The sheath of a samurai sword wears out inevitably with swords that are actively used.
Fortunately, certain signs of wear and tear can be repaired quite easily. We explain how this works in this article.
Typical signs of wear on the saya of the samurai sword
Worn opening
It is often the case that the opening of the scabbard has deep notches or is even slit open. This is caused by improper pulling and insertion of the sword. As a result, the cutting edge comes into contact with the upper inside of the scabbard and damages it. Once the scabbard is damaged, it is difficult to repair this defect. As a rule, only a repair by a specialist can help.
Prevention is therefore the order of the day. Gluing horn or bone into the scabbard is often mentioned as a possible solution. Although this protects the scabbard, it may also damage the blade.
The only and best protection is actually a clean, correct execution of the techniques.
Scratches on high-gloss paintwork
High-gloss lacquered scabbards are beautiful, but also susceptible to scratches. If the surface has become scratched, these can be easily removed using car polish. This gives the surface an even shine again and scratches disappear. If this no longer helps, the scratches are already too deep in the material and the paintwork needs to be renewed.
Nicks and dents in the saya
The scabbard can become dented and nicked for various reasons. These are relatively difficult to remove. The saya can be restored to its original condition by sanding, filling and repainting.
Natural wear of the sayaguchi (opening of the sword sheath)
One sign of wear that cannot be avoided is the slow wear of the opening of the sword sheath. This and expansion of the material means that at some point the sword no longer sits firmly in the saya. Fortunately, this defect can be rectified relatively easily by gluing a wafer-thin piece of wood to the inside of the scabbard to compensate for the missing material. If the opening is too narrow afterwards, it can easily be filed open again. This is a relatively quick and uncomplicated way to achieve the desired accuracy of fit.
An article about the repair:
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