w.y.chan

Hi Derek, Thankyou for your test, I was hoping someone will eventually take the time and effort to do it and now here it is I guess after sniffing something like Eezox everything else seems less noticeable. The smell of this oil is fairly subtle, this was marketed as an insecticide because of its choji content OKS oil is quite good but when "choji oil" is mentioned I believe this is the version most people had in mind, it was the first type of sword oil I have used and not really that good compare to many of the others Wah

Hi Derek, Thank you for your time doing these tests. This oil do smell like choji so I'm a bit curious why you think there is no smell. Also do you find it a bit oily and don't dry very easily? I stopped using it after it stained my shirasaya. Wah

OHS Choji and Camilia oil look very similar perhaps not surprising they perform the same but we will see. Fujishiro also sells a yellow oil variety but it is rated not as good as their Jo quality and they might have dropped it. I'm a bit surprise with OKS Choji, I believe it is actually odourless mineral, same oil is rebranded and stocked by one of the most prestigious sword dealer in Tokyo but I haven't used it long enough. I think Fujishiro san would be very pleased if the 12 hours do confirm overall result. Personally I think Breakfree, Eezox, WD40, although excellent rust preventer has side effect that may make it unsuitable for Japanese sword. Wah

The best of British, as far as gun oil is concern. Claims to prevent finger print marks. Not sure if it is suitable for swords. http://www.napieruk.com/acatalog/Oils__Cleaners_Etc.html

My observation are they are not the same oil with or without clove additive. Wah

Yes. The picture I attached is a bigger size bottle that has been redesigned. I'm not sure if he still sells them through his website but I'm sure he can get them. Wah

I've got some of those oil. Not as good as mineral. Allegedly being advertise as an insecticide that keeps insect away from your sword They are a bit too oily and does not dry as quick which can be a problem for the saya. Wah

Neutral mineral oil that is better than choji. I had choji oil on a blade in a old WW2 mount and start developing rust after 6 months. Use this oil once and after 6 years it is still free of rust and I have not changed the oil yet. When dried it can wipe off easily. I was told it is used in a museum in Tokyo. Had mine for 18 years and the oil still clear like new in the bottle. My choji oil around the same age is smokey colour.

These are some of the best cleaning kit and oil around http://www.nihontou.net/hanbai.htm

Traditional oil is tsubaki or Carmelia. I know that mineral sword oil sold by Fujishiro is much better than the choji oil sold by many dealers. Not sure how it rank amongst Derek's test, maybe close to Rem? Eezox is interesting but the smell might be an issue Wah

Interesting test. My observation regarding oil for nihonto is that it prevent rust, it dries quickly so it does not ruin the saya and when dried can easily be removed. Lately I've been trying Break Free Collector with both positive and some negative result. Like some gun oil it slightly patinate the steel and depending on the condition of the polish it can have a welcome effect if the nugui became light after many years of wiping and reoiling then Break Free Collector may restore back some of the original nugui appearance and brink back some of the grains. However it may patinate the hadori which depending on the finish may not be something you want. I would recommend BF Collector on polish that is at least more than a few years old and use it once then go back to mineral oil. Wah

Jean, your heads up was well intentional but if I was bidding on that one I would have hoped it would avoid the publicity radar as much as possible and commit seppuku seeing this thread No I did'nt bid on that but did admire how the masame floats on the jigane. Were you after that yourself? Wah

With age I believe the eyesight is a serious impediment in critical judging and when doing yaki-ire. It still amazes me how some smiths in their 70s move like a teenager, most people at that age has difficulty making a cuppa. I thought Okimasa was denied the chance to be the first LNT because he made fake masterpieces that fooled a few experts and punished for it? Wah

Chris offer some interesting observation about swords in particular how the market place value of swords by a smith pre and post Ningen Kokuho. I recall an interview by Kawachi Kunihira in which he claims swordsmiths are at their best when they are in their 40s and 50s. While I accept it is case by case but in general I believe Kawachi san's assessment to be generally correct for most smiths. When I choose a shinsakuto I judge the blade based on its own merit first and then based on the age of the smith which I think when he was at his prime. Even if a smith becomes Ningen Kokuho if he is in his 70s there is every chance his work may not be as good as when he was at his best when he was in his 40s and 50s even though the market may decide his post LNT sword as more valuable. I think Okimasa is just as good if not better than Akihira during their respective active years but the latter became LNT so all his early pre LNT swords had a price hike. Wah

It has occurred to me in 2008 there were 2 members from the sword fraternity that was designated Living Cultural Property of Tokyo. One was Shoji Yoshihara and the other was togishi Honami Koshu the latter recently became Ningen Kokuho http://tousyoukai.seesaa.net/archives/200805-1.html

That might be the key to why one coat can prevent rust. From my own experience the Break Free Collector does add a very slight patina but only on certain blades. One particular blade I had treated with mineral oils for many years now looked more like when I first had it when the polish was fresher, I'm hesitance to say but it now look better. Could be previous owner or polisher treated the blade with similar gun oil. I guess the jury is still out.

Any update on the result of Break Free oil for those who used it? Wah

Often assume it is the quantity of oil used but in my experience it is also the quality of wood and quality of oil. All my swords are in shirasaya but some tend to easily stain by oil easier than other, in that I mean a minimum of contact with oil can cause it to stain and remain there for a very long time. Some oil seems less resistance to drying. There is a brand call "Masamune" oil that is heavy and remains fresh even weeks after its been applied on blade. Wah

What do Wales export

Not sure about USA to China but almost certain Japanese dealers sells direct to mainland China. Wah

Thankyou Morita san for posting these pictures. Until recently photos of Okimasa at his forge were largely unknown. Wah

I remember now. Wah

Almost certain I've seen this sword before. Wah

Fascinating! Looks like Downton Abbey with swords Wah

Is work signed "Takenori" on average better than those made at the shrine that were signed "Yasunori"? Wah