The Lie about Katana Maintenance #Shorts

When you think of katana maintenance, you’d probably imagine hitting the blade with a white (or sometimes red) mallet and drawing oil, which you often see in anime and movies. But did you know that this method of maintenance was actually started quite recently (after the Meiji period), after the samurai were gone?

The reason we know this is that sword sheaths prior to the Edo period (the last samurai era) rarely have oil stains on the inside. If you hardly apply oil, then it means you don’t need to apply the powder either, because it is meant to remove the old oil. It is said that the samurai may have done nothing more than lightly wiping the area with a dry cloth.

The current method of sword maintenance came into being after the Meiji period because swords were rarely carried and were stored for longer periods of time.

In fact, the sensei who taught me tameshigiri (mat cutting training) simply wiped his katana with a cloth. But because he used them every day and wiped them every day, there was never any rust.

Actually because the mallets have whetstone powder in them, if you use it too much it would rather damage the blade.

If you’d like to learn more about Japanese traditional culture, Kyoto, and social problems in Japan, please check out my channel & subscribe!

*The content is based on personal studies and experience
There is no intention of denying other theories and cultural aspects

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#katana #katanamaintenance #howtocleanakatana

[LetsaskShogo]

▼Please support me through Ko-fi (a donation platform like Patreon)▼
I have a new dream… It is to raise money to enroll in a school to become a Japanese language instructor (an official qualification)! I promise you that I will become the best Japanese teacher who not only teaches Japanese, but is also familiar with Japanese history and traditional culture.

Things I want to do after I get the qualification:
-Free Weekly/Monthly Japanese lessons on YouTube LIVE
-Online private Japanese lessons
etc.

▼The BEST online katana shop for decorations and cosplay: Mini Katana▼
*Get 15% OFF off all their products by purchasing through my affiliate link

▼Who is Shogo? What is this channel about?▼

▼Related videos in this channel▼
-Never Make Custom Katana
-5 MORE Real Katana Recommended by Kyoto's Best Sword Shop | Which One Did I Buy?
-Why I Will Never Buy Katana From Websites Overseas

▼MY DREAM▼

“To make every Japan lovers’ dream come true, by making Japan a more secure, comfortable, and safer place for everyone to visit, study, and live in”

I will be using the profit I gain from this channel at restaurants, hotels, and cultural facilities in Kyoto to introduce them. The more you watch the videos on this channel, Kyoto and Japan will become a more exciting place, and you can support your own and others’ dreams in the future even more.

▼Join our Membership▼

●Membership benefits
-Limited behind-the-scene videos
-Weekly Zoom call or live stream
-Priority reply to comments

▼[Sub-channel] “Shogo’s Podcast”▼
Please subscribe!!

The perfect channel to learn about Japanese culture and history in your spare time, during your walk to school or work, and when you are cooking or doing house chores.

Not only will I be covering the topics in this main channel, but also some topics that you will only be able to enjoy in the sub-channel, like answering questions I receive, and my opinions towards some of the comments.

▼Places recommended to visit in Kyoto | "Kyoto Hidden Gems" series▼

▼Instagram▼
*Please ask me questions through the DM here!（⚠️I do not use e-mail）

[RonOhio]

It seems like in the Edo period, a lot of Japanese culture became more complex and less practical. Almost like Samurai life became a continuous ceremony.

[Raikos]

Well this makes a lot of sense if you work with any sort of metal tools. If you use them everyday they will never rust bcs just by having you handling it it will get covered in all types of dirty/oil and you will clean them often. But letting those tools aside for some days/ months and you start noticing rust build up. My grandpa tools were beautiful till he retired. And when I got to see them after some years they were all rusty.

[ecthelionalfa]

Usually in the west people used oil for short storage times (like a couple of week or a month) and when is needed to store for longer (like a few month to years) wax was recommended, since it create a more "solid" barrier against oxygen and moisture

But yes if you're using it almost daily then a simple piece of cloth should do the job perfectly

[LetsaskShogo]

When you think of katana maintenance, you’d probably imagine hitting the blade with a white (or sometimes red) mallet and drawing oil, which you often see in anime and movies. But did you know that this method of maintenance was actually started quite recently (after the Meiji period), after the samurai were gone?

