What is the Best Oil for Japanese Swords??

[Dino]

I was hoping to find out what is the best Oil to use to preserve Japanese swords that are in polish. I would also like to know where the oil can be purchased. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you

Dino

[Bugyotsuji]

The local shop here provides bottles of 'Choji abura' or clove oil. (It has a distinctive smell, and it reminds me of Christmas time and pushing cloves into Madarin oranges to create a pomander.)

 

This can probably be ordered over the internet, though I've not tried.

 

Whether it really is the 'best' oil or not, is a different question. I had to dress a spear in it every month for a year until the steel had 'soaked up' enough of it to go back onto normal cleaning cycles.

 

Perhaps someone can add to this.

 

PS Even clove oil has a caveat. You have to be aware of its limitations. I was told that it can actually attract moisture? rust? if allowed to form drips on the surface and left too long. That is why it needs to be wiped off and renewed...

[Guest reinhard]

Clove-oil is probably the best for longtime storage of blades. The Japanese came to this conclusion after many centuries of experience. Nevertheless it reacts highly aggressive to all organic materials, especially in pure, concentrated form, and I have seen many over-oiled blades, covered with little splinters from the saya, when drawn. This brings me to the question: What do you need the oil for? Is it for long-time storage, for regular sword-care routine in short intervals, has the blade been polished recently or long time ago and what is the climate like you live in.

reinhard

[Rich S]

Make your own "choji oil" - it's basically just

light mineral oil (get at most any pharmacy) with

a drop or two of clove oil added for aroma. Also

a devil of a lot cheaper than the "expensive"

stuff sold as sword oil on the 'net. Actually any

non-acidic machine oil, like sewing machine oil,

will do. Stay away from things like 3 in 1 and Break-free,

etc.

 

I've found it useful to clean and re-oil a newly polished

blade a couple times in the first few months. After

that unless you are in a very humid climate with

changable temps oiling may not be needed. I'm in

a region with stable humidity (inside) and temp. I

clean and re-oil my swords about once a year

or after "playing" with them.

 

Rich S

[remzy]

I reoil my two wakizashi every week or two without using uchiko powder, call me zealous if you may, i love staring at them

[Jean]

Mine are in Shirasaya (but for two) and I never oil them. I have been keeping them for years without any problem.

 

In Paris, it is not necessary to have them oiled, so no need of uchiko ....

[Jacques D.]

Hi,

 

In Japan, Choji oil is used also for its fungicide and bactericide capability and serve to protect wood of the saya too. In dry climat it is not really necessary.

[John A Stuart]

Hi All, My swords are kept in shirazaya with a very light coating of the high grade choji oil that really is a blend consisting mostly of machine oil. Pure clove oil is very unsatisfactory as it oxidises and turns to a gum easily. The only reason I use choji 'flavoured' oil is tradition. Reinhard mentioned how it reacts with organic materials, well I got some on some black leather and it really messed up the leather. I have never tried camellia oil but can attest to choji oil and walnut oil, which I use on my shakuhachi, as both forming this sticky gum layer when laid to rest for some time. Part of the training regimen is to clean one's sword after practice, using uchiko and then choji oil. As well after each draw and cut there is chiburi using washi before noto, so, I have stopped using uchiko before storing my shinsakuto after practice. Totally unnecessary. As to splinters on the sword from the saya, that indicates either bad form in nuki or a bad match of sword to student. Leaving tradition aside a wipe with the micro-fibre cloth and application of high grade machine oil, even in dry climates would be good. John

[IanB]

Dino,

Many years ago a dear old friend thought he would save money by investing in a winchester (2.5 litres) of clove oil B.P. for use on a local museum's collection of some 120 swords. This is pure distilled clove oil to British Pharamcutical standard. When applied all looked well but the smell was rather overpowering. However, after a month or so the oil oxidized and turned bright purple! It came off again with more oil but the effect could be a bit of a surprise unless you knew what to expect.

 

Ian

[Dino]

I want to thank everyone for replying to my question and I appreciate all the great advise. I have used "break-free" oil for years on new and vintage Firearms and have had great success. I have been told by a couple of people as well as Rich S. on this posting not to use it on Japanese swords, so I won't. I am a newer collector from New England USA and have aquired some nice swords and would like to gain more knowledge. I have found this website to be a FANTASTIC way to learn more about Japanese Swords.

 

 

Thank you

Dino

[Bugyotsuji]

Talking with a NBTHK teacher last night and he was saying he stopped using Choji oil several years ago because it oxidizes. He only uses "silicon oil", whatever that is, even on museum and top quality swords.

 

He did say that if you do make the swtchover, be careful not to mix the two oils.

 

He also mentioned as a regretful afterthought that centuries' exposure to residual clove oil is a key ingredient to giving the Nakago its present character.

[loiner1965]

years ago i use to use fine powdered pumice stone obtained from a dentist friend of mine as a substitute for uchiko...sewing machine oil is great as mentioned earlier instead of the traditional choji oil.

i only use uchiko / pumice to remove contaminates from a blade but a fresh polished one i would use a product i use in the motor trade called spirit wipe...it removes grease and oil and non scratchable then lightly oil

[Eric H]

In Paris, it is not necessary to have them oiled, so no need of uchiko ....

It's exactly the same for me in Switzerland.

Eric

[Veli]

Hi all!

 

I stopped using choji oil for the following reasons:

 

- Organic oil oxidizes and gets sticky.

- Choji oil does not form a uniform film; it stays in the form of microscopic hemispheres, and thus visually obscures the jihada and even hamon. With synthetic oil you do not necessarily need to remove oil every time you want to look at the blade.

- Because of the incomplete surface wetting, I doubt it can match the corrosion prevention ability of synthetic oils.

 

 

I am currently using Beretta gun oil for oiling my blades. Gun oil has originally been designed for protecting carbon steel from corrosion; it will not harm wood, it easily gives a uniform oil film, its viscosity is low, and it is readily available.

 

BR,

 

Veli

[loiner1965]

balistol is also good to use

[Brian]

All very well to recommend all these gun oils now...but do any of you know the long term affects?

Sorry..but I have been in the gun business for over 20 years and some of the gun oils are not as inert or harmless as you would think.

Stick to light machine oil or the other oils made for swords, and keep the ballistol for the guns, indigestion, arthritis and wounds

There may be better alternatives out there, but for the purposes of the forum the subject has been very well covered many times.

 

Brian

[Veli]

I did not mean to recommend gun oils in general. The term "gun oil" does not guarantee anything. Nor does "machine oil" or "Choji oil". One should only use oils that are from known, old, well-reputed manufacturers or suppliers. I like to use high-quality gun oil (Beretta oil in my case), because it does not have impurities that could induce stress-corrosion cracking.

 

BR,

 

Veli