Mokume/Hada within the Hamon

PNSSHOGUN · March 10, 2022

Hey guys, this is a feature I'm not familiar with and would appreciate some thoughts on school/periods it is commonly seen in. It is mentioned here as being "Ha-Hada", a term I haven't been able to find used frequently. I can provide further photos and details as needed.

Bryce · March 10, 2022

G'day John,

I am not sure if this is the same thing, but these shots are of a mumei shinshinto katana in my collection. It has old NBTHK papers attributing it to Kanenaga from the end of the shinshinto period. I have never been able to find any information about this smith.

Cheers,

Bryce

DoTanuki yokai · March 10, 2022

From: https://markussesko.com/2015/05/

ha-hada (刃肌): Last but not least I want to introduce the term ha-hada which is used, as the name suggests, to refer to a forging structure that is very visible in the hardened part of the cutting edge, in short in the hamon. The picture below shows a Ko-Hôki blade, a school where you always can expect to see ha-hada. In this context it must be said that the course, border, and/or appearance of the hamon is actually influenced by the “underlying” forging structure. That means a smith just can’t apply any kind of hamon to any kind of jigane, or at least the result will be very difficult to foresee if these two elements are not going hand in hand. The intention behind and control of the smith in the interplay between steel and hardening is actually a highly sophisticated subject and an important factor when it comes to draw conclusions on his skill and (artistic) aim. As mentioned before, it takes a while to comprehend what is natural and unaffected, what is an excellent recreation of naturalness, what is a decent try to do so, and what is just incoherent. And for this you have to hold the blade in hands, that means it is impossible or next to impossible to draw such conclusions on the basis of a few pictures.

Also have a look at this but i cant make a list of where one should expect hahada and i also think it is to some degree depending on the polishers work.

PNSSHOGUN · March 10, 2022

Two more pictures:

ChrisW · March 10, 2022

As expected, its hard to see in the pictures, but I can see some evidence of what you're talking about John! I've seen ha-hada in some blades in person before, but I've never managed to capture it on film (surprise).

Upon looking over the photos again, that first one does a really good job of showing it! Bryce's also show it really well.

DTM72 · March 10, 2022

Like this one?

Rivkin · March 10, 2022

My take is that if its in good nie, its usually upper grade Soshu.

It can be argued that you find it on chokuto etc, but that's too exotic.

If its in nioi, you see it being revived by Shimada, and afterwords being used by shinto and shinshinto people.

Mark S. · March 10, 2022

Not positive if these pics accurately reference what is being discussed, but hope they help. Blade is still awaiting Shinsa, so no verified background info yet.

PNSSHOGUN · March 11, 2022

Thank you all, I appreciate the photos are not ideal but it is extraordinarily difficult to capture it. The activity is interesting in that it is not readily identifiable in the Ji, but only appears within the Hamon. The blade is certainly old, O-Suriage but remains at 28" Nagasa. It has Jizo-Bosho, high Shinogi, Utsuri, and remnants of gold on the Nakago.

Bazza · March 11, 2022

John, what do you mean by 'high shinogi'?? I take it to mean that taka shinogi is where the shinogi is conspicuously wider/thicker than the mune. This is easuily seen by looking down on the mune. If you mean that the shinogi is unusually close/closer to the mune and the thickness is the same as the mune then that is something else - narrow shinogi ji?? Interesting sword.

BaZZa.

PNSSHOGUN · March 11, 2022

Hi Barry, that is correct, the Shinogi is noticeably wider than the Mune. The sword was purchased more for the provenance, if the blade turns out to be of decent quality that is a bonus.

PNSSHOGUN · September 18, 2023

Some time has passed but Andrew Ickeringill opened a window on this sword. The thought was Oei Bizen Yasumitsu group.

GeorgeLuucas · September 18, 2023

Hada shows mostly masame throughout, with a couple spots of mokume. I was told Yamato Tegai by the togishi - but it has not been to shinsa

Love this topic, information, and photos. The small spots of mokume on my sword are enjoyable to admire.

Edited September 18, 2023 by GeorgeLuucas
added: no papers

Ooitame · September 18, 2023

@PNSSHOGUN Do these pictures represent what you mention? The last picture may show it best, as zoom may have obscured some.

AlexiG · September 19, 2023

Thanks John for resurrecting this. Example if a sword I just sent for the Dec shinsa. Lots of masame (not obvious from images) but mokume by the hamon with strange results. Will update when get results.