Prevent and remove rust -
A rusty sword cries neglect

SWORD RESTORATION

Do you want to remove rust from a sword, or prevent it occurring? I can tell you how to do it. I don't claim to be an expert on sword restoration of antique Chinese swords. You need Philip Tom for that. He made a beautiful job of restoring my Qing Jian. It's razor sharp, the blade pattern is beautiful. It has a new hardwood hilt and a scabbard. There are no fittings on the scabbard yet. That will have to wait until a set of antique ones can be found for it.

All sword owners need to know about basic sword maintenance. I can't be without mine to send it to America for Phil Tom to fix every time something goes wrong. You need to know how to clean and oil your sword, how to remove rust if any appears, how to resharpen, take out nicks and check for cracks. You need to know how to tighten a grip wrap or a loose grip, perhaps even how to remove a bend from your sword.

This section will grow as I have actual experience with these things. I want it to be real, not just parroted information I've never tried or even watched.

Sword Maintenance: Fixing a bent tip

While cutting with my Huanuo dao one day, I laid it on a bench above a tiled floor. I wasn't being careful enough. The sword fell off, tip first. It hit the tiles. Fortunately I thought fast enough not to make a grab for it. Swords can be fixed or replaced. I kept my fingers but the sword had a small bend at the tip. Do you need to do more than prevent or remove rust? Read on.

How to sharpen blades and remove nicks

There are three small nicks in this blade. They are hardly visible but it is certain that they will only get worse if we continue to cut with this one. I blew this one up to a big size so you can see it clearly. I like the sword because it is the right weight for beginners and young children to train in cutting. Left like this, it's dangerous. A nick in the edge of a sword can cause a weakness that might even make the blade snap. Obviously this blade is too soft to cut anything harder than soft plastic bottles or pumpkins but the people who use it are only up to that level in cutting, so I'm going to fix it. Click here for the how to of sword sharpening and nick removal.

How to remove rust from a sword.

I've frequently had to remove spots of rust from my cutting swords. The materials we cut leave their mark. Small branches have sticky sap. Plastic bottles have glued paper on the outside. Vegetables and fruit are full of acids. So what do you need to remove rust, and what is the best sword maintenance plan for your cutters? Is there a particular oil that's better than others? For more on rust removal and daily cutting sword maintenance, read on.

Do you have a rusty reenactment sword?

A rusty sword sends shivers down my spine. It cries neglect and lack of knowledge. It makes me think the sword has been abused by someone who has no real respect for it. Reenactment swords cop a beating every time they are used. They take nicks and scratches. They live under the house with the other reenactment gear. How much should you look after them and is it all just too much trouble? If you'd like to know what I think and how to do it, read on.

How to care for an antique sword?

Antiques are a special case. They are works of art from past history, and if you own one, you have a responsibility to preserve that history. That doesn't mean locking it away in a glass case and never touching it. A sword is a tool. There are very good reasons for not cutting with an antique - preservation for one; and the danger of weak points from past use. You will need to know how to remove rust, oil it properly, store it well, and what to use it for. For care of an antique, read on.

Care of a wooden sword

Obviously, you don't have to prevent rust on a wooden sword. Care of these training tools involves oiling, checking for cracks, taking care of splinters, etc. If you'd like to know more about sword maintenance for your wooden training sword, read on.

Now that you know how to remove rust, and more, Return to Chinese Swords Guide Home