Military swords look beautiful while they're on display, but it’s vital that you take good care of them in order to preserve their beauty as well as their value if you ever plan on selling them later. Always use caution when cleaning and caring for swords, and make sure that you don’t use them in ways for which they aren’t designed. While ceremonial blades are intended to be flexible and durable, they won’t be able to stand up to blade-to-blade use.
Metal Components
When taking care of the metal components of military swords, be careful that you don’t touch them with your bare hands since the acid on your fingertips can have a reaction with the metals and can lead to discoloration over time.
You'll also want to keep all salts and air contaminants away from the metal of military swords since they can ruin the color of the blade if they have a chance to collect on it. Where you live will play a part in how much care your sword needs. Cities with large amounts of smog, areas with high humidity and locations that are close to the sea can cause damage to sword blades, so you'll want to make sure that you wipe them off at least once a month with a clean, soft cloth.
Gold-Colored Components
Take care that you don't use harsh wood or metal polishes when cleaning the gold-colored components of military swords. It’s also recommended that you don't overuse jeweler cloths when attempting to get rid of discoloration since they can cause more harm than good.
Scabbards
Every now and then you'll want to use a clean cloth moistened with a household silicon spray polish to wipe down the leather scabbard of your sword. Any scuff marks that your scabbard might collect can be taken care of with a bit of shoe polish.
Military swords look great on the wall of your home, cabin or office, but they'll look their best when they're well taken care of.