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How to Clean a Katana

The katana is a single-edged and curved Japanese samurai sword. Japanese warriors also used the sword, usually along with a wakizashi or tanto sword, which is a small weapon made in a similar fashion to the katana. Cleaning the katana requires the use of a cleaning kit, though you could purchase the items separately. The kit includes a small hammer, powder, a rice cloth and sword oil. Care is needed when handling the katana, as the blade is extremely sharp.

Things You'll Need

Sword cleaning kit
Cotton cloth

Instructions

- 1
  Place a blanket or towel over a working surface.
- 2
  Take the small mallet out of the top of the hammer assembly from the sword cleaning kit.
- 3
  Tap the two small pegs, or mekugis, out of the handle. Pull the handle off. Pull the spacers, or seppas, off. Pull the hand guard, or tsuba, off.
- 4
  Hammer the ferrule, or habaki, gently off the sword. This is located in the same spot as the hand guard.
- 5
  Hold the sword with a cotton cloth and then dab the powder onto the entire metal surface.
- 6
  Wipe the powder off in one direction with the rice cloth.
- 7
  Apply a few drops of the sword oil to a cotton cloth. Wipe it onto the metal handle and blade. Reassemble the sword. Polish each item with the oil as you put it back on.
- 8
  Polish the case, or saya, with the same cloth that you used for the metal.

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