sword is stored in a specially designed cloth bag. When first picking up a sword, it is customary to bow to the sword before removing it from the bag.
The cloth ribbon securing the mouth of the bag is untied, and the sword and scabbard are removed from the bag. The hilt is then gripped securely with the fingers of one hand, while the thumb of the same hand pushes the scabbard to separate it from the hilt gently and securely. Using this technique ensures that the sword comes out of the scabbard slowly, rather than in a sudden movement that could damage the scabbard or injure the person holding the sword.
If the scabbard is very tight, use both hands and both thumbs to ease the sword slowly out of the scabbard, with the thumbs acting as a brake. Once the blade can move freely, remove it completely from the scabbard. To minimize damage to the highly polished surface, the sword should be drawn from the scabbard slowly, with the cutting edge turned upward toward the ceiling. The blade should slide only along its back surface as it is pulled out. If the blade were removed with the cutting edge down, it would cut through the scabbard; sliding it out on its side would eventually produce visible scratches along the polished surface.
Once the sword is out of the scabbard, the blade is usually removed from the hilt so that all of its features, including the tang, may be examined. The tang is secured in the wooden hilt by a bamboo rivet called a “mekugi.” A hammer-like tool called a “mekugi-nuki” is used to loosen this rivet and push it out of the hilt from one side. Since the bamboo rivet is tapered, its smaller end is pushed flush with the surface of the hilt; the rivet is then removed from the other side.
A Japanese sword is designed to fit snugly into the mouth of the scabbard, so the hilt must be loosened before the blade is pulled out. To begin to remove the sword, Yoshindo grasps the hilt with his right hand and pushes on the scabbard with his right thumb to ease it away from the hilt. This precaution will prevent a tightly fitting sword from suddenly jumping out of the scabbard. The right thumb and right hand on the hilt and scabbard act as a brake, so that initially the sword can move only a short distance out of the scabbard.
The loosened sword is now partly out of the scabbard. Notice that the right hand and right thumb are in contact with both the hilt and the scabbard.
The sword should slide out of the scabbard only on its unsharpened back surface (the mune). Care should be taken to slide the blade along the mune when it is replaced in the scabbard as well.
Yoshindo uses the flat face of a traditional tool called a mekugi-nuki to begin pushing the bamboo mekugi out of the hilt. The end of the mekugi protrudes slightly above the surface of the hilt, so this action loosens it.
Once the mekugi is loosened, Yoshindo can use the pointed end of the mekugi-nuki handle to push the rivet completely out of the hilt.
When the mekugi is out, the hilt can be removed. To accomplish this, hold the blade nearly upright, with one hand gripping the hilt tightly. Form a fist with the other hand and use it to strike the wrist of the hand gripping the sword. This should make the tang of the sword jump slightly out of the hilt. Once the tang is loose, it will be possible to grip the upper part of the tang and remove the blade from the hilt entirely. The habaki (blade collar) can then be removed: it will usually simply slide down and off the end of the tang.
When the sword is out of the scabbard and the mekugi has been removed, the blade is removed from the hilt. The blade is held almost vertically upright in the left hand. While the left hand holds the hilt, the right hand forms a fist and strikes the left wrist at the base of the left hand. This should loosen the sword from the hilt.
After a few gentle strikes with the right fist, the sword should begin to move. The blade is now a couple of inches (5 cm) out of the hilt.
Once the sword is far enough out of the hilt, the bare tang of the sword can be grasped, and the sword can be completely removed from the hilt.
After the blade is removed from the hilt and scabbard, it is wiped with tissue or soft Japanese paper to remove any oil or dust from the blade. Notice that Yoshindo has wrapped the paper around the blade from the unsharpened back surface, and is wiping the blade from the tang toward the point. The blade should always be wiped or cleaned in this direction. Wiping the blade in the opposite direction, from the point toward the tang, is not a good idea. The curvature of the blade increases the likelihood of being cut.
After the scabbard, hilt, and habaki are removed, the blade must be cleaned to allow a clear view of the surface. This cleaning will remove any dust or dirt on the blade, while also removing the thin layer of oil previously left on the blade to protect it from corrosion.
First, wipe off the surface with a clean piece of Japanese washi paper or tissue paper. Holding the paper around the blade from the back unsharpened surface, move it along the blade from the base toward the point. After reaching the point area, remove the paper, replace it near the base of the blade, and move it forward again. Avoid moving the paper and wiping the blade in the opposite direction (from point to tang). Human reflexes and the curved shape of the blade make it very easy to unintentionally grip the blade and cut one’s fingers if it is wiped in this direction.
After the blade has been cleaned of oil and dust, it is next dusted with uchiko. This is a very fine abrasive and absorbent powder that will remove any dust or moisture from the blade’s surface.
Items used to maintain and clean a sword. 1. Clove or camellia oil. 2. Uchiko wrapped in two layers of fabric. 3. Handmade Japanese washi paper used to wipe swords (plain facial tissue may also be used). 4. A small square of cotton cloth used to hold the oil. 5. The mekugi-nuki hammer used to remove the bamboo pin that secures the sword in the hilt.
Yoshindo dusts the entire blade with uchiko powder.
The uchiko is wrapped, first in a layer of cotton and then in a layer of fabric, and tied at its base to form a ball. The fabric trailing from the end of the ball gives it a lollipop-like shape. Holding the trailing fabric, gently tap the uchiko ball along the surface of the blade, leaving a fine layer of white powder behind on the blade surface. Both sides of the blade must be dusted.
Next, use a clean sheet of paper to wipe off the uchiko powder. Move the paper from the base of the blade towards the point in exactly the same manner as was used to initially wipe off the blade. Again, it is best to only move the tissue from the base of the blade to the point. After the uchiko powder is wiped off, the surface of the blade should be very clean, with all traces of dust and moisture removed. At this point, the
