Sword care cloths: types & use of blade cloths

June 21, 2018

Most people are familiar with sword care cloths as part of aSword care sets. On the one hand, they are used to remove oil residues and Uchiko-powder, but also new Sword care oilapplied. However, most people are unaware of the fact that there are different types of care wipes for the two different applications. We would like to introduce these to you here.

Application: Cleaning the sword blade

The first step in every centreboard care unit is to thoroughly clean the blade of dirt and oil residue. However, the Uchiko care powder must also be wiped off the blade after use.

Cloths with strong absorbency are particularly suitable for this work so that old oil can be easily absorbed. It is important that the cloth used has not been chemically treated, e.g. by bleaching, colouring or similar.

Rice paper and cellulose for blade cleaning

Rice paper, also known as Japanese paper, washi or wagami, is a traditional Japanese paper with high absorbency.

Es wird für gewöhnlich aus den Bastfasern von Gehölzen niedriger Wuchshöhe gewonnen und direkt in Japan weiterverarbeitet. Heute wird es jedoch nur noch selten verwendet und wurde von Zellstoffpapier abgelöst, welches Ölreste besser aufnimmt.

Paper made from natural cellulose, the main component of plant cell walls, has high absorbency and a slightly textured surface. This makes it perfect for cleaning blades. The price is considerably lower than that of rice paper and the properties are better.

We therefore recommend our cellulose cloths for wiping the blade. This paper should only be reused as long as it is clean enough to prevent old dirt from being brought back onto the blade.

Application: Oiling the sword blade

Cotton cloth for oiling the sword blade

Diese Baumwolltücher bestehen aus einem dichten Gewebe aus Baumwolle. Sie sind sehr weich und verfügen über den perfekten Grad an Saugfähigkeit, um Schwertöl bestens auf der Klinge verteilen zu können, ohne dass der Großteil davon durch das Tuch aufgesaugt werden würde.
For this reason, we recommend these cloths for applying oil. If you use such a cloth to apply oil, the blade will have a very good protective film afterwards if used correctly.

Das Tuch sollte genau so groß sein, dass man es gut in einer Hand halten kann. Wenn das Tuch durch ein Behältnis vor Verunreinigungen geschützt wird, kann es immer wieder verwendet werden.

You can obtain both cloths from us in the shop in a discounted combination pack: