Nie-Kuzure or not?

[itsoverthere]

Hi guys,

 

I hope I'm not posting irrelevant questions but some things are not always clear and a little expert clarification can be immensely helpful. In this case the subject is Nie-Kuzure, as I'm having some difficulty in attempting to distinguish a case of scattered nie and indistinct boshi from a case of broken/repaired kissaki. I am attempting to illustrate my point with a picture wherein, hopefully, turnback can be seen but also what appears like continuation of the boshi up to the very point (the blade in the picture has had a hadori finish, I don't know if that matters). I have consulted "The Connoisseurs Book" in this matter but remain unsure (it actually just confounded the issue further). Does anyone have any suggestions about this?

 

Regards,

 

Adam

 

- pic re-touched below

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Adam,

Hard to tell much from a photo but if that is a hamon that runs out the front of the kissaki there are only 2 explanations I can think of. The 1st is the one you mention: broken kissaki reshaped with a cosmetic hamon made to look like the turnback and kaeri. The 2nd would be a secondary hamon associated with with a flaw known as "crow's beak" (I forget the Japanese term). This is a ware in the kissaki, an opening running about where your hamon seems to run. I've seen a few of these and once, but only once, I saw a crow's beak that had a hamon associated with it. If this is the case, your sword has 2 hamons in the kissaki: one where it belongs and the other a mistake.

Grey

[itsoverthere]

Hi Grey,

 

I find this almost fascinating. I am aware that whatever it is I'm looking at is most probably highly undesirable but still I find it interesting. There was certainly no visible opening and yet there appeared to be 2 hamons. I have attached another pic where, in the style of a child's drawing, I have attempted to highlight what it was that aroused this question.

 

Regards,

 

Adam

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hi, holding this up to the light what 'reflective activity', if any, is there coming from the areas between the drawn in black border and what is outlined in red ink? Does the reflective activity match what looks to be the habuchi running out to the cutting edge before turning upward?

[itsoverthere]

The area between has an almost mirror-like reflection (like the cutting edge in the kissaki), and - although not so visible in the picture - is quite distinct from the two areas highlighted. What's particularly strange/interesting, for me, is that there is no such pattern on the other side, which only exhibits a turn-back at the same point as the black line is drawn on this side.

[itsoverthere]

Is this 2 hamon situation that Grey has described a common forging flaw? How is it possible that it exists on one side but not the other? Does anyone know?

[Tokaido]

Hello Adam,

the hamon is not very visible on your kissaki (maybe because of reflections or poor polishing job).

Please have a look at this sample of a kissaki.

The actual hamon is made up of ko-nie and follows the green line,

but there are many nie scattered additionally within the hamon in nie-kuzure fashion

(the maker is famous for this type of nie scattering within the hamon)

 

Greetings

Andreas B.