will get smeared and I will see the fingerprints, but they don't penetrate the oil to the metal surface, so no rust, no harm.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2010 15:13:47 GMT
To answer your question of does this happen to me? More often than not I get the completely ignorant who don't seem to understand the handling of another's blade who will touch, or those so over careful that they border upon annoyingly polite and cautious. Many of the later will actually not dare touch another's blade even if invited. With them they see it as a spiritual object, a sacred one. To touch it is to desecrate your bond with your sword in their eyes. I think this is a protocol that has been fostered by those who wish to protect their blades. Creating a mistique around the blade to keep prying hands away. The Japanese have some serious blade protocol, as did many other cultures. These days with so little real sword or knife carrying few outside the blade culture know these protocols anymore.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2010 16:39:14 GMT
I don't keep my blades where they are easily accessed by visitors in my home.
But when I get a new blade or customize one and bring it out to show it off, yeah, as soon as the blade is naked its fingers on the metal. I expect and understand this. While I don't touch the flat surfaces anymore, pretty much every time I draw a blade I test the edge. Can't help myself. So I can't blame them.
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Post by sicheah on May 15, 2010 16:45:55 GMT
I will be honest, I like to touch my blades (and I have folks coming here couldn't help touching it either ;D). Which is why I keep a bottle of alcohol, mineral oil and my old white t-shirt nearby to remove fingerprints and reoil the blade.
Most people don't know that mere touching the blade could cause rust. Their only experience with blades is mostly limited to kitchen knives which is stainless. So gotta remind them once in awhile.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2010 17:21:56 GMT
Don't think I've ever touched my blades with my bare fingers. At least not on purpose. I always use a cloth or an oily paper towel if I feel the need to grab it. That is, other than to test the edge, which has been mentioned. Why? Well, I guess I don't even want my grimy fingers messing up the sheen. Also kind of out of respect for the steel I guess. Even when I was polishing a katana I rested the blade on a towel and only held it by the handle as I rubbed the blade with wet sandpaper. I used a rubber block for the coarse work and then for the finnishing polishes I used my fingers directly on the sandpaper. Dangerous I know but for some reason I felt very confident and didn't cut myself at all. Point is though, I tried hard not to touch the blade during the whole process. I think when I was done I may have run my fingers over the blade to see if it felt as smooth as it looked, but then I oiled it right away.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2010 17:32:31 GMT
Here is a question for you all. When people see your swords for the first time do they touch the blade. Oh, all the time!Really, I think people are just too used to stainless these days.
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Post by sparky on May 15, 2010 17:56:29 GMT
Blades are like strippers. You can look but if you touch....... your getting your butt bounced out of here. ;D I used to know a bouncer at a club. Seriously they are so pretty you almost have to touch them! You know you want to! ;D
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2010 18:35:06 GMT
All the time.. Then they put it back on the wall/stand and I have to resist the OCD urge to clean it until they leave -.-
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2010 18:35:59 GMT
You could carry a spray bottle or squirt gun and spray people like you might a misbehaving cat. Then you might get your sword wet so probably not a good idea.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2010 20:48:06 GMT
Yeah, I like the spray bottle idea! The one thing I have to remind myself that 12 years ago when I bought my first sword, a cutlass, I knew absolutely squat about swords. That first sword had so many rust finger prints on it. I eventually tried to sand off the spots. It never saw even one drop of oil. I just didn't know any better. One minute I'm hacking a giant frozen block of ground beef in two on my kitchen counter and the next it's back in the scabbard. Only ever got a wipe down with a dry cloth. ( I did all this as a silly teenager. I'd not do this kind of thing now. It is both dangerous and foolish). Since I got the mystery thumb print on my Hanwei Albrecht I am extra careful. Still, I find this very fascinating to see how other sword enthusiasts treat their blades. Some just wipe it off and re oil it while others have more of a hands off policy. Very interesting. "modified for grammer and spelling"
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2010 21:03:56 GMT
Blades are like strippers. You can look but if you touch....... your getting your butt bounced out of here. ;D I used to know a bouncer at a club. Seriously they are so pretty you almost have to touch them! You know you want to! ;D well put buddy
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2010 21:14:41 GMT
I get that alot with my friends if they come over, when they look at the swords its alot easier to look at the blade with a hand on the handle and a hand on the blade. Can't really blame them for that, besides i need to wipe the oil and saya wood off my swords so they can see the pretty blade anyways On that note, anyone have any remedies to "shedding" sayas that like to leave wood specks all over your sword?
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2010 23:21:45 GMT
On that note, anyone have any remedies to "shedding" sayas that like to leave wood specks all over your sword? Hmmm, I am sure some people will have some good advice on that, I can only offer two pieces of advice besides getting a new saya. Work on your resheathing/drawing, which might be the main shedding cause. Either by the blade cutting into the wood while resheathing/drawing, or the tip scraping. Another suggestion, would be to give the saya a good cleaning, shaking and tapping to dislodge any bits. Ohhh.. I just remembered another thing, a saya file set, let me see if I can find the links. Ahhh here it is. www16.plala.or.jp/katana-iimura/saraiyasuri-e.htmlI would imagine you could fasten a bit of sandpaper to a stick or something too *edit, oh btw the smaller one is for working the tsuka, and the large one for the saya.
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2010 0:13:24 GMT
My wife always wants to touch the blade. My son had years of watching anime under his belt and had absorbed proper blade protocol (I assume) from that when I got my first live blade but my wife immediately touched the blade. That's really my fault, I took it for granted that my wife would know not to touch the blade of a sword, jut by virtue of being my wife I suppose.
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2010 3:49:07 GMT
My friend didn't, and he's really the only person to touch any of mine, besides myself.
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Post by sicheah on May 16, 2010 3:58:52 GMT
On that note, anyone have any remedies to "shedding" sayas that like to leave wood specks all over your sword? Try getting rid of the wooden specks by holding the scabbard with one hand and proceed to thump on your lap (the scabbard mouth facing your lap of course) a couple of times. I do it everytime when oiling my blade, even though it is not a katana. This should dislodge most of the wood debris stuck in the saya. I assume that you are not doing improper drawing technique (noto?) with your kat that causes wood debris to get stuck on your blade....
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2010 4:35:48 GMT
Well I really don't think improper drawing techniques would cause the amount of specks i get on some of my swords. One of my katanas almost looks like its covered in "sand" grains when I unsheath it.
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2010 4:55:27 GMT
when i draw my sword, to show a friend, i lay the blade across my sleeved arm, or arm covered by cloth, and hold the handle. i present it to them by the handle and warn them to not touch the blade because it is sharp and their touch could cause rust as well. sometime folks dont listen well. the are very fascinated by blades. i understand because i am too, thats why i own so many. i always clean and oil my swords after showing them off just in case i missed a touch. if i am where i can do it in front of my friend, then i do so, so they can see the respect for the blade. if asked i explain the difference between carbon steel and stainless.
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