LIon-O's boots and the Claw Shield disappear near the final stages of his transformation, with the boots openly reappearing in the cave when he had not been wearing them a moment before.
Lion-O was unable to lift the Sword of Omens without the Eye of Thundera's help at the beginning of "Exodus", but he never has difficulty handling it in any way as he loses his years to and beyond that point.
The Cave of Time is shown to age whoever enters it in spurts accompanied by a turquoise flash, but in its introduction in "Trouble with Time", it had a gradual, subtle effect on its victims.