Aoi Kantei

[Brian]

Aoi has just put up another kantei at http://www.aoi-art.com/kantei/kantei33.html for anyone who wants to have a crack at it.

One of the Hizen smiths? Tadahiro maybe? I am not sure exactly what "kawari tetsu" means.

 

Brian

[Bazza]

Aoi has just put up another kantei at http://www.aoi-art.com/kantei/kantei33.html for anyone who wants to have a crack at it.

One of the Hizen smiths? Tadahiro maybe? I am not sure exactly what "kawari tetsu" means.

 

Brian

Brian,

This is very interesting. I have a 5-dai Tadayoshi wakizashi with "kawarigane". I was told that it isn't shintetsu, but is "different metal". Look at the first picture in the link, the left hand side image. About halfway up the blade immediately adjacent to the hamon in the ji is a strange, shiny-like patch of steel. I'm fairly sure this is the "kawari tetsu". If one puts the word "kawaru" into google there are numerous hits, the first one giving "excessive; too; very-usually of objectionable things; to err; to mistake; changeable". I think this conveys the meaning of this patch of steel very nicely, although we as collectors (especially the owner!!!) might prefer to call it simply "changeable", which is the meaning given to me by the polisher at the time...

 

Regards,

Barry Thomas.

[Brian]

Barry,

I see that the answer was given as Hizen koku ju Oumi Daijo Tadahiro the 2nd, so there must be a link between this tetsu and the Hizen line. I was hoping someone could give a literal translation. Maybe someone could ask Tsuruta san to expand on that description?

Your explanation seems likely, but strange that we haven't seen it used more when describing these smiths.

 

Brian

[Bazza]

Barry,

I see that the answer was given as Hizen koku ju Oumi Daijo Tadahiro the 2nd, so there must be a link between this tetsu and the Hizen line. I was hoping someone could give a literal translation. Maybe someone could ask Tsuruta san to expand on that description?

Your explanation seems likely, but strange that we haven't seen it used more when describing these smiths.

 

Brian

I think it is likely extremely rare - I don't, for example, remember reading about it in Roger Robertshaw's HIZENTO book. Or Eguchi's, or anywhere else for that matter. I certainly haven't seen it in any other Hizento I have seen in Oz, and they cover examples of shodai, nidai, and godai as well as waki-Hizento. My nidai katana in choji midare has no such "different" metal. Hopefully someone in our "catchment" of Sword Lovers can add to this???

 

Regards,

Barry Thomas.