Size and shape Answers posted

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

Thanks Paul, from what i can see its seems the nioiguchi runs away just below the ha machi. Is it the case ?

[paulb]

Hi Ray,

wasnt aimed to make it more difficult. As said before it was done rather hurredly (to much so it appears) trying to have them all together for comparison.

It is interesting to remember that the original objective of kantei (I am told) was to determine age and quality. i.e. Is it a good sword and how old is it. All other considerations came after as a bonus to these two features. Original shape should always be the starting point and everything else follows on from that. I think that all too often we tend to dive in and start focussing on hada and hamon, or worse still mei and ignore what the sugata can tell us. This type of fun exercise will hopefully act as a reminder to look at shape first.

cheers

Paul

[paulb]

Hi Jacques,

I can see what you mean and if that were the case then the sword would not be O-suriage. I think this is combination of factors. In several areas of this blade the midare drops quite close to the ha and I think what you are seeing is the ha falling away towards the hamachi.

However I am sure the nakago has been reshaped during shortening and the lower edge has had metal removed. This would make the already narrow hamon run even closer to the edge behind the newly created hamachi.

When in hand you see the hamon after the hamachi (not as clearly as it is in the main body of the blade) the nioiguchi and ko-nie can be seen runing in to the darker patination of the nakago. I think this is less clear because the polisher did nothing to it at the last polish (some 30 years ago so I cant ask him).

Not sure if this helps or confuses but it is as much as I can remember of it at present.

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

Thanks Paul,

[jeremy]

Hi Paul,

 

Tensho period is in koto or shinto period of sword history? 1578 for the second sword would make it koto or am i missing something?

 

Kind regards,

 

Jeremy

[Jean]

Just check, Jeremy. This can be found everywhere on the web.

 

http://world.choshuya.co.jp/era/index.htm

[paulb]

Hi Jeremy,

Yes you are right. The sword is attributed to Daido who was noted as working from around 1578 and continued in to the early Shinto period. This sword sits right on the border of koto and shinto and could have been made a few years either side of what is after all an artificial divide. I have always considered it to be very late koto (last second of 24th hour) but for this exercise where the other koto blades were between 200 and 350 years earlier it has more in common with Shinto.

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

Paul,

 

What is the nagasa of the Daido sword please ?

[paulb]

Hi Jacques

Nagasa 67.8cm

Sori 1.2cm

Motohaba 3.0cm

Sakihaba 1.9cm

Kasane 0.6cm

 

Regards

Paul

[jeremy]

Thanks for the clarification Paul. :D Thanks for the chart Jean. :D

 

Regards,

 

Jeremy