Care of Japanese Swords

Your sword should be cared for after each use to prevent rusting. Swords that are not cared for will rust, and pits will form, which will ultimately undermined the structural integrity of the blade. A katana is susceptible to rusting due to the carbon content of the steel (if your sword rusts, it is proof that it is a carbon steel sword, and not stainless steel), therefore, after use or after touching the blade, careful cleaning should be done to preserve and maintain your valuable Japanese sword.

Your sword cleaning kit will contain 4 items:


A. Powder ball
B. Sword Oil (choji oil)
C. Cleaning paper
D. Brass Awl.

The brass awl is a tool for the removal of mekugi retaining pin to remove the sword furniture. It's use will be covered in a separate guide.

1. Unsheathing

Grasp the sword, edge up, near the tsuba. Using the thumb to push the tsuba, open the koiguchi.


Change the orientation of the sword,. Using the right hand, carefully pull out the sword from the saya. Using this format will help prevent accidental cutting. Also, it allows the blade to ride along the mune instead of the cutting edge. Having the sword ride along the edge is the easiest way to cut into the saya, dull your blade prematurely.

2. Cleaning

IMPORTANT: when cleaning, always use a fresh piece of cleaning paper for each step. Do not reuse the paper from a previous step, doing so would reapply any impurities that you just cleaned off.

Take the cleaning paper, crumple slightly to soften, and wipe down the blade. Wipe the blade in only one direction, from the habaki to the kissaki. This helps with uniform cleaning. Wipe several times if necessary.


Do not wipe with the blade facing towards the hand or body. It is a sure way to accidentally cut yourself.

Take the powder ball, and lightly and evenly tap on the blade, from the habaki to the tip. Do this on both sides of the blade. You should also apply lightly on the mune. The cleaning powder serves as a slight abrasive, and helps absorb moisture. It prepares the blade so that the sword oil can be applied on a clean blade surface.

Take a second piece of cleaning paper, and wipe the blade clean of the powder. Use your thumb and forefinger to pinch while wiping, as shown above.

Take another piece of cleaning paper, and lightly wet an area with the sword oil. Apply a thin coating of oil to the sword.


Make sure to also coat the cutting edge of the blade. When doing so, use only the thumb and forefinger, and use a pinch when wiping the edge. This prevents accidental cutting, and reduces change for injury.

Be careful not to apply to much, or else it will too heavily coat the blade. Excess oil can be absorbed into the wood of the saya when resheathed, and a buildup of oil is not good for the wood. If there is too much oil on the sword, wipe off any excess.

Your cleaning kit contains only a limited supply of cleaning paper. As an alterative, you can use a clean cloth or soft fabric (no fabric softener), or regular tissue paper. It is perfectly acceptable.

3. Resheathing the sword.

Resheath the sword in the same manner it was unsheathed. Grasp the sword in the right hand and hold the saya out with the left hand as shown. Point the tip of the sword into the koiguchi, and then slide slowly resheath the rest of the way.


Finish resheathing.

Store the sword in a cool, dry place.