The reason we know this is that sword sheaths prior to the Edo period (the last samurai era) rarely have oil stains on the inside. If you hardly apply oil, then it means you don’t need to apply the powder either, because it is meant to remove the old oil. It is said that the samurai may have done nothing more than lightly wiping the area with a dry cloth.

The current method of sword maintenance came into being after the Meiji period because swords were rarely carried and were stored for longer periods of time.

In fact, the sensei who taught me tameshigiri (mat cutting training) simply wiped his katana with a cloth. But because he used them every day and wiped them every day, there was never any rust.

Actually because the mallets have whetstone powder in them, if you use it too much it would rather damage the blade.

If you’d like to learn more about Japanese traditional culture, Kyoto, and social problems in Japan, please check out my channel & subscribe!

*The content is based on personal studies and experience
There is no intention of denying other theories and cultural aspects

[erichusayn]

Thank you!
I use 91% rubbing alcohol on a microfiber cloth, swing a couple tines, wipe with a glasses cleaning cloth to remove any potential moisture left, then got it with my pre soaked, ready to go, oil cloth (a mix of proper, made for katana camiella oil, hoppes #9, and mineral oil). Own a couple dozen katana, along with a couple dozen other sword, and countless high carbon steel fixed blades and folders, and there is not a spot of rust on any of them.

[michaelathens]

I live in the high desert where the humidity is basically 0% year round. While I do maintain my katana vigilantly it's not necessary as frequently as if I lived say, in Washington state or Japan or something right on a humid coast.

[neapolitandreams]

Nah this man definitely needs to be protected as a Japanese asset, I swear he genuinely gives out the best information about his own country from actual real life experience

[Some_one_dude]

My father used to sharpen, polish and take care of my grandpa's machete everyday after his death, he used to apply kitchen oil on it then keep in on his wardrobe, after we lost him to cancer i started doing the same, i didn't knew samurais used oil on their blades too

[HmmYesInteresting...]

Gigachad samurais: wipes katana blade stains with sleeves from the elbow joints

[PixelateForWork]

As someone who loves katana, but takes care of fountain pens, this maintenance information is very resonant and important.🖤

[starsea]

I just got my first iaito, and will definitely keep this in mind. Thanks!

[diogenes]

Tbf at least with the katana style sword that are made of modern high carbon steel you do need to oil them as you do with all swords made with modern high carbon steel as it's much more prone to rust (I say katana style swords due to your description of what is considered a katana in Japan as I understand it using traditional methods and steel this is to avoid confusion)

[medic-ggjo]

I have a large collection of Katanas and I clean them (with my maintenance kit), twice a month. not just for the sake of keeping the blades in order, but for two reasons. First, like a lot of other things in my life, I enjoy having a regular routine. Second, I find the whole activity very calming, almost meditative. This might sound silly, but I like to imagine that every mark, I leave with the uchiko, is a troubling or stressful thought, and I just wipe them away, with the rice paper, effectively, cleaning them from my mind.

[hammerfist]

Lightly oiling & wiping once per year has kept mine in great shape. I wipe with a dry cloth after light use before sheathing.

[Cringeatron]

This helps a lot. Thanks 😊. Especially with my new one

[seanmorgan]

I really enjoy all of your videos, especially the videos about the Katana and the Samurai as I too practice Kenjutsu and Iaido. It's very helpful to get this kind of specific information from someone who understands the Katana and Kenjutsu from a cultural perspective.

[emmanuelotamendi]

As a lover of HEMA I always thought this was the case because several europea manuscripts talk about the difference between metal maintenance when stored, when on march and when on campaign. And they say basically the same, if you are gonna store your metal or transport it uncovered, to use wax or oil if you are gonna transport it on, as in wearing it make sure you wear a cape to keep dust and water away and if you are standing at the ready to apply a coat of oil and then just keep it clean and in many cases the scabbard would have a bit of fur or cloth on the top to wipe and sometimes slightly apply oil to the blade each time you took it out and back in

[wjsaxton]

Awesome I learned a lot in this short, thank u teacher! 🗡😌🙏

[mikegreen]

Thank you. I really appreciate the sword information and also the history lessons.