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Sword Maintenance Tips
by Esaka Sensei Hanshi 10th Dan via Ted Davis Sensei

As a practitioner of iaido, you should make sure that your sword is ready for use.

Apart from oiling it before and after practice, and checking that the mekugi is firmly in place before using your sword, there are a few other things that you must keep in mind:

1. 1. The tsuba should not make a rattling noise. In other words, it should not be loose. This can be remedied by taking the tsuka off and placing a piece of paper or card between the tsuka and sword.
   
   
2. 2. As they say in Japanese, the "koiguchi" (i.e. opening of the saya) should be not be "loose". In other words, when the sword is pointed down [by this he means held vertically with the tsuka down - TD], it should not come out of the saya. This can be remedied by using glue to stick a thin strip of paper on one side of the inner part of the koiguchi. Of course, too "tight" a koiguchi is not good either.

Esaka Sensei stresses that anyone who uses a sword without correcting the above should feel a great sense of shame, since it shows a lack of respect towards your sword.

A note from John Pritchard Sensei: This article was originally posted to the Canadian Iaido Association mailing list by Ted Davis Sensei on 22 November 2001 [JRP].

List of Essays

The Importance of Getting Along
by Raju Thakrar [aka Sakura-san]

Tameshigiri
by Raju Thakrar [aka Sakura-san]

Sword Maintenance Tips
by Esaka Sensei Hanshi 10th Dan via Ted Davis Sensei