Tekkotsu

[kissakai]

Thanks Ford

I thought there was a lot of preconcieved ideas with no proofs

I know you are ready to replace a lot of these ideas based on fact rather than fiction

One area that interests me the most is accurate/scientific dating of tsuba that you have undertaken (early days yet)

 

I think that I have some good images so I'm happy to throw this out as a general discussion of tekkotsu

 

 

With thanks

Grev

[FlorianB]

Ford,

thank You for clearing up, there’s a lot to think about.

Alas It seems to late to delete my comment so next iime I’ll be more cautious in spreading my “knowledge”.

Florian

[Brian]

No need to delete anything Florian. It's all part of the discussion and debate. How pointless would this forum be if we removed anything that was contradicted?

[JohnTo]

Hi Grev,

Last bag of bones for you, this time Kanayama, which are supposed to have lots.  I’ve seen pictures of  three Kanayama tsuba with tekkotsu described by the same author in the same catalogue as ‘extremely fine….typical of this school’, ‘strong’ and ‘exploding’ (the explosions being put down to carbon in the iron)  It’s the first time I’ve ever heard of carbon exploding, except in gunpowder!

I believe the tsuba I have once had a NBTHK TK certificate, now lost.  A similar tsuba is on sale with Seiyudo, so I’m happy with the assignment.  There may be some tekkotsu on this tsuba, but it is on the feint/fine side of the spectrum and difficult to photograph.  There are grey patches on the side of the rim, which are not prominent.  Maybe a few more years of rubbing against clothing would have exposed them more (according to some pundits).  There are some small specks on the rim.  If it has tekkotsu, they are not worth raving about.

Finally, I must apologise for a couple of my posts.  I don’t believe the Kuninao tekkotsu are genuine (I indicated they were not).  Nor do I believe the two etched tsuba can be considered as displaying tekkotsu.  Etching iron is likely to preferentially dissolve the harder iron, so the bits left will be softer iron.  Not that it excludes them from being described as tekkotsu, as Ford points out (and I have read elsewhere) there is debate whether tekkotsu are hard or soft iron.  I really added these to expand the debate, especially as when I get the chance to handle a tsuba up for sale, described has having tekkotsu, I often find it difficult to see anything.

And finally, a pic of some fire rake that I made on a one day blacksmith course.  The material was modern homogenous mild steel.  I left the rake in the fire too long before the final quench and it got burnt.  I’ve seen worse lumps and bumps on tsuba described as tekkotsu, so buyer beware.

Best regards, John

(just a guy making observations, asking questions, trying to learn)

[christianmalterre]

Ford and Jean ( both seriously to ben taken as "enough" knowledgeable into metallurgical sciences... )- did already point out about the thematics....

 

i think, so far there is no one professional metallurgist out here, - this all thematics should start- AND END- with Ford´s excellent written words.

 

and,- as far NBTHK  does not answer to our´s collectors regularely happening questions, a proof and academic authentification about this "mystrere"....is eitherway obsolete.

 

Christian

[kissakai]

I have great respect for ALL who have contributed to this post 

I don't think this needs to be the end as I'm sure there are metallurgists within the group

Reading Ford's reply there are still unknows which hopefully may be resolved in the future

Generally if people don't give an opinion and in Nihonto there are many opinions

Some good some bad and some guesses, then there would be no discussion if we all waited for proofs 

I've felt that so much that we perceive to know is regurgitated fiction

For example I tried to find characteristics from specific schools so I read (and I do have many books) all about the Choshu (for example) schools

I found the same information over and over again not because it was right but because someone who was an 'expert' said so!

Ford as we know is doing ground-breaking work that will ruffle some feathers so much the better

For me this post has been a great help maybe while not understanding tekkotsu at least I have an idea of what it (may) look like

Next project for me is trying to evaluate the surface on iron tsuba

For example Is that rust or a carefully created surface - this is how far I'm down the food chain

 

 

Newbie Grev

[kissakai]

Oops to late to edit

I wanted to say how much I'm enjoying the Tesogu Classroom books

At least differeing views are shown and there reasoning - Markus magic