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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2008 3:07:44 GMT
Hey, guys! Sorry about my absence from the forums. I've been pretty busy with my senior year in high school... and on top of that I've getting ready for college next year! Anyways. Over the weekend I had some free time, and my mom wanted me to get rid of all my saved water bottles... so I just did a little cutting on Saturday with my Kaze. Things went smooth and all, but at the end of my cutting I noticed a little ice that formed on my blade. (And this was within a minute of the last cut, because I was whiping the blade dry after every cut.) This got me thinking, and here I am to ask. Is it safe to cut in the winter? Will the switch from freezing temperatures to a warm house effect my sword at all? Will things loosen up inside if I cut while it's too cold? Can the ice that forms (but thaws pretty quickly) damage my blade? Thanks in advance, guys. I know that things contract then expand with temperature changes, but I'm not sure how susceptible my Kaze is to that.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2008 3:40:04 GMT
I think that one of your biggest concerns would be condensation on your blade. After cutting in cold temps let your sword temper to room temp, wipe and oil it, and THEN put back in the saya.
Maybe Rick will chime in here. He cuts in all temps, and I would be curious to hear how he does it.
Good Luck with the whole college thing!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2008 3:42:53 GMT
Thanks! When I do get inside I put on mineral oil for a minute or two, then rub with rubbing alcohol and make sure the sword's dry before putting it back in the saya. It's usually a five minute process, so it never goes in the saya still wet.
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Post by YlliwCir on Nov 25, 2008 11:10:41 GMT
Mahoney, I have cut in weather so cold the water from the bottles froze to ice. LOL the wind would blow my bottles off the icy stand.
Fox, I noticed no ill effects, tho keep in mind I have mostly Euro swords, I do have a couple Katana but I don't use them as much so I don't really know what long term exposure to inclimate weather would do to their fittings.
I just clean the blade and apply my favorite rust inhibitor of the moment. I have to be extra careful of my footing when there is snow or ice is all.
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Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Nov 25, 2008 12:08:11 GMT
I think your main concern should be for your own safety. after all you are dumping water on the ground at your feet which will then freeze. you don't want to slip and fall while swinging a sword. I'm not saying to have your swords hybernate, but I think some rock salt or ice melting crystals spread around the base of your stand would be a very good idea. also be conservative in your cuts. you have always shown a considerable amount fo control in your vids so that should be fine. I agree with the above comment to let you blade return to room temperature before you sheath it and put it away. I would think that the cold blade could cause some condensation to form on it after you wipe it dry. so wipe it dry treat it, and let it sit somewhere safe. then when it is room temp wipe it, treat it, put it away.
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Post by 293master293 on Nov 25, 2008 16:01:44 GMT
This happens to me every winter. The cold weather shouldn't mess your blade up. Just watch your footing, and you will be fine.
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Post by Avery on Nov 25, 2008 22:55:47 GMT
I've cut in sub 0 f. before with no ill affects. Afterwards I clean and oil the blade like normal and the blade is fine. If you have a leather handle, though,be careful using it in cold temps. The leather will tear easier if its really cold and youre outside for awhile. It doesn't happen often, but it has happened to me.
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Post by mythosequidae on Dec 5, 2008 12:05:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2008 20:43:53 GMT
i dont know much on this whole thing but i was wondering the same thing before i found the forum and could ask i simply dismissed it and used hot water in my bottles =/ maybe not the best idea but my sword seems fine
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Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Dec 29, 2008 0:24:55 GMT
honestly, the amount that steel would be weakened by being cold should not be enough to damage your sword doing light cutting or even tatami I'd say. you'd have to seriously botch a cut for it to make much difference. so yeah your blade might snap instead of bend on a REALLY bad cut, but for the most part I think it's no big deal.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2009 13:38:54 GMT
+1 Karma for asking this question, since I was going to.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2009 15:21:13 GMT
In "SCA Rapier" we don't fence outdoors here in NY when the temperature drops below 45 F. Most blades will be fine, but some small percentage will break, perhaps 1%. It is hard to pin down the exact reason for breakage and at what point breakage occurs. Was it 20 degree, 45 degree bend or a 90 degree bend? The action is too fast to see. Breakages are also too rare to establish more detailed statistics.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2009 17:17:43 GMT
Its a good question man,...
I live in Chicago, so i personally don't cut unless its above 50 degrees or so. I weigh the possibilities, and find that there is already enough risk involved when circumstances are ideal, and adding more variables to that situation can only heighten the chances of an accident taking place.
below zero temps = (supercooled steel can be brittle, frozen targets), ice/snow/wind = (chance of slipping, low visibility), exposure = (hands become numb, reflexes slow, possible loss of grip) clothing = (thicker/multiple layers, harder to move, harder to tend to a wound if an accident happens.)
Just too many negatives for me,.... i'll wait for better weather.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2009 20:16:57 GMT
I think it would depend on how cold it is, and how long you/your sword is going to be out side for, and what type of sword you are going to be using.
I can understand that if you were fencing with a rapier or foil it may snap. Or if you left your sword outside buried in a drift of snow for a few hours and then put it through some serious abuse, it might not survive. However most swords are fairly tougher and should be fine against soft targets.
I think the biggest danger is ice forming under foot.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2009 20:38:56 GMT
While I absolutely hate the cold I have cut in winter before. Even in temperatures down to sub-zero, your sword shouldn't break unless you've been out there long enough for the blade to take that much of a chill. Of course then there's the chance of a really bad cut but considering that even down to sub zero temps steel is for the most part still extremely strong I wouldn't be too afraid of cutting in cold weather.
As was noted ice forming under foot is the biggest danger - losing your footing with a sword in your hand is not a good thing. I also have not ever personally seen a sword breaking due to cutting in cold.
Besides Japan is not all tropical climates. The island of Hokkaido is known to have a climate much like the northern states of the US. Cold snowy winters and warm temperate summers. Surely samurai didn't go into hibernation in winter and ceased fighting when there was snow on the ground?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2009 1:46:51 GMT
I just cut in the living room, safely of course. If you have enough space inside your house and there isn't any furniture nearby...and your ceiling is high, might as well try some indoor tameshigiri.
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Post by genocideseth on Jan 20, 2009 0:37:16 GMT
I have cut a lot in sub -20C a lot, and didn't do any harm to the blade. I just wiped it down after I was done and left it on my stand to adjust to room temperature. Every 2 minutes or so I would wipe it down, and after about 10 minutes, I would wipe it with WD-40 then oil it then put it in it's sheath.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2009 12:41:45 GMT
I just cut in the living room, safely of course. If you have enough space inside your house and there isn't any furniture nearby...and your ceiling is high, might as well try some indoor tameshigiri. I tried this once, it was a Sunday afternoon, My GF was upstairs doing some work, it was raining out side and I had noting to do. A little voice in my head said that it would be a good idea to try some cutting indoors. So standing in the middle of the living room I carefully checked to make sure I would not hit anything and then took a few experimental swings at a target. Unfortunately, I had not look up to see the light fitting above my head, which I managed to hit shattering the glass. My other half on hearing the breaking glass came running down the stairs to find me standing, sword in hand, staring stupidly and the broken light fitting. To say she was mad when she saw what I had done would be an understatement. I’m still paying for it 6 weeks latter. Never again!!!!
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Post by YlliwCir on Jan 26, 2009 3:58:23 GMT
Here's some cutting from today. 16 degrees. Cheness Mokko.
That's ice on the blade at the end.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2009 0:28:10 GMT
i'm here in Alaska, and its cold most of the time, i wipe the blade down after each cut and let the blade warm up before i put it away. that's about it. well and my oil
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