A Good Way To Learn

[paulb]

At the risk of becoming repetitive and beating an already well worn drum Jean’s recent kantei made me start thinking about some of the best learning tools available to all of us when trying to develop our understanding of swords and to identify when, where and by whom a sword was made.

The obvious answer is use your eyes and look at the very best examples of work you can. I think it was David Hockney who said the difference between an artist and anyone else is that the average person looks but an artist sees. This is not as glib as it sounds. When Kunitaro san said you should look at one area of a sword for 5 minutes, in silence and without distraction (paraphrased) I started to wonder how many of us could actually do that without considerable self discipline. I confess I have looked intently at a blade, but rather than taking in the detail my mind starts to wander and I miss things.

A good test , close your eyes after looking and describe all the detail you can see. I have done this many times and failed to register all I should. So how can we improve?

Two suggestions that have appeared here on several occasions and have been drummed in to me over the years are:

1. Do kantei
2. Draw Oshigata

Doing kantei has nothing to do with competition (or needn’t) you can do it just by yourself although like so many other things in life it is better as a shared experience rather than solitary pursuit. What it does is enforce discipline in to the way you look at a sword. It also makes you look at detail

I think it was Clive Sinclaire who either here or another site extolled the benefits of drawing oshigata. Again the main benefit is that the activity forces you to look at the fine detail and focus on what you are doing, there is no opportunity to let your mind drift and allow you to look without seeing. The resultant piece of paper doesn’t need to be  a work of art, it doesn’t need to be displayed or shown to anyone the act of making it serves the main purpose, it makes you look.

At several events in the past I have seen some very experienced collectors absolutely refuse to kantei a blade, even though no-one but they would see their answers. I admit that it took some considerable bullying from one of my teachers to make me start. When I finally did I was amazed at how much I learned and how quickly. That process is ongoing.

So can I recommend that for those that are reluctant or don’t believe there is real benefit, just try it you may be pleasantly surprised.

[ROKUJURO]

Thank you, Paul!

Good advice!

[christianmalterre]

THANK YOU PAUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

hard need here....so it looks like...!!!

 

this always playing "innoncence" by "newcommers" and "same time precedior lamenting...and lamenting about maybe "eventual happened" occurings...blablabla..." does definitely get me (Myself!!!!) vomitting...(if not really a certain thought to a pissed off!)

 

If somebody can not read!- somebody has to go to the well known Kindergarten again! (learning how to use literature written on paper since least 60 years now...)

 

THERE ARE Books!..  (AND THERE IS A CERTAIN REASON THIS WAS DONE)

 

Christian

[Alex A]

NMB, such a wake up slap for newbies LOL

[paulb]

HMMM

Christian my suggestion seems to have hit a nerve! that wasnt the intention I am just reminding people of things that have often been said before but we sometimes forget.

[christianmalterre]

 

 

Sorry Paul! i definitely do not want to sound harsh!

i just see what is happening....

 

nice gueste i do feel not alone, least....(Laugh)...

 

but asking seriously now....

 

don´t they have this literature ?-  or is it just a mirror of this modern generation, never ben capable to study the word "passion" and (maybe following)... dedication? (to something)...

 

??? (i do quitt----i did spent more on books than on objects, least.....maybe? it is me who is wrong in this ?.....maybe not...?

 

either way- i do am thankfull to you so to have mentioned this minor point...

!

 

Christian

[Ken-Hawaii]

It's not at all a minor point, Christian, but rather essential if you're at all interested in being able to SEE the features of a blade.  Paul has hit a home run in pointing out what a student of the sword needs to do.  My own oshigata are horrible, but the process of making them has taught me a lot.

 

If I'm understanding what you said about the "modern generation," it's my perception that, yes, it is very hard to get them to view Nihonto as study opportunities, rather than just something to look at.  Case in point: My sword mentor brought a signed & papered Rai blade to one of our sword club meetings, & kindly let everyone look at it.  Not really a kantei, but a chance to look closely at an elite Soshu sword.  Two of our fairly-young members, both lawyers, took the blade in turn, glanced at it, & passed it to the next person, saying "That's nice."  That just about drove my mentor crazy, & he brought the blade back to them, & asked, "What do you SEE?"  And, sadly, neither of them were able to answer that question at all.  All they could see were the superficial features that had nothing to do with the superb quality of the smith's work.

 

I think I would add to Paul's recommendations, one more: Look at good swords, not junk!  I know that's not always easy, but all of us should strive to look at the best examples of Nihonto we can find!  If you can't see them in person, at least look at papered blades on Aoi Art or, even better, Darcy's excellent images.  And, being a convert, try to study the oldest Koto blades, rather than Shinto & Shinshinto.  Why?  Because smiths in Kamakura & Nanbokucho created not only battle-ready weapons, but also (generally) works of art!  Carefully studying the jihada & hamon of a Kamakura blade will let you see WHY the smith made the blade, versus Shinto period work that simply wasn't made for battle, but rather for "flashiness" that would help a smith sell the sword.

 

Okay, enough.

 

Ken

 

[nagamaki - Franco]

Good evening,

 

Another way to challenge oneself as a student/collector is to write up a kantei proof for a sword(s) using the following conditions; 1) papered sword (tokubetsu hozon/equivalent or higher would be preferred where there is a clearer indication of what the sword is). 2) excellent state of polish. 3) using at least 3 different kantei texts/sources. 4) a sword made by a rated smith. 

Additionally, the write up should include at least some history of the tradition, school, and smith, along with detailed measurements, an oshigata of the nakago/sword, a copy of the origami. Also, to be included is a discussion as to the why, what, how, etc., and conclusions for the kantei. And if one is feeling very confident and brave these write ups can be used for study events and even submitted for publication to an organization like the JSS/US, or even simply to a message board (where almost assuredly it will be critiqued). 

 

additional thoughts,

1) enhances sword records for both current and past items.

2) a great reference to look back upon for self evaluation.

3) a great way to study swords belonging to others while giving something in return.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Franco just kindly pointed out that the Rai blade was Yamashiro, not Soshu...duh!  One too many mojitos with dinner, I guess....

 

Ken

 

[paulb]

Absolutely agree Franco. In fact most of the things I have written about swords over the years have begun by trying to understand why an attribution was given to a certain school or smith. Again by writing it down you tend to use an objective and disciplined approach and are forced to look.

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello Paul, yes, some interesting observations begin to happen when you are trying to proof, essentially verify an experts opinion. First, it forces you to look at the sword through their eyes, their way of thinking. It also forces you to understand the writings in the texts which are sometimes worded in such a manner that the meaning isn't always clear and straight forward, that is until you begin to understand it. All this leads to not only changing one's thought process and elevate learning, but also looking at nihonto/polish with a much more critical eye. And once quality enters into the equation, the 2nd step in kantei, there's no going back.