How do you care for your protective gear?

Armor is not a cheap purchase, so you want to take good care of it and make it last a long time.

In this article, we will cover everything from how to care for your armor to how to deal with the odor that is a problem for all kendo practitioners.

Basics of caring for your armor

1. Wipe it down immediately after use

After using your protective gear during practice, do you leave it in the protective gear bag until the next time you use it?
Leaving your armor wet with sweat or other substances can cause bad odors, mold, and rust. After using your armor, be sure to wipe it clean with a clean towel.

2. Dry in the shade

Direct sunlight is not recommended.
When drying, make sure to dry in the shade in a well-ventilated area.
Raw leather is used in various parts of armor, and if it is exposed to direct sunlight, it will harden and become more susceptible to tearing due to friction.

3. Spray deodorizer

One issue that cannot be avoided in kendo is the smell.
Be sure to take measures regularly before the smell becomes unbearable. We recommend a kendo deodorizer made with natural ingredients. If you wipe it clean and then spray the deodorizer on, the odor will be significantly reduced. Commercially available deodorizers are also good, but they may cause discoloration due to the chemicals they contain.

4. Give your armor a rest

The key to making your protective gear last longer is to give it proper rest before using it.
Just like with shoes, if you keep using the same thing, it will wear out faster. If you can alternate between using two sets of armor and resting them, both will last longer. If it's difficult to get two sets of armor, we recommend that you have at least two pairs of gloves.

5. Repair early

If you continue to use damaged protective gear, thinking that it's still okay, you risk unexpected injuries or accidents. Also, if you deal with minor damage, you may be able to get away with just repairing it, but if it becomes severely damaged, you may have no choice but to buy a new one. In particular, it's best to repair holes in your gloves while they're still small.

Regular care

■How to care for the surface

1. Immediately wipe off and dry in the shade

Immediately after using a mask, thoroughly wipe off any sweat from the inner ring and mengane with a towel, then dry in the shade. If sweat is left on the mask, scratches may appear on the mengane, and depending on the item, rust may form from these scratches. Drying in the shade will reduce damage to the indigo dye and leather.

2. Particularly dirty areas

If the area is particularly dirty, gently scrub it with a toothbrush, then carefully wipe it off with a tightly wrung-out towel. Sometimes, the sweat dries and you wipe the salt off, but in that case, it's best to first thoroughly wet the area around the salt with a spray bottle, then wipe it off. If you only wipe off the salt, the indigo dye may come off in that area.

3. Store in a well-ventilated place

Store it in a well-ventilated place until the next time you use it to prevent mold and mildew.

■Kote care

1. Immediately wipe off and dry in the shade

After thoroughly stretching the leather on the inside of the hand, use a tightly wrung-out towel to thoroughly wipe away sweat and other traces from both the outside and the inside. As with the face, when drying, be sure to dry in the shade, not in direct sunlight.

2. Take measures to prevent odors

The kote in particular will give off a strong odor if left unattended. After wiping it thoroughly, it is a good idea to spray a deodorizer on it to prevent odors.

■ Body care

1. Wipe clean and protect with oil

Compared to other armor, the torso does not absorb sweat as much, so it is sufficient to simply wipe it dry after use. If the torso feels dry, you can restore its luster by applying mink oil with a soft cloth. However, be careful not to apply too much oil, as it can cause stains and mold.

2. When you are concerned about scratches

If you are concerned about scratches on the body, you can restore its luster by applying protective oil to the body with a soft cloth. You will often see instructions for polishing with an abrasive, but even if it is only a small amount, you will end up scraping away the lacquer on the surface, so it is best to avoid this if possible.

■Care for Tare

1. Immediately wipe off and dry in the shade

Dirt on the men and kote tends to get more attention, but according to a professional armor launderer, it's the tare that gets the most dirt. Sweat stains are particularly severe around the waist, so after use, wipe off the sweat thoroughly with a damp towel and dry in the shade.

2. Iron the hanging cords

As you tie and untie the strings over and over, they gradually become twisted. If you continue to use the item while it is twisted, the twisted part will rub against the string and become more likely to break. If you iron it to straighten it out, it will last longer.

When washing with water

Sometimes you want to wash it thoroughly with water to feel refreshed, but there are a few things you need to be careful about.

1. Pay attention to the water temperature

You may be tempted to wash it in hot water to disinfect it, but leather is very sensitive to heat and will shrink and tear if exposed to heat. When washing, use lukewarm water.

2. Don't submerge leather in water

Rawhide leather is used throughout the armor.
If leather is soaked in water, it will shrink when it dries, so even if you wash the armor with water, you should avoid soaking the leather parts. In that respect, Tare is not made of very difficult materials, so it may be easier to wash.

3. Do not apply heat when drying

After washing, dry in the shade in a well-ventilated area, avoiding direct sunlight.
Since it takes a long time to dry, you might be tempted to use a dryer or hair dryer to dry it all at once, but as mentioned above, applying heat to leather will cause it to shrink. If you want to speed up the drying process, it's a good idea to use a hair dryer or similar device with a fan function to blow cool air on it for a short period of time.

4. Use the washing machine at your own risk

Washing machines are generally not allowed.
Armor is generally indigo dyed and raw leather is used in many places, so the inside of the washing machine may turn indigo blue, and the leather may break due to the impact of washing. Please be prepared for the possibility of damage, and proceed at your own risk.

Get it professionally washed

There are also specialized cleaning services for protective gear that will thoroughly clean it!
At BUSHIZO, we ask Kensen to help us.

Preventive measures against dirt

If you don't get it dirty in the first place, you'll have to wash it less.
Wearing gloves such as underarm gloves and chin sweat absorbers can help prevent sweat and sebum from getting on your protective gear. We especially recommend wearing a men-inner, which prevents foundation and other makeup from getting on the inner ring of the men-in.

Armor maintenance

Check after practice

Make sure to maintain your protective gear regularly.
It is recommended to check before and after practice, and when cleaning. Check the following points to avoid noticing any issues right before an important event such as a match or examination.

Checkpoints for each piece of armor

■Surface

・Are the men's strings and men's breast leather not worn out?

・Are the faceplates and guardrails loose?

・Is the leather on the edge of the face damaged?

・Is the fastening leather about to break?

・Are the inner ring and top and bottom parts not misaligned or damaged?

You may be able to replace the laces or leather yourself, but anything more than that will require repairs at an armor shop.

■ Kote

・Are the kote strings about to break or slipping out of place?

- Is the leather on the inside of the hand torn or have holes?

- Check that the leather on the back of the hand or thumb is not torn or has holes.

・Is the inner core material or cotton sticking out from the palm or thumb?

Kote are prone to holes, but if you repair them while they are still small, they are relatively easy to repair. If the holes become too large, repairs become difficult and in some cases it may prevent you from participating in matches, so it is best to take action as soon as possible.

■ Torso

・Is the waist cord about to break?

・Are the breast and torso leathers not torn?

・Is the leather on the chest edge damaged or coming off?

■ Tare

・Is the hanging cord about to break in the middle or at the base?

・Are the straps on the Otare, Kotare and Mae Obi almost torn?

- Are decorative threads or embroidery threads severely frayed?

With any piece of armor, you should be able to replace the laces and breast leather yourself, but any further issues will require repairs at an armor shop.

It is recommended that you check your protective gear daily, rather than waiting until a problem occurs.

For this reason, it might be a good idea to have a familiar armor store nearby where you can ask them any questions.

The best take care of their tools

(Image: All Japan Kendo Federation)

Ryoichi Uchimura, a kendo legend, is known for the care he takes with his protective gear. Even Ichiro Suzuki said, "All top-class players take good care of their equipment. Those who treat their equipment carelessly will never become top-class."

There is also a theory that athletes who take good care of their equipment tend to have longer careers.

In order to become stronger at kendo and continue practicing for a long time, I would like to get into the habit of taking good care of my armor.

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