terms used in actual signing of the sword tang or tsuba

[David McDonald]

Dear All

 

Is there an article/web site or book that talks about the terms used in the actual signing of the nakago on a Japanese sword and fittings. I am not talking about the content but how they make the marks.

 

Or what are your thoughts.

 

Maybe atari and tanegane/tagane???

 

I see that some swords have the many little triangles lined up to make the kanji and some

seemed more carved. And most tsuba seems to have the kanji carved but a few have the little triangles.

 

Thanks for any help

David McDonald

jswords@mcn.net

[JDinMT]

Slough's Modern Japanese Swordsmiths has a chapter on Engraving, Stamps and Mei (the differences) and the Niho to Koza, ShinShinto vol, in the chapter on Gimei talks about the tagane makure and such in detail too. Those are two sources I can think of offhand.

 

John D.

[Jussi Ekholm]

More experienced members can explain this pic in more detail.

 

Futo tagane - thick & large

Hoso tagane - thin & small

Saka tagane - right to left

Tagane makura - raised

 

[David McDonald]

Dear Jussi and John

 

Jussi the page is very interesting. What book is this from?

 

John thanks I remembered seeing it somewhere just did not remember where.

 

later

david mcdonald