sword care

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[Qatana]

I got a beautiful white oak bokken for my birthday. Are there things i oughta do with it like treating, oil, wax, whatever?
Now i just gotta get a weapons class going at the dojo.
And a jo for Jo, of course...

[Paula Lydon]

~~If your climate's dry you might need a little light sanding and oiling once a year (if a natural finish). Also watch for fine splintering from contact...after you get that class going, of course ;)~~

[GregH]

Hello Jo,

My Sensei has always recommened sanding off the vanish (if applicable) and treating with pressed almond oil. You can pick it up at a health food store for a pretty cheap price. Don't quote me on the frequency, but I seem to recall rubbing it daily for a few days, then once every month or so. I'd check that out first if you decide to go that route.

Good luck.

Greg

[Erik Young]

Definitely sand off any varnish....it'll tend to be harder on your hands and lead to blistering. I'd treat it with BLO (Boiled Linseed Oil)...it's what I use to revitalize my wooden tool handles. It'll even bring back some lusteer to garden tools that my son left outside.


Personally, I'd be leary of using food oils (almond, sesame, vegetable) as these may actually go randcid...although I don;t know much about the almod oil application...jsut wouldn;t want your bokken to start smelling funky, y'know? At the very least, try mineral poil application. Daily for a week, weekly for a month, and monthly ofr 3 months should just about do it. Rub a generoud amount in and wait for the wood to soak it up, then do it again, and yet again (the first few times).

Peace,

Erik