High Res Picture glossary

[NathanLM]

Gentlemen, 

 

I can’t help but think how helpful a pinned thread containing high resolution examples of activity in polished blades would be for those of us just learning the nuance of nihonto. I imagine, for example, a macro photo labeled with arrows pointing toward the different activities and an explanation below. The japaneseswordindex.com Pic Glossary was a good start for me, but the small

black and white photos leave much to be desired. Maybe such a reference already exists somewhere online.  

[O koumori]

Here are a few for starters:

 

Online Nihonto Glossary with English and Japanese Text (nihontocraft.com)

studying steel layers (ksky.ne.jp.)

Hamon patterns (ksky.ne.jp.)

utsuri (ksky.ne.jp.)

 

Dan K.

[Toryu2020]

Education (ncjsc.org)

[NathanLM]

Thank you for the links!

[O koumori]

You're welcome.

Look at live blades when you can get the chance; the features always look a little different from even the most Hi Res photos. Try to attend sword shows; join a local study group if you can.

Dan K

 

[Ken-Hawaii]

Nathan, the problem really lies in how your brain interprets an image. What you see in a high-res image of jigane, isn't at all the same as what someone with decades of studying will see.

 

Even when you have a blade in hand, your brain needs to be educated to see the underlying details. My sword mentor has an incredible collection of elite Soshu blades, & he was determined to get me to see what he so easily saw. I can remember the weeks of frustration - on both our parts - until, one afternoon, something just clicked, & I was finally seeing the intricate details of his Rai blade! Once I was able to see that, I never lost it, but I'd never have been able to make that quantum leap, without his insistent help, & the actual blade!

 

Tom & Dan are right - attend sword show, but find a sword club you can join, & get a mentor. It's well worth the effort.