| Author |
Message |
|
Karl Akkerman
Location: Michigan Joined: 12 Aug 2010
Posts: 13
|
 Posted: Sat 04 Sep, 2010 9:18 am Post subject: Sword storage? |
 |
|
Now that I am saving up to buy some steel swords I thought I would post and ask a question. I have read the "Care and Maintenance of the Modern Replica" article here on myArmoury, however is does not answer something I have been wondering about. How do you physically store a sword? That is, what in the way of cases, stands, cabinets and so on should be used to protect it when it is not being handled?
Thank you.
|
|
  |
 |
Chad Arnow
myArmoury Team
|
| Posted: Sat 04 Sep, 2010 10:03 am Post subject: |
|
|
Karl,
Hello and welcome to myArmoury.  The subjects of display and long-term storage have been discussed many times here. The forum Search function should yield many results.
Happy hunting!
ChadA
http://chadarnow.com/
|
|
  |
|
|
Karl Akkerman
Location: Michigan Joined: 12 Aug 2010
Posts: 13
|
| Posted: Sat 04 Sep, 2010 5:33 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Chad Arnow wrote: | Karl,
Hello and welcome to myArmoury. The subjects of display and long-term storage have been discussed many times here. The forum Search function should yield many results.
Happy hunting! |
Thanks. The first time I looked I did not see anything that that met my requirements. After dinging a bit further I found some that look like they are what I am looking for. If not I will check back.
|
|
|
|
|
Jean Thibodeau
|
| Posted: Sat 04 Sep, 2010 10:38 pm Post subject: Re: Sword storage? |
|
|
| Karl Akkerman wrote: | Now that I am saving up to buy some steel swords I thought I would post and ask a question. I have read the "Care and Maintenance of the Modern Replica" article here on myArmoury, however is does not answer something I have been wondering about. How do you physically store a sword? That is, what in the way of cases, stands, cabinets and so on should be used to protect it when it is not being handled?
Thank you. |
Well leaning in a corner in their scabbards works for me but it would certainly be neater to use a sword stand of some kind.
In scabbard mostly for the sake of safety as I don't like naked sharps leaning against a wall for obvious reasons.
Note: I haven't had rust issues leaving my swords in scabbards for long periods of time but this may differ according to humidity and micro climate in your home.
An important consideration is who you live with and how responsible or stupid your friend are or could be if you have a lot of people over for a party and drinks are served: Sharp swords right out there and drunken friends don't mix.
Storage and display can be the same thing or different: You can use a cheap lockable longgun locker or a lockable one with a glass ( unbreakable glass maybe better ) to both store and display. And then having very sharp swords on display would be a lot safer.
Young children and their friends who might visit are also something to factor in. ( Old people in the house with dementia just as bad a mix with sharp naked sword storage ).
Oh, and mostly a joke but I wouldn't put sword racks or swords on wall hooks over a bed or chairs in earthquake territory.   At least not unless they where in a scabbard.
Just safety considerations: The aesthetics of a nicely arranged group of swords are a different issue.
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eric Allen
|
| Posted: Sat 04 Sep, 2010 10:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
*shrug* my swords are hanging on the wall using decorative plate holders.
|
|
|
|
|
Jean Thibodeau
|
| Posted: Sat 04 Sep, 2010 10:52 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Eric Allen wrote: | | *shrug* my swords are hanging on the wall using decorative plate holders. |
Well as long as the plate holders are solidly fixed to the wall and the sword can't be knocked of it's supports and fall of easily by accident I think it's O.K. , I just wouldn't want one of my sharp swords 3 feet over my neck when I'm in bed sleeping as thoughts of decapitation would ruin my dream time.  
Oh, I would add: as long as the swords aren't very sharp and you don't have stupid friend who can't resist the temptation to run their fingers along the edges to see how sharp the blades are or they are not positioned so that someone losing their balance won't be suckered into grabbing one of the blades to keep from falling. ( Just look at your set up and imagine the worse case scenario that is even remotely possible ).
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Julian Reynolds
Location: United Kingdom Joined: 30 Mar 2008
Posts: 271
|
| Posted: Sun 05 Sep, 2010 12:48 am Post subject: |
|
|
Jean is right - always expect the unexpected:
I woke up with a jolt, a couple of years ago, to find my horse pistol (see below) lying on the pillow beside my head. It had fallen 4 feet from the shelf above my head (darned poltergeists!), and if it had connected, it would have brained me! Needless to say, it is now in a safer location and I now sleep safely.
