Preservation V's Presentation

[IJASWORDS]

Hi, whilst my line of collecting is WW2 GUNTO mounted swords, there is a percentage that are traditionally made old family blades. I have some KOTO and onwards. So this question is relevant to this part of the forum. Attached are photos of an early 1800's family blade (for example) that has staining (not pitted rust). I have never or would never think of "backyard" polishing this blade or others I own. BUT, it is not worth spending $$$$$ on a professional polish. Besides regular use of the powder ball and CHOJI oil, what else can be done? I see many great looking swords on ebay for example that I KNOW have been attacked by backyarders. I am happy to continue to leave it as is, but I know the staining would reduce its ebay value if the time arose to sell them.

Don't get me wrong, I love the WW2 swords with authentic PATINA, and I keep them that way, but I don't know if the "market" appreciates it as we do. Any thoughts on my dilemma? Neil.

[J Reid]

Use "never-dull". It does wonders for light surface rust, staining, finger prints etc. Safer than uchiko! Won't hurt the polish. Should take care of any minor issues! Will clean it up nicely.

 

Note:

Keep away from nakago! Wipe clear once finished and then re-oil. Don't use the same piece of cotton too long (it comes as a saturated cotton ball in a tin).

[Ken-Hawaii]

Neil, keep away from eBay, too! Please remember that this forum is for the preservation of Nihonto, so "readying" your blade for eBay might well make it unsuitable for collecting. Best to do nothing more than lightly oiling your blade.

 

Ken

 

[IJASWORDS]

Thanks Ken-Hawaii, I WILL and HAVE kept away from buying on eBay, been burned too many times, only buy now from trusted sources or old estates. Also, don't worry, I have resisted any temptation to use any thing but oil. I do get jealous however when I see posts of you guys beautiful blades, with HAMONS that look like snow capped mountains!!! Neil.

[Grey Doffin]

Never-Dull is probably OK to use on machine made Gunto but if you use it on anything nicer or older it will make the sword look like a machine made Gunto.

Grey

[J Reid]

This is the last in depth discussion on never-dull. Now.. I wouldn't use it on a blade in polish, however, it really does work quite well. I have removed light active rust, finger prints, gunk, and stains easily without any damage to the existing polish whatsoever. No discolouring, scratches, etc. I side with Arnold in this debate and that is from hands on experience. In my opinion, it's much safer than uchiko.

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/12028-help-black-spot-on-the-blade/

[SteveM]

BUT, it is not worth spending $$$$$ on a professional polish. ...

 

 Any thoughts on my dilemma? Neil.

 

Is there a reason you think this? 

 

I mean, if it is a traditionally made sword from the early 19th century, your sword is not a WW2 blade - it is an Edo-period (presumably) hand-made relic from Japan's feudal past, and in this sense it is certainly worth a professional polish provided the sword doesn't have any obvious flaws or other vulnerabilities that would be worsened by a polish.  

 

It could be an average sword from an obscure smith, and therefore even a polish isn't going to reveal anything that would push its value up more than the cost of the polish, but I think the affordability question is a different argument - a relevant argument, maybe, but if you are talking about preservation and presentation, I wouldn't dismiss getting it professionally polished.