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Post by Iridionprime on Jan 20, 2013 19:40:45 GMT
Just bought an awesome kc viking sword for a great price on their website. Now the only concern I have is the leather sheath. I have read from numerous posts on this site that leather sheathes are the devil to keeping a sword in pristine condition. My question is, would coating the blade in choji oil or some machine/mineral oil circumvent the damaging properties of leather?
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Post by William Swiger on Jan 20, 2013 20:26:55 GMT
Some leather scabbards are alright depending on the leather and finish done on the inside. I don't keep any of my swords in scabbards. I have received a few swords shipped from MRL in the scabbards and had some staining on the blades. I don't have anyplace to cut where I am living and just use a good car wax on my blades. If it was a sword that would see regular use, I would use oil.
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Post by MOK on Jan 20, 2013 21:26:04 GMT
Leather as such is not damaging. The problem is chrome tanned leather, which contains chemicals that will corrode steel, but vegetable tanned leather should be perfectly safe. Knife sheaths are made of veg tanned leather, and nobody thinks twice about storing expensive handmade knives in their sheaths indefinitely; I have kept my Windlass swords in their leather sheaths in a gun safe for years, and none of them have developed a hint of stain. Mineral oil (choji oil is nothing but mineral oil with added fragrance) helps protect a blade, but it should be applied in moderation: too much and it will only serve to trap dust which carries moisture which will rust the steel. Clean and dry the sword throughly, apply some drops of oil on the blade, spread it evenly all over the entire metal surface (adding a drop or two where needed to get full coverage), and wipe it off with any old soft clean rag until only an imperceptibly thin layer of oil remains. If the blade actually looks or feels oily, there's too much oil. Do this every time you use the sword, and always use the same rag to spread and wipe off the oil (but take care to keep it otherwise clean); after a while the rag will have soaked up enough oil that simply wiping the blade with it suffices.
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Post by Anders on Jan 20, 2013 22:23:23 GMT
Honestly, I basically never oil my swords. At the most I polish them a bit from time to time with I think it's needed. They hold up just fine.
It varies a bit depending on your climate, and keeping your sword oiled certainly doesn't hurt. But really, if you keep it dry, check it from time to time and don't do stupid stuff like touching the blade with your bare fingers, I doubt you have much to worry about.
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Post by chrisperoni on Jan 21, 2013 5:27:04 GMT
I've had similar results to Findlithui here in Windsor Ontario (next door to Michigan)- however using only mineral oil. For a time my katanas were boxed up and under my bed for over a year and when I checked them- no rust.
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Taran
Member
Posts: 2,621
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Post by Taran on Jan 21, 2013 8:38:10 GMT
And I use a silicone gun-cloth for the same results. I don't have space to store my swords outside their scabbards.
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SanMarc
Senior Forumite
Posts: 3,193
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Post by SanMarc on Jan 22, 2013 4:54:25 GMT
Get a Tinker/Hanwei Viking Scabard, it should fit.......
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