Where Does The Sharpened Edge Start?

[grnamin]

On a recent trip to Japan, I purchased a shinsakuto from Seiyudo Ginza made by Akamatsu Taro Kaneteru.  It arrived last Saturday from Japan.   As I continue read  a couple of books and posts here, I learn how to appreciate nihonto.  Got a Microdear cloth to hold the blade and inspect it more closely.  

 

I noticed on this Kaneteru that the section of the edge from the ha-machi up to about 4 inches towards the tip is unsharpened (see picture below).  This is my very first shinken so I have to ask... Where does the sharpened edge start?  

 

 

Mei included just in case:

 

 

 

[b.hennick]

I suggest that you look up "ububa" Others might say Ubu ha.

When a blade is newly made the first section above the machi (notch) is unsharpened. Many WWII blades that were made for the war show that feature. 

[Vermithrax16]

Barry already nailed it. It's a sign of a newer sword, or if one is lucky, a shinshinto or even shinto era sword that has not seen more than a polish or two. 

[grnamin]

Thank you very much, Barry and Jeremiah!  My concerns were assuaged greatly.   I'll look up "ububa" ASAP.   The Encyclopedia of Japanese Swords arriving on Monday will definitely come in handy. 

[Vermithrax16]

Here is a Shinshinto example Greg:

https://yuhindo.com/suishinshi-masatsugu/

[grnamin]

Thank you, again, Jeremiah.  So much to learn and worth it! 

[Ken-Hawaii]

One more for you, Greg: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/565-would-a-togishi-remove-ubu-ha/

[grnamin]

Thank you, Ken!

This reminds me... in the scene in the Keanu Reaves movie "47 Ronin" where they all perform keppan, it seems none of their wakizashi had ububa. :D

[Geraint]

Dear Greg.

 

Confucius say, "He who learn swords from Hollywood has much to un learn".  In particular I am always irritated by the need to have that noise when a sword is drawn, you know the one that sounds like a handsaw being dragged over a piece of glass.  A couple more books for your library and some study and of course NMB will see you on the right path.

 

Enjoy your sword by the way.

 

All the best.

[grnamin]

Thank you, Geraint. Foley artists! ???? I think a compilation of Hollywood sword myths would be fun if not already done.

[seattle1]

Hello:

 The unsharpened length you describe is next to unknown in my experience, the only somewhat similar example I know of is a Koretsugu donated to a temple or shrine in Fukuoka in the 1660s and entirely unsharpened and with the entire togi not entirely finished. Perhaps yours had a donation in the back of someone's mind or it might have been left that way to anticipate compliance with some government's regulations. Not a good thing from a collector's point of view I would think.

 Arnold F.

[grnamin]

Hi Arnold, interesting insight.  According to http://www.ksky.ne.jp./~sumie99/ubuha.html, the (ubuha) "length may be 10cm or so".  Nagasa of this sword is 76 cm.  Would the ubuha be proportional to the blade length?

[Brian]

How long is your unsharpened portion? Close up photos may distort the reality. Is it just a few cm?
 

[grnamin]

How long is your unsharpened portion? Close up photos may distort the reality. Is it just a few cm?

 

About 4" measured from ha-machi towards the tip.

[Jussi Ekholm]

Greg your sword seems to be made in 甲申 (2004). It is most likely in it's original polish if it hasn't been used for cutting.

[grnamin]

Greg your sword seems to be made in 甲申 (2004). It is most likely in it's original polish if it hasn't been used for cutting.

Hi Jussi, the lady at Seiyudo quote the same year. Doesn't seem to have any telltale signs of use, either. I'll post pictures of the bare blade soon. Thank you.

[Greg F]

Hi Greg, I would like to see some pics of your sword if your happy to share. Also welcome to Nmb.

 

Greg

[Alex A]

Kaneteru is a master polisher, would doubt unintentional http://www.users.on.net/~coxm/?page=Kimura

 

Maybe ask Malcolm (website owner), hes familiar with their swords, and think hes a member here.

 

Also, the school has an English speaking representative (if memory serves me right), maybe ask there.

[grnamin]

Hi Greg, I would like to see some pics of your sword if your happy to share. Also welcome to Nmb.

 

Greg

Thank you, Greg. Please excuse the horrible pictures:

 

These were taken at Seiyudo Ginza:

 

 

amateur pics:

 

 

 

Thank you for the link, Alex.

Dwain, that's a gladius Wayne and Garth would be proud of.

[Blazeaglory]

Haha totally! I think that every time too. It's like the inside joke between my brother and I

[grnamin]

Still bad picture over rice paper: