Looking after Bokken and Jo

Does anyone have tips for prolonging the life of Bokken and Jo?

Inspecting my weapons the other night I noticed the grain of the my white oak jo was starting to show signs of splits and cracks - I think a lot of the problem is due to the poor quality of the timber used (it was a cheap taiwanese import).

Is there something I could have done to prevent this, and is there anything I could do now (beyond throwing the jo away and buying a new one).

Whenever you buy a white oak jo or bokken, you should sand it lightly to remove the thin layer of varnish that is put on it, then coat it with a light oil (I use almond oil, a friend uses mineral oil) and rub it in. Do this a couple times the first day or two, then once every few months thereafter. If you don't do this, it becomes dry and brittle, and, well, it looks like your jo. Try doing this and I think you'll see some improvement. You'll have to sand a little extra to smooth out the rough spots.

Good luck
Keith Engle