Sword Care Tips
Carbon Steel Swords (Functional Swords)
- Blade and Metal Parts
- All metal parts including wire wrapped handles should always be covered with a light coating of oil or a micro-crystalline wax to prevent rust and corrosion. You may also want to wipe it with a silicone coated gun/reel cloth. Many people prefer the gun/reel cloth because there are fewer tendencies for dust to accumulate and trap oxygen to cause pitted areas in the blade.
- Wooden Parts
- Should be treated with a light coating of lemon oil, tung oil or micro-crystalline wax to help prevent cracking.
- Leather Parts
- Should be treated with a good leather paste wax or micro-crystalline wax. The scabbard can also be treated with neatsfoot or mink oil for waterproofing, although this is not recommended for gripping surfaces. Do not store your sword in its scabbard for long periods of time since the leather traps moisture, which can produce rust spots on the blade.
- Products We Use
- The products we use ourselves is Hanwei Sword Oil and Renaissance Wax (micro-crystalline wax)
Stainless Steel Swords (Decorative Swords)
Although stainless steel is thought by many to be invulnerable to corrosion, this is not true. With stainless steel, one must be cautious because the evidence of corrosion does not show itself as quickly as it does on carbon spring steel. If the blade is touched with a finger and not wiped off properly with a soft rag the fingerprint will be permanently etched into the steel forever! In time, the print will become more and more visible and detract from the appearance of your sword or dagger. To prevent this from happening, Keep Fingers Off the Blade! If possible keep the blade away from any bare skin, as skin is very acidic. It is the acid in your skin that will eat away at the metal and the only way to stop it is by giving the blade a thorough cleaning.
- Products We Use
- To ensure a thorough cleaning we recommend using Metal Glo polish, a product we use ourselves at the store.
Sword Safety Do's and Don'ts
- Don't
- Don't mistake your decorative sword as functional, Decorative swords are not designed with the materials and construction to be used as functional swords are. If you attempt to use your decorative sword for practice or cutting it will certainly result in a damaged sword and/or serious injury.
- Don't
- Don't swing any functional weapon carelessly. If you want to experience the adrenaline rush of a warrior and wield your weapon, make sure you are well out of reach of anyone. Some weapons are very heavy and they could slip out of your hands. Be careful not to endanger yourself or others around you when you manipulate your weapons.
- Don't
- Don't bang your sword against another sword in a theatrical-style duel. Never bang your sword against hard objects to test its strength or the "sound" of the steel as it hits a hard object. It doesn't matter how tough or strong the steel is in any sword, they will nick when struck against something just as hard. In stage plays or in movies, theatrical swords with wide, thick edges are used. The edges of these swords are flat and can be as much as 1/16" wide. Theatrical swords are designed to take the "Hollywood" looking punishment of banging edges together.
- Don't
- Don't attempt to chop down a tree with your sword. This is guaranteed to damage your sword. Leave this to axes and machetes, which were designed for this with the weight of the steel concentrated over the point of impact. When you strike an object like a tree or a thick branch with a sword the blade is exposed to a high amount of torque and could warp, bend or possibly break. The Japanese who believed in a lot of practice with their sword used thick bamboo. Bamboo is resistant to a cut but doesn’t have the rigidity of a tree and won’t damage a valuable blade.
- Do
- Do be aware that your sword is not a toy! Always remember a sword is a real weapon and must be treated with the same respect you would give a loaded firearm.
- Do
- Do take care of your sword. Your decorative sword or functional sword should be cared for. They are after all an investment and are easily protected.