Controversial topic: Cleaning the nakago

[Bridges]

Question. I am aware you should never clean the tang. But, how do you properly preserve it? The idea of allowing rust to erode a sword’s structural integrity into becoming a  non-functional paperweight over time to preserve a monetary value just throws me for a loop. Not to mention the rust spreading from the nakago past the habaki. Tamahagane is a high carbon steel after all. I am also aware rust is used to date Nihonto but there is no need to date gunto as we have resources strictly outlying dates of manufacture of gunto past 1876! Here is my gunto. Small amounts of active rust forming. If I don’t clean the tang, is it beneficial to lather thick grease/cosmoline on the tang to cut off the rusts oxidation with air and keeping the rust in an active state on the blade? This seems plausible to me as the rust would still be active (red) but would cease to spread due to lack of oxygen. Thoughts? 
 

[Misconstrued]

As far as I know it's mostly to preserve the patina. I'm not very knowledgeable on oils and what they use but people tend to use some sort of oils to stabilize it to prevent further corrosion. But I could very well be wrong on that part of things. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable can chime in. (I now believe it's choji oil but don't take my word for it)

[David Flynn]

Even though cleaning tangs is a no no, it's never the end of the world.    Yes it does detract  and on Mumei can be devastating (harder to determine age).  If the sword is signed and the workmanship is commensurate, then it's not too detrimental. 

[Franco D]

For lighter red rust, using clean hands/fingers I apply a light coating of nihonto choji oil to the surface with active red rust, then using a soft absorbent cloth tamp off any excess leaving only a very thin light coating of oil behind. This process is repeated about once a week until the red rust turns black and inactive.

 

I would not apply oil to any area with any sort of a red lacquer mei or attribution. 

 

Regards,

[Shamsy]

A toothbrush, oil and elbow grease will scrub all the loose, red, active rust free. You can then wipe the nakago clean of oil. The steel will then age, but not too detrimentally. Dark, stable rust isn't such an issue. It is a bit of a controversial topic, but personally, I don't like red rust on nakago. Especially when it rubs off and into fittings. I handle nakago without gloves and never seem to get the red rust return, but I think that people have different oils on their hands which react differently to various metals.

 

I stabilised this nakago as if I left it to the red, it would have entirely disinterested. The habaki was also stuck.

 

And no, I didn't polish the blade. That's a lacquer or grease that came off with a little spirits and care.

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Yasukuni-To by Yasumitsu, well worth saving.

[Bridges]

5 hours ago, Shamsy said:

 

I stabilised this nakago as if I left it to the red, it would have entirely disinterested. The habaki was also stuck.

My point entirely. Glad to hear you saved a blade shamsy.

[Dave R]

Well the late great Darcy Brockbank had something to say about this, and I was going to link to his words, but his blog seems to be currently unreachable..... I suppose in the end, there is cleaning, and "cleaning".

 I picked up a wakizashi blade some time ago with a very "clean" nakago, for a very bargain price, but I took a punt on it. Later at one of the Northern To-Ken meetings it was pointed out that it had at one time a Mei, now removed, and this would have been when it was scrubbed.

 Still a nice blade with a lot of meat on it and a double habaki with traces of gilding where protected. Sorry for the poor pics, my photos tend to be a personal record rather than for display.