Just a few pics of hamon

[Utopianarian]

Practicing lighting trying to get better at pics. Focusing on hamon. Maybe phone just isn’t cutting it. Might look into actual higher end camera which is better suited. My pics haven’t improved much. I wished I loaded the pics Darcy took of some of those world class blades before the site was removed off web. Darcy was a master of focusing on the features a school was known for and squeezing out every bit of that rendering amazing images. Anyways here are a few laughable novice pics to look at in case you are bored.

[David Flynn]

We really need to see the whole Hamon for context.  However, a quick guess, Juka Choji.

[Jacques D.]

I only see hadori, not the real nioiguchi .

[Utopianarian]

It’s a mystery sword Jacques. It’s a work of abstract art in progress literally. Lol…You can’t see the nie. You can’t see the utsuri. You can’t see the nioiguchi. Damn, if it didn’t have hadori on it you wouldn’t know it was there..😳

[DoTanuki yokai]

I would recommend making pictures of blades in the same angles you would watch its features in Hand. 
 

Can’t see anything on this but in the right angle even with my old IPhone 8 I can see the Hamon.

 

 

But with better equipment there are more possibilities with a strong light source and a camera but it is much experience needed.  

An example where only the Hadori is visible. 

 

And then with a strong light source and my 10 years old Sony Alpha camera. Closed shutter and long lightning time. (I hope I use the right words because my camera skills are only in German )

 

I have made more then 10000 of blade pictures and I think there is still much to improve. 

This examples are just what I have on my phone right now and not the best but I hope this helps.

 

Edit: here are some more of my early pictures at the end of the thread 

 

and here are some more recent with the same equipment but more experience 

 

I’m  struggling with the boshi :/

 

 

 

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Light source, angle, shutter speed and ISO settings are the key. If you can juggle these you can get 'OK' results even with a phone camera - DSLR is best.

 

[Utopianarian]

Thank you Christian and John. I will try your recommendations 

[francois2605]

For me, the key to take good pictures of a sword is to avoid any direct source of light and rely on the ambiant light (to prevent reflections). You'll be able to see things you can't see with your own eyes.

 

Those are pictures I shot with a tripod and a macro (100 mm) lens. 

 

Ikkansai Shigemasa

 

 

Minamoto Moritaka

 

 

Fujiwara Kanefusa 25th

 

 

Tsukamoto Okimasa

 

 

 

 

 

[george trotter]

Here is my Tsukamoto Masakzu blade as polished in sashikomi in April 1942.

Compare it to the photos  of the modern polishes above...I'd be interested in your comments.

Regards,

[Matsunoki]

41 minutes ago, george trotter said:

Here is my Tsukamoto Masakzu blade as polished in sashikomi in April 1942.

Compare it to the photos  of the modern polishes above...I'd be interested in your comments.

Hi George

its only my opinion, but sashikomi polish is so beautiful when done well. You can see everything without twisting, turning, squinting and hoping!! Hadori is great  if you like the dramatic contrasting effect  of light/dark or if you want to make sure it’s tricky to actually see anything at all!. Hadori is also useful if you want to hide problems……..

[Jacques D.]

Nioiguchi is visible on that old blade in sashikomi polish. However if man can see the nioiguchi and see what type of hamon it is, man cannot see the structure of it (nioi or niekeki brightness etc.) nor details it contains. That means that kantei a sword by looking at photos is illusory

[vajo]

You have all very good skills in catching the hamon.

Bravo.

[C0D]

You need to take pics in different angles and different source of light in order to capture most of the features of a sword, some example of pics i took on a modern made tachi

[george trotter]

On 11/25/2022 at 12:03 AM, Matsunoki said:

Hi George

Hadori is great  if you like the dramatic contrasting effect  of light/dark or if you want to make sure it’s tricky to actually see anything at all!. Hadori is also useful if you want to hide problems……..

Thanks for your comments George.

Just on this kesho-hadori thing....40 years ago a Japanese dealer in Tokyo explained kesho polish (now hadori?) to me....he said kesho essentially means 'cosmetic' - like when a geisha hides the true characteristics of her face by covering it with white powder...that still sums up kesho-hadori for me....but I'm sure the modern collector mind knows and appreciates aspects of polish that I am unaware of...different world/tastes now.

For me, I prefer to stay with pre-1945 polish.

Interesting....

 

[Matsunoki]

5 minutes ago, george trotter said:

Thanks for your comments George.

Hi again George, (I’m Colin…..you are George!!!🙂)

I think sashikomi vs hadori(Keisho) is a very well debated topic with differing opinions! Personally I will never understand Hadori. It obscures some of the most vital features of a blade. I believe (