Why Does My Oil Do This?

[PhoenixDude]

Is it just bad oil? It smells slightly of laundry detergent or something pungent.

[Baka Gaijin]

Is it the cloth reacting?

 

Does it smell the same using Nugui Kami or an unfraganced Tissue?

[PhoenixDude]

Tried with Nugui Kami and had the same result

[vajo]

Looks like a chemical reaction.

Do you change oil? Did you remove the old oil with a liquid? Did you use a wax?

There are any possibilities. Maybe the saya is not from magnolia and the wood reacts with the oil on the blade.

Why is the cloath so dirty?

Some use Microfiber to wipe of the old oil. That is dangerous because microfiber holds the dirt. You can only use Microfiber with pure Water not with oil.

[Brian]

Looks like it is just beading. Clean again with isopropyl alcohol, and then oil lightly again.

[John A Stuart]

Too much oil on the cloth. You really do not need a lot. John

[ROKUJURO]

Jay,

the first question is of course: What oil do you use?

And then: How much did you use? How long was it on the blade?

There is also a slight possibility that the KOGATANA is not made with TAMAHAGANE and that a different steel reacts differently with the oil, as Chris already mentioned.

 

[seattle1]

Hello:

 Going back a few years it was common practice to apply oil, wipe off the obvious film amount with a Kleenex tissue (entirely avoiding those awful paper sheets in "Japanese sword care kits) and then use a well laundered piece of flannel one more time. If done properly and with the use of real choji oil, any subsequent beading sound be minimal or not seen at all.

 Arnold F.

[SwordGuyJoe]

I have had the same thing happen to me. When applying oil at the same time, with the same material, one blade would apply normally, the next would bead up. I’ve always wondered why and it always happened on the same blades. If it beaded up once, it did it again the next time.

[PhoenixDude]

No fix for it joe?

[SwordGuyJoe]

Not that I’m aware of

[Stephen]

the cure of the steel, older blades with older polish will likely bead than a newer polish that accepts oil in the steel.

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello Arnold, All,

 

 

 use a well laundered piece of flannel one more time. 

 

Suggest, to be extra safe use perfume free, etc., Arm and Hammer laundry detergent as so many of these laundry products (and drier sheets as well) use nasty chemicals that can leave residues behind that you don't want in contact with your sword/tosogu.

Edited November 26, 2017 by nagamaki - Franco

[PNSSHOGUN]

You to have circle the blade not once, not twice but thrice on the first morning of a leap year and pray to Masamune that your oil doesn't bead up.

[SwordGuyJoe]

Bwahahahaha

[Dave R]

 I use kurobara oil in the pump spray bottle. I remove old oil with isopropyl alcohol and a tissue, spray the oil onto another clean tissue and wipe the blade. No buildup, no beading. Regarding the possibility of foreign matter in the tissue, which do you think the industry loses more sleep over, a scratched Nihonto or a scratched Human (Baby or well paid model)? I used to use a Japanese made microfiber cloth to remove oil (one made for lenses), but tend to use a single use facial tissue now.