Sword oil

I recently received a Bugei Samurai for my anniversary. I got my wife a $10 book. "Guess its diamonds for next year!"

I am very pleased with the sword, Although it is much heavier than my Iaito it still feels very balanced and comfortably. The blade is beautiful, truly a work of art.

My only dislike is the oil that came on it. The oil smells like machining oil. I started oiling it with Clove oil, which I use on my Iaito.

Any reasons why I shouldn’t use this oil? And any suggestions on how to remove the machining oil smell from the saya?

[Walker]

The oil you got is the standard Chen factory stuff. Often it is a bit rancid and stinky. If you want to stay traditional get some more choji from a different source. I think Bugei does carry non Chen oil.

Thanks for the info. I did not know that Choji was a mixture, thought it was pure clove oil. I am using the Choji, which came with one of my Iaitos but am running out.

Where can one buy the clove oil to mix with Mineral oil?
Still looking for a way to clean out the saya to?

I know this is nit picking but when I work with a sword I want it to be the most pleasant experience possible! No bad vibes on the blade! Right

[Tony Peters]

Natural food stores are good places for essence oils like clove. I mix and match right now my home cooked oil is clove and cardamon. Many drug stores (in cities with high asian population) have pure clove oil on the shelf. I would still mix up mineral oil with it. I end up making it for my brother about once a year around his birthday (easy present).

[Soulend]

Hey Janty,

If Remington gun oil is better than traditional choji, why do you advise using it on antique swords? This isn't meant to be a smart-aleck question...I am just curious as to the reason. Will modern oils damage nihonto?


-David Craik

[Soulend]

Ya never know what you're going to find out here on e-budo. It would seem too, that a lot of people thought choji is primarily, or even 100% clove oil. I was one of these.

"There are several oils which you may use, such as mineral or vegetable, but the Japanese sword oil is the best, being made from cloves."

- from 'IAI: The Art of Drawing the Sword' pg 21
by Darrell Craig

I always wondered what properties clove oil had that would make it superior to petroleum-based oils like gun oil or CLP. I have tasted pure clove oil - and it even TASTES corrosive!

So it turns out that there's just a little in there for fragrance. Gotta hand it to the ol' bushi-who else would think of scented weapon oil?

David Craik

[Devon Smith]

"There are several oils which you may use, such as mineral or vegetable, but the Japanese sword oil is the best, being made from cloves."

- from 'IAI: The Art of Drawing the Sword' pg 21
by Darrell Craig

Hi David, I stopped looking at that book some time ago. FYI Guy Power has posted an online review, showing it might be worthy as a target for your tameshigiri:

http://rudy.bay-ad.com/~guypower/kenshinkan/rview.html

[Soulend]

Hi Mr. Smith,

Yes..he does get a scathing review. I am well aware of the rampant plagarism in that book. All the same, he did train with and know some pretty impressive sensei of quite legitimate lineage. And although his waza differ from the MJER waza I practice, he does appear to be reasonably knowledgeable. I read somewhere else that choji was clove oil, but I couldn't recall where..but I remembered the Craig book.

As a side note (thread drift), I was surprised that Bushido: The Soul of Japan got only two stars (not worth buying). Although it is indeed an apologetic and watered-down little thing, I would recommend getting it simply because it is so well-known and oft-quoted. Kinda like the Hagakure, which I won't go into..

As for your tameshigiri idea, I still have to work my way through 'Secrets of the Ninja' by Chr..I mean Ashida Kim and 'Martial Artists' Book of Five Rings' by Kaufmann "Hanshi".

IAI is 258 pages...could I count that as equivalent to two tatami mats or only one?

Friends,

To expand on this “oily” area….

Pure mineral, clove, Remington, vegetable – all work well. The only kind I’ve heard knife-makers and blacksmiths say to avoid is the aerosols (WD40, et. al.) because the propellants and penetrates can trap moisture. And on a highly polished surface, this is an open invitation for rust and pitting.

And we ask enough of our blades without the indignity of pitting

John Hill
Kashima Shinryu no Chuden

Originally posted by Janty Chattaw
I have seen many people end up with a rusty sword from only putting clove oil on.

Not to mention the bizarre colour stains it makes on a blade after a long time...

As you say John, WD-40 and similar products should definitely be avoided because they are a) too thin b) have a tendancy to evaporate off too easily and c) are really meant as cleansants and lubricants. I've not heard of the reason you gave, but then again IANAB (I am not a Blacksmith).

Regards,

Chris.

Friends,

Mea Culpa

I should have qualified my statement that the non mineral oils, (vegetable, pure clove, etc.) work well to protect the steel if changed frequently. It has been a while since I've done hydrocarbon chemistry, but I surmise that the organic parts of the oils, as they break down, is what causes the long term problems of staining and attracting moisture. So, if you are going to put up a piece of steel for any length of time a gun oil or a pure quality mineral oil is the only choice.

Chris, I think you hit it on the head about WD40 and its tendency to evaporate. It's imprecise to say that the Wd40's of the world attract moisture. As they evaporate, they leave the steel naked to moisture.

I am interested in the role of the penetrants that are included in WD40. It has long been suspected in the lay community that DMSO is part of the formula of WD40. DMSO has long been known to clinical and veterinary medicine for it's ability to penetrate the skin. I've never found a good explanation why it would work on metals.

Gee, I hope I haven't opened the door for a thread about oil classification.

John Hill
Kashima Shinryu no Chuden