Julian
 Attachment: 56.84 KB
|
|
|
|
|
|
Colt Reeves
|
| Posted: Sun 05 Sep, 2010 3:14 am Post subject: |
|
|
A hefty pistol. I read and always thought they over-engineered those things so after the first shot you could use the sucker as a club. That one looks like it would do the job quite nicely.
As Jean says, ignoring issues with rust control and the like, safe storage is mostly a matter of stopping and thinking about "What-if" situations. By the way, I always store mine in their scabbards and worry about whether that causes rust later with some fine grit sandpaper.
Back home I shove my swords in the back of a closet. Everyone in my family is smart enough not to mess with them. We were also allowed to play with knives, shears, axes, saws, and the like at a fairly young age, and I do go around saying things like "By the way, don't ever do what I'm doing with my sword right now", so I'd like to think that even the ten year old would know better than to do anything stupid if she played with one unsupervised. In truth, most of the sharp injuries in the family have occurred due to kitchen knives. *Glances at scar running across thumb*
There's also enough stuff piled around in the closet, including my father's guns (some more things everyone knows better than to play with), that there is very little chance of them actually falling over, never mind that there's nobody to hurt in the closet.
Out on my own in another state family doesn't visit, I don't have any roommates, and unfortunately lack a girlfriend, so I just throw my swords in the corner. My main worry is that they will fall over with pommel or cross-guard aimed at my toes or put a dent in the floor. I rarely have company and have never had anyone reach for them, so I don't see any reason to change my habits though. Maybe I'll get a couple of toes smashed sometime and decide otherwise...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Karl Akkerman
Location: Michigan Joined: 12 Aug 2010
Posts: 13
|
| Posted: Sun 05 Sep, 2010 11:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks for your replies everyone. Since I started thinking about buying a sword a few thoughts have been on my mind that caused me to start this thread.
First that a sword is a weapon and should be shown the respect it is do in the same way a responsible gun owner respect his firearms. The second was that I wanted to secure them to prevent damage to ether the Sword or Items around them. I have had the two dress swords I have slide and fall over due to the slick nature of the Pergo floor in the room I keep them in.
And a question, in normal day to day life this is not an issue but if I had to go somewhere for awhile for, say a job or vacation. I was wondering how long a sword that is not stainless steel which has been properly oiled and stored, for instance in a rifle case with no scabbard, can be left without rusting?
|
|
|
|
|
Chad Arnow
myArmoury Team
|
| Posted: Sun 05 Sep, 2010 11:31 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Karl Akkerman wrote: | | And a question, in normal day to day life this is not an issue but if I had to go somewhere for awhile for, say a job or vacation. I was wondering how long a sword that is not stainless steel which has been properly oiled and stored, for instance in a rifle case with no scabbard, can be left without rusting? |
Some of it depends on the humidity of your environment and the characteristics of the lining of the rifle case. I've stored oiled (and not oiled) blades in leather sheaths for months at a time with no ill effect. But if you live in a humid environment and/or the case/sheath/scabbard is likely to trap moisture, that changes things.
My collection sits in a display case and gets oiled a handful of times a year. Things always get wiped down after handling, of course, but between handlings it can be months where they just sit. Of course, the inside of a display case is a different environment than the inside of a rifle case.
ChadA
http://chadarnow.com/
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eric Allen
|
| Posted: Sun 05 Sep, 2010 11:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Jean Thibodeau wrote: |
Well as long as the plate holders are solidly fixed to the wall and the sword can't be knocked of it's supports and fall of easily by accident I think it's O.K. , I just wouldn't want one of my sharp swords 3 feet over my neck when I'm in bed sleeping as thoughts of decapitation would ruin my dream time.
|
Oh, yes. The plate holders are affixed solidly to the wall. The swords don't even come close to their maximum capacity before they pull out. The prongs extend up in front of the quillons, so the only way to remove a sword is to lift it upwards. They actually hold swords more securely than they hold plates. Go figure.
They are kept in their scabbards, ESPECIALLY the sharp. The only one that is not is my Albion Lichtenheuer, for which I do not have a scabbard.
They are hanging on piece of wall selected specifically because there is nothing around--no chairs, couches, beds, tables, etc.
I would suggest to anyone wanting to display a sword to take at least those minimum precautions. having any sharp or heavy object above a couch or bed is a "BAD IDEA" no matter how well it is secured.
Oh an on the maintenance thing: yeah, it depends on your local environment. I'm in eastern Iowa, and only have to do maintenance every 4-6 months (with a wipe-down after handling), and then mostly the hilts as the scabbards help protect the blades.
