Question About Care & Cleaning

[Bruno]

Hello,

 

I once or twice a year wipe quickly the blade with alcohol and nothing more. Today I tried briefly to do a soft clean on the nakago with pure alcohol and some brown/ light red color appeared on the paper, must be a mix of dirt and surface rust.

 

So hence my question, I know one should not clean the nakago but is it OK to clean without forcing a WW2 nakago with pure alcohol and some kind of kitchen paper? I am not talking about making it shiny and like new of course, but just removing the dirt and light surface rust with alcohol, kitchen paper or microfiber cloth?

 

Thanks

[Fuuten]

Since some gendaito are also antique and if not will be in the coming years, i think most folks here will say do not clean the nakago at all. In a hundred years your cleaning now might affect the status of the blade.

[Bruno]

I totally understand that Axel, on the other hand it is more to softly clean the old dirt and acidity left by hands than removing the patina. I don't know just checking...

[Loyer]

The sword blade is steel and will rust if it doesn't have a thin coat of oil or choji left on it.   I have also  been told not to oil the nagato at all, just the blade 

[SwordGuyJoe]

Don't clean the nakago. In 50 years you'll have a nakago that doesn't match the age of the blade and cause concern/assumption of gimei. The nakago was and has always been allowed to rust.

[Stephen]

splitting of hairs: growing a patina yes, to rust away no! good to remove oils from hands, then just a wipe of clean cloth. 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Best to avoid cleaning unless chronic active rust that would eventually destroy the nakago.

[Bruno]

splitting of hairs: growing a patina yes, to rust away no! good to remove oils from hands, then just a wipe of clean cloth. 

 

That's it Stephen, thanks for reformulated it better.

 

I did not really mean "cleaning" more likely wiping of very softly

[vajo]

I've got a Gunto with a pure clean nakago. The "connoisseur" take care of the hole blade and oiled the nakago over the years. I removed the oil carefully  from the nakago with isopropanol. And now, i hold the blade every time i can in hands to start patination (Let the Tsuka off) 

[peterd]

Not to sure about this. In a thousand years we will have lots of swords with out any nakago.

[nagamaki - Franco]

thoughts;

 

1. I would never clean a nakago with alcohol.

 

2. If the nakago looks to be in a proper state and aging properly, be vigilant, otherwise let it be.

When and if uncomfortable with that I apply a light coat of oil once and wipe until only a very thin coating remains. 

 

3. If there is red rust (active), I will lightly coat with oil and wipe, repeating until satisfied that the active rust has stopped and black (inactive) rust has taken hold. 

 

4. With heavier active rust I might allow oil to soak for a short time before wiping.

 

5. Past owned swords have passed NBTHK Tokuho with properly oiled nakago, meaning a hardly noticeable very light coating.

[Stephen]

Finally some sanity, thank you Franco 

[nagamaki - Franco]

Finally some sanity, thank you Franco 

 

Welcome and thanks, Stephen, if the years teach us nothing we are lost.

Now back to being comfortably numb ....