Sword Maintenance
The care and maintenance of fighting gear, for combat or for sport, has always been an important part of the fighter’s skill set. Here are a few key points to look out for, and some simple tips to help you keep your gear safe, functional and looking great.
In this first issue we’ll be looking at blunt steel HEMA swords.The steel : rust and oxydes
HEMA swords are made from heat-treated and tempered steel. The steels used in fighting swords are not stainless, which means they will rust. This must be both prevented, and treated.
On that note, you may notice that some brand new swords feel greasy. This is normal. Some makers grease their swords for transport and shipping. Simply wipe it your new toy when you receive it!
- The first thing to keep in mind, is that both sweat and skin oils will rust blade steel very quickly. So after handling a blade, always wipe it down with a soft cloth or shammy and be sure to remove all traces of fingerprints (especially near the guard where you will finger and thumb the Schilt or Ricasso)
- Never store your sword with sweaty clothing. If possible, carry steel swords in a separate bag from your jackets, t-shirts and other clothing used in training or sparring. If that’s not possible we highly recommend that you use a sword sheath or at least wrap your swords in a clean, dry cloth. Always take your swords out of your bag as soon as possible.
- Did you know that automobile exhaust will corrode your swords nearly instantly? The boot or trunk of your car is never completely sealed from exhaust fumes. If at all possible, avoid carrying your swords there. They are much better off with you in the passenger compartment!
Ideally after each use, but at least once per week, protect your steel sword parts (blade, guard and pommel) with a light oiling or a microcrystalline wax. Oils sold for gun care are good, as is Camelia oil (traditionally used for Japanese swords). Traditionally in much of Europe, tallow (prepared sheep fat) was used to protect iron and steel, and likely swords as well - unlike other animal fats, prepared sheep fat does not go rancid, and does not attract rats!
Whatever oil, wax or grease you choose, you don’t need much. A very light coat, that does not look greasy is enough.
Despite your best efforts, some rust will inevitably start to set in. Inspect your swords regularly and treat the beginning rust as soon as it appears. Use a very fine grit abrasive pad, cloth or paper - abrasives intended for automobile body work are very good for this. Or better yet, use a specialised rust remover as this will preserve the polish of the blade without scratches. There are polishes intended for blades which are perfect.
If you have neglected a sword for long enough to really let the rust set in (avoid it at all cost), you are set for a full restoration. It’s a lot of work and unless you have access to a fully equipped blade smith’s shop, it on’t be perfect. But it is possible. We’ll address that in a future issue.
The steel : edges
A blade used in combat or sparring will inevitably have edge damage. If left untreated, these are dangerous, for you, your partners and to other HEMA gear. A damaged edge greatly increases the chances of a blade breaking. Burrs can rip and tear both skin, and textiles (like your best friend’s brand new, expensive 800N fencing jacket). Nicks can become cracks and cause the blade to break in use.
Burrs are the bits that stick OUT from the natural edge line of the blade. Nicks are the points that bite INTO the blade from the natural edge line.
So out of a concern for safety, and simple politeness, keep your edges smooth and maintained.
- Regularly do a careful visual examination of the blade, in good light. Turn the blade to catch the reflection so you can catch any flaws. Light surface staining from oxydation is not a concern. The general rule here is if the stain is just darker but still shiny on an un-oiled blade, it’s ok. If it’s not, it’s rust and needs to be treated. You’re looking for serious damage here : deep nicks, cracks and other blemishes in the steel. If you notice a crack, anywhere on the blade and no matter how small, retire the sword immediately. A crack cannot be repaired and the blade WILL break. It’s just a matter of time.
- During your regular maintenance schedule, and before every use, lightly run you fingers along both edges and the tip of your training sword (please don’t do this with sharps… they are another thing entirely!). Be careful, as some burrs can still cut you. Detect any areas that do not feel perfectly smooth. We like to have a marker on hand to note these spots directly on the blade. Do the same on the guard and pommel.
Once you’ve found the nicks and burrs, it’s time to sand or file them down.
Do this by hand. It’s tempting to use a Dremel, grinding wheel or other power tool. Unless you are experience in blade smithing, please avoid it. It is very easy to over grind, and to overheat the steel, destroying its temper and ruining the blade.
Use a file or stone and remove the burrs first (the sharp bits). Get these down to the “natural” edge of the blade, running your finger on the spot from time to time as you work until it feels smooth. Don’t over do it, just enough to remove the burr.
Next, do the nicks. You’ll find two types of nicks : round nicks and V shaped nicks.
The round nicks result from the edge being compacted and "squished in". They are sometimes associated with a burr where the steel was lifted.
Sand or file the round nicks to make them as smooth and “shallow” as you can. Be sure that you sand down the sides of the nick until there is no bulge when looking at the nick edge-on.
V shaped nicks are more serious and must be treated immediately and carefully. They result from a small shard of steel breaking off the blade. They almost always feel a bit sharp.
The bottom point of the V is where cracks can start. File these, with a round file, until they are rounded and show no corners. This can be a little scary, some deeper V nicks will require you to “go wide” to smooth them out. If you need to spread it out a few millimetres, don’t worry. Better that than a dangerous blade. If the V nick is deeper than about 2 mm, it may be too deep for “at home” treatment and you should show it to an instructor or experienced blade smith for evaluation.
Do the same on your guard (especially the corners of square section guards), and your pommel.
Guards : the “wobble”
In use, sword guards will eventually loosen. The main cause of this is actually compression of the grip. A lot of pressure is applied to the grip when the guard is struck, especially when struck further out on the quillions (a lever effect).
If your sword has a screwed assembly, you can probably simply retighten it. Note that most of the time, like on our SWAP System swords, this is NOT done with the retaining nut, but with the pommel itself. Loosen the retaining nut slightly, tighten the pommel down by hand until the guard once again sits firmly, then retighten the retaining nut (not need to over tighten the nut). If the guard still wobbles, you may need to replace your grip. To check this, remove the retaining nut, remove the pommel. Then remove the grip (you may need to tap the ends of the guard from the blade side to loosen it).
Once the grip is free, inspect the bottom of the grip, where it meets the guard. Look at the sides of the grip (that align with the edges). The bottom of the grip should be fairly straight across. If these corners of the grip look very compressed, rounded, or “caved in”, you will need to either rebuild that area, or replace the grip.
If your sword is a peened or soldered, permanent assembly you will not be able to remove the grip as easily.
When the wobble is light, you can often eliminate it by wrapping thin waxed string or leather into the gap between the grip and the guard. This is a temporary fix, as it too will eventually compress, and the wobble will return. But it is often good enough to finish your tournament!
The only other solution is to rebuild the grip. We’ll address that in its own article in a later issue. Your best bet is to contact the sword maker or seller and ask them the process for an in-shop repair. Unless the wobble happens very early in your ownership of the sword, this is often an out of warranty repair.
The grip : vibration
This is often related to the guard wobble, but not always. Depending on the construction of the grip, over time the channel between the wood or synthetic core of the grip and the tang can wear down. A grip replacement or rebuild will solve it.
But if a strange, very noticeable, vibration or “creaking” sound inside the grip is apparent very early in the new sword’s use, it could be a flaw or damage to the tang - and is sometimes a warranty issue. On a new sword you should contact the maker or seller immediately. On a well used sword, try the grip replacement, but be sure to inspect the tang for any damage or cracks once the grip is removed. Look carefully for any cracks : sword tangs are usually not polished like the blade is and you won’t have the reflection to help you.