Question about kizu

[KRM]

FYI: I do plan to resell this blade in the near future, however the only info i would use from this question would be the name of the type of faults (so that any potential buyer doesn't end up surprised like i was).

 

I purchased this blade via online auction. Once i received it i was surprised by the number of kizu on the blade. In retrospect, the seller didn't mention the damage, but he had shown them in the photos, i just didn't recognize them as such at the time. My mistake.

 

My question is: What type of blemishes are these? Are they forging faults, possibly brought to lite after a few polishes? Are the tempering cracks or something else? I've looked at several "flaw example" sites and have some idea, but it's tough to nail it down just going by the examples online.

 

Any pointers here would be greatly appreciated.

 

Further, higher res photos can be seen here: http://www.marshalltradecorp.com/coDe/hizen_kizu.html

 

 

Kevin

[Marius]

Well, no one from the really knowledgeable fellows here has answered your question, so I may as well humbly present my opinion: this looks like kitae ware (forging flaw), just as you have expected. You have certainly already had a look at this page: http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/flaws.htm

[Brian]

For some reason, neither the webpage http://www.marshalltradecorp.com/coDe/hizen_kizu.html nor the embedded image will load for me.

Flock/Firefox. Tries to load a page, but never does.

 

Brian

[Jean]

It often happens on shinogi ji which were most time, during Shinto period, made of masame, a Mino inheritance.

 

Some considers that in masame it must not be considered as a flaw

[remzy]

It certainly does not add to the beauty of the blade but i personnaly do not think this is much of a problem as Jean mentioned, on shinogiji/mune it can be quite often.. altho yours is quite plentiful.

 

If you mention it when selling it, it should avoid potential buyers from thinking this is a serious flaw.

[KRM]

Mariuszk: Kitae-ware was my best guess, but i wasn't certain by a long shot. Thanks for the link, i had checked there previously, but as a result of me checking again, i noticed a good bit more info on another page on the same site. Thanks (you might want to edit the post and change "htm" to "html", just encase someone references this post in the future, "htm" 404s).

 

Brian: I'm not sure why my links aren't working for you. I've sent an email asking if they filter traffic from certain countries. I would assume not since it is a commercial web hosting company, but you never know. I'll let you know what comes of my contact with them. If anyone else is having an issue with them, by all means, please let me know. Sorry for the difficulties Brian.

 

Jean and Remzy: If i understand correctly, you are saying that this is a common occurrence with masame-hada and that some consider it not to be a flaw in that particular style? Would it still be termed kitae-ware? Common or otherwise, plentiful is an understatement on this blade. The photos only show a portion, they exist on the other side and there is a small one on the mune just above the habaki as well. I will definitely make mention (and show photos) of the presence of them in my description when it is sold. They all seem to be going lengthwise with the blade, not across. In general, is a blade with this type of flaw/sudo-flaw still structurally sound?

 

Many Thanks to all,

Kevin

[Jean]

It remains a kitae ware but may acording someones not to be considered as kizu.

 

A good polisher can some times flattened them on the shinogi ji (I have had done it on a shinto seki katana)

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

To my eyes these kitae (shinogi) ware seem numerous and some seem deep, i would call them fukure.

 

If an solitary mune ware can pass, it is different when they are numerous and deep.