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas R.
|
| Posted: Sun 05 Sep, 2010 12:21 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I am interested in sword storaging, too. While I don't posses any sharps, I own several trainers from Albion and some czech blunt swords for show combat. Up to now I store them much like other posters in a corner behind the door to my study. Since they are not sharps, I don't use any scabbards and oil them with a weapons oil regularly after using them. But nevertheless the high humidity in our region causes them to rust immediately, if I forget to oil them for two or three days after using them. (Thanks there are scotch brites!) I have thought about getting devices for hanging them on the wall, but I am not that much into it, since in my opinion these swords are sports equipement, and I don't put up my racing bike on the wall neither. So I plan to make a wooden plank like device, which I can mount behind the door, which will hold the swords. From time to time, one or two of the swords just keep falling over and hitting the floor with their guards, which is not that good for them...
Thomas
http://maerenundlobebaeren.tumblr.com/
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eric Allen
|
| Posted: Sun 05 Sep, 2010 1:31 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
Umbrella stand? that might work in your case.
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas R.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bryan W.
|
| Posted: Sun 05 Sep, 2010 3:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
My most recent display I made is a stand out of 2 wrought iron plate holders made for display, padded the areas the swords would come in contact with in black felt and bolted it to my wall in an appropriate place away from chairs, beds, etc and they rest at eye level in a corner so you have to actively try to walk into it at which point I question if I would want such a person even in the kitchen around steak knives and my blender...
It actually looks pretty good. I tend not to keep my blades in the scabbards for fear of moisture collecting but then again I also do routine oiling and wipe-downs every month at minimum as well as after every handling...I probably go over the top about taking care of the pieces I own though. I probably will make a more elaborate display or just buy a commercial glass case when I move into my new place next summer.
My practice blade I keep in a travel rifle case for transport and wipe down and oil after every use.
|
|
|
|
|
|
David Spencer
|
| Posted: Mon 06 Sep, 2010 12:23 am Post subject: |
|
|
Just a quick picture of a display case I altered to show where I hang my swords.
Attachment: 172.57 KB
[ Download ]
|
|
|
|
|
|
JG Elmslie
Industry Professional
|
| Posted: Mon 06 Sep, 2010 7:20 am Post subject: |
|
|
|
for WMA sparring, I personally store them in a ski bag. keeps them looking innocuous while walking to practice, protects them, and big enought that you can fit pollaxes in if needs be.
|
|
|
|
|
Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin
|
|
|
|
|
Ed Toton
|
| Posted: Thu 09 Sep, 2010 1:33 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Julian Reynolds wrote: |
I woke up with a jolt, a couple of years ago, to find my horse pistol (see below) lying on the pillow beside my head. It had fallen 4 feet from the shelf above my head (darned poltergeists!), and if it had connected, it would have brained me! Needless to say, it is now in a safer location and I now sleep safely.
|
This is why I never hang weapons over chairs, beds, or doorways. I've also learned from experience that it's a bad idea to leave sharp weapons sitting openly on stairs, when you're in a habit of running barefoot through your house.
-Ed T. Toton III
ed.toton.org | ModernChivalry.org
My armor photos on facebook
|
|
|
|
|
Julien M
|
| Posted: Fri 10 Sep, 2010 1:45 am Post subject: |
|
|
| JG Elmslie wrote: | | for WMA sparring, I personally store them in a ski bag. keeps them looking innocuous while walking to practice, protects them, and big enought that you can fit pollaxes in if needs be. |
On the same note I just bought a fishing rod bag for 8£ at aldi It's very sturdy and long enough to store the largest of my long swords, has several "layer" inside to store several blades safely, can be carried on your shoulder or on your back like a back pack. Over the years and orders, I have kept the plastic ends that covered the tips of sharp sword, and they will come handy in that case. That's for carrying them around if need be, but for display and safekeeping, I still haven't found any good solution. I've looked at display cabinet on the web but most are fairly ugly on the top of being expensive...(good for displaying your favourite Staffordshire porcelain but can;t picture swords in there ). Plus they have glass enclosures, which does not sound safe to me.
I'll guess I'll have to make one myself...let says a wooden box of 5 inches thick (like a thick picture frame) to be fitted on a wall, with 2 panels of thick plexi glass...and maybe custom build lights in there. For the rest a chest with horizontal shelves might be good.
Not time for that now but with a one year old or almost starting to crawl around, I'll have to come up with a good solution sooner than later.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is a standard topic
Never thought of that!