Blade preservation

[sanjuro]

I was wondering if anyone might have a suggestion regarding the preservation of a naked blade. I currently have a blade which has no saya or shirasaya, yet has about 40% of its polish left. It will be repolished at a future date at which time a shirasaya will be made for it, but in the meantime I wish to store it so that it does not suffer further. It currently only has a light scratching to its surface which has marred the polish badly. Otherwise the blade is extremely healthy with no rust, or any flaws. Unfortunately, there are no craftsmen capable of making a shirasaya in Australia (at least that I know of).

 

Any storage/preservation suggestions?

[loui]

Paper scabbard, pretty common practice, just roll the blade in newspaper from the tip to just over the machi. Leave about 3 inches past the tip and fold it over and tape it - tape along the paper every few inches. Oil blade and leave it in the paper scabbard - done.

[watsonmil]

Dear Keith,

Why not get yourself a bit of white alder, ... or magnolia, ... if traditional Japanese saya wood is unavailable. A wood with very little or no acid. I never thought I could make a shirasaya until I tried. It is a wonderful learning experience, ... and with patience, book direction, and a minimal of wood chisles you might be surprised at what YOU can do. Having said that, ... if not interested, ... I've heard of lightly oiling with clove ( sword oil ) and wrapping in oil cloth. Store in a dry area. Perhaps other members have a better method, .... but I live in a semi-arid ( although you'd never know it this year ) part of Canada, ... and I assume where you live is even dryer. I just noted Louis's suggestion. A word of caution ... most paper contains acid, ... but any art store would have acid free matting paper which would suffice. .... Ron Watson

[sanjuro]

Ron.

 

Being one of those people that doesnt do woodwork because the only tool I can use on wood with any success is an axe, I had shied away from the idea of making my own shirasaya. Damn... I only have to look at a piece of wood and it splits. Metal I can work with very nicely, but wood?

However, if I can find a bit of friendly wood that will allow me to approach it without disintegrating, I may just give it a try. Hell, its winter here, theres not that much to do and I need some frustration in my life, so why not? If all else fails I can always fall back on Louis's paper option. I will however blame you if I destroy a whole forest of otherwise inoffensive trees in the process. :D

[hybridfiat]

If you must "have a go" use very very well seasoned yellow poplar. It is as common as muck here in Oz. Its them tall straight trees seen anywhere italians or greeks have settled.

ie Roleystaone where I live.

It has very little residual sap or resin to damage the sword when stored.

Jigoku studios does shirasayas. http://www.jigokustudios.com/Services.html

[sanjuro]

Am I right in saying that most woods are now kild dried rather than seasoned? If so, there must be a few acid free and sap free woods available.

 

Steve.

Mt Hawthorn, Yokine or North Perth would be good for poplar then? (I live in Perth too).

[hybridfiat]

You wont find poplar in a timber store you have to locate it yourself.

Ive got some but cant garantee its sap level.

Honoki or magnolia timber can be sourced but is expensive.

Do some research or speak to Fred Lohman in the US about timbers suitible for saya.

Frankly you would be best to get it polished and a shirasaya made at the same time.

At least then it is done professionally.

Try David Hofhine in the US

[Toryu2020]

If you do not expect to bring it out for frequent viewing, then oil it and wrap in saran wrap.

paper saya are fine but not climate controlled - also can be dangerous with a sharp blade - certainly have seen plenty of these but if its for storage, I say go for a simple "wrap" job...

-t

[george trotter]

I concur with the wrapped newspaper advice...if it is only for a few years and the intention is to polish later and re-saya properly, then the old paper saya as described above is very effective and easily renewable...just experience talking...

Regards,

Geo.

[drdata]

Not to hijack, but:

 

1. I recently carved a sword from wood, to include saya. I'm no woodworker (more self-imposed work strike and resulting boredom), and used a dremil free hand to route rather than chisel the saya. Trust me, its doable, but no idea where to source the right wood. Used Douglas fir from big box store, and as it turned out OK now wish I used better materials. The "tsuba" is red oak, as is one of the seppas, as I wised up near the end.

 

 

 

2. I thought it was not unheard of to display the naked blade above its mountings (with the latter held together via a wooden dummy blade, sorry forget the proper name).

 

Aside from potential of little curious fingers being cut, seems this allows easy examination of what is going on w/the blade, and facilitates the maintenance/inspection of one w/o messing with the other. Less wear and tear on the old menugi and ito wrap when oiling, for example.

 

Seems in a humid environment the saya might trap moisture, and worse, hide the potential effects until you get a nasty surprise. I see the saya as making transport/carrying possible, not so much for corrosion prevention assuming its does not rain inside.

 

Clearly this is not the consensus of the fine participants in this thread. Curious as to why?

[Grey Doffin]

So you've got the naked blade on a stand on top of the dresser and the wife decides to dust or your son decides to practice his basketball or Uncle Beanfellow demonstrates his amazing juggling act with 3 watermelon and a peach pit, and the sword gets knocked off the stand, falls to the floor, and severs the head of your darling daughter's favorite doll, and it's all your fault because you didn't have the sense to keep the sword well protected in its mounts.

Kidding aside, if you own a sword it is your responsibility to keep it safe, and this usually means inside koshirae or shira-saya. Paper and Saran Wrap are at best temporary fixes.

Grey

[sanjuro]

Harry.

Quite apart from what Grey has already said and to satisfy your curiosity, blades are only displayed that way in glass cases in museums. To display a sword like that openly in Japan would be a gross insult to the blade, to the people in its vicinity, as well as being fairly stupid. Apart from the safety aspect, the oil on the blade collects dust and grime. That is why it is kept in a shirasaya. Protection from moisture is actually only a small part of the reason for the shirasaya. Acids in the air all around us attack the steel far quicker than moisture will. Acids from careless handling are the most destructive of all. Human body fluids such as sweat and skin oils have a high salt and acid content that bites very quickly into the surface of a polished blade, far faster than mere moisture.

[drdata]

Thanks guys. We are kid free and pretty static low-visitor environment so the obvious danger seemed negligible. Still, a naked blade begs to be touched, and I live in an earthquake zone; the saya would protect it in a fall or roof collapse. It is my duty to carre for it.

 

Interesting this could be seen as an insult, but helps to consider how careless handling of a gun would put me, an American, off. Oddly I keep my guns locked up in the same "static environment".

 

Thanks for the edification. In the shirasaya it will stay.

 

Regards

[loiner1965]

as been said with the paper scabbard and oil but i hang the blade in a wardrobe with a cable tie throught the hole and around the pole....its amongst my suits so it rarely gets disturbed and no fear of damage

[sanjuro]

I thought after asking the question I might share with you the final solution.

The blade concerned is a wakizashi blade and fits into a scroll case(box) I happen to have lying around. Two thin pieces of kiri wood on end about 8inches apart were fitted into the box like baffles. the tops were cut out with a slot in the shape of the mune and shinogi to a depth of about 3cm and the blade rested on them mune down like on a katana kake. The blade is encased in a silk cover and then sealed in the box. Its about the most elegant solution I could dream up and it works nicely in protecting the blade. The silk is inert and it doesnt matter if it takes up some of the oil from the blade, since it cannot transfer it to another surface.