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Post by kit352 on Mar 18, 2016 18:08:37 GMT
With the upcoming addition of a custom castlekeep sword to my collection I'm looking for a really good, high quality care kit for it. It will spend most of its life as a wall hanger so rust prevention and leather grip care are the highest priorities for me. Does anyone make a kit like they do for Japanese swords that isn't so wrapped up in tradition or should I buy the items individually. I could use a good care guide too.
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Post by Adrian Jordan on Mar 18, 2016 19:13:51 GMT
A good kit should consist of a few items that are easily found themselves, without having to buy one of those kits.
Clean cloths(I use old shirts that I don't wear anymore, and those blue shop towels are great as well).
99% Isopropyl Alcohol.
Light mineral oil. 3 in 1 oil works really well, as does Singer Sewing Machine oil. You can also get Camellia oil from woodworking sites.
Mothers Mag and Aluminum polish.
To start, wipe down the blade with a cloth with some alcohol on it, then wipe down with a clean, dry cloth. Inspect to make sure the blade is clean, then wipe down with mineral oil. Use just enough oil to put a very thin layer of oil on. No drops, streaks or drips. If you see these wipe it down a bit more to get some of the oil off. The only evidence of oil you should see is a slight darkening of the color of the steel.
If you find some stubborn crud on the blade and the alcohol is not cutting it, use the Mothers. After use, start over the above process, staying with the alcohol until the cloth comes away clean, then move on to the oil.
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Post by kit352 on Mar 18, 2016 20:06:24 GMT
About how often would you recommend this be done? I was planning once a month in the winter and every couple weeks in the more humid summer.
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Post by Adrian Jordan on Mar 18, 2016 20:22:27 GMT
That sounds good.
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Post by chrisperoni on Mar 18, 2016 20:37:15 GMT
Mother's is great for cleaning stubborn stains but take care with it or any polishing cream as they may shine up the spot you cleaned to a brighter finish. You would probably want to polish the whole sword in that case to keep it even.
For the oiling of the blade I like to soak a cotton rag in mineral oil and keep it Inca ziploc baggie. Then I just wipe the blade with it whenever I want to re oil
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Post by LG Martial Arts on Mar 18, 2016 21:11:55 GMT
An alternative (if you're not into tradition that much) is silicone spray (AMSOIL or equivalent). You can soak (spray) a soft cotton rag with the spray and when not using it, keep it stored in a zip lock bag like Chris mentioned in a previous post. Silicone dries clear, repels water, and won't attract dust.
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Post by wazikan on Mar 18, 2016 21:30:38 GMT
i also use noxon when I get marks or stains. most of my blades show scratches and such from cutting. I dislike how choji is so expensive. I have high quality knife oil that is less expensive than choji.
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Post by chrisperoni on Mar 19, 2016 0:41:49 GMT
Choji is a ripoff. It's just light mineral oil with a drop of clove oil to give it a distinct odor so as not to confuse it with anything else.
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Post by svante on Mar 27, 2016 17:14:48 GMT
Your local supermarket can help you in your quest.
Olive oil and lint free cloth will take care of the rust and the leather grip.
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