Bleach.........do they ever explain why ichigo.....(spoilers so turn away if you havent seen some eps of 1-39)

i finished finished episode 39 and going on to 40.

I know Ichigo was turning into a hollow when he was training and when he fought Renji Abarai he got a cut on his shoulder that was said it could of and should of been fatal, but later on revealed when he was getting 1st aid treatment, his hollow mask shielded his shoulder during the fight with Renji.

Did Ichigo carry it just as a shield that could come in handy or to be a reminder of something? Is there a reason why he kept it?

Well, you remember when Urahara threw Ichigo into the pit and told him that is he doesn't turn into a shinigami, he would turn into a hollow and they'd have to kill him. Well, Ichigo turned into a partial hollow before obtaining his shinigami powers back. After that event, he triggered his inner hollow, when the mask appeared, Ichigo didn't realize that it was on him stating that he couldn't recall why the mask was on him. The mask breaks in a later episode, but somehow reappears not broken causing concern. Eventually, his hollow self comes out against his will and he learns to control it with the help of Vizards. Vizards are known as shinigami who have developed the ability the control their inner hollow, so, Ichigo is/becomes a vizard, but can only hold this form for 30 seconds, we have yet to see him master this technic in its entirety. Much Luck!
A.L.

Spoiler...
He didn't carry it on him, let's just say that it's his inner hollow, where he gets cut, the mask appears. Later he becomes vizard, a vizard is a shinigami who developes hollow powers. You should see him in this form, it's so cool. Well hope I helped.
K.V.

No he didn't keep it as a shield. When the mask is off of his face its like the skin a snake sheds. Its absolutely useless. Like it was previously stated Ichigo didnt turn into a shinigami in time so a small part of him was a hollow. If Ichigo dies the hollow dies. When the hollow is weak or a very small part of ichigo the only thing it can do to protect itself is generate the mask when its senses ichigo is in danger

SPOILER...................
































When the series progresses the hollow becomes a larger part of Ichigo, and very powerful. At this point it creates a personality of its own and gets tired of being Ichigo's trump card and tries to become the main entity in the body ; because of this the hollow comes out in the form of a completely different person controlling Ichigo's body whenever it feels blood lust or gets impatient instead of a mask protecting vital points. Also the hollow tries to crush his existence by first taking control of zangetsu and then trying to take over Ichigo himself when Ichigo tried to master its powers.

Basically, what everyone says is correct, but to put it simple, the hallow cannot let Ichigo die or he would die too.