George, for any cleaning involving soap and water, I would most definitely remove the hilt, not because I think the pesi should be cleaned, but to ensure that the top of the gonjo was properly cleaned, and that the hilt and mendak were not damaged by the water.
It is a very minor thing to remove and replace a hilt. Yes, if the hilt is a long term fixture, and has been put in place with jabung, or shellac, or is rusted tight, it can be a major thing to remove it, but if that is the case, the blade probably needs more than a light clean anyway.
Speaking for myself, if I find it necessary to really give a blade a good clean, I use mineral turpentine, not soap and water, however, you need a degree of experience to be able gauge the effect of the turps on the stain:- with some recently applied commercial stains, the turps can lighten or remove the colour in the blade.
In any case, why would one wish to remove excess oil on a blade by washing?
All I ever do is pat it dry and redistribute it with a dry toothbrush.I almost never use soap and water on a blade, and when I do it is invariably followed by a WD40 drench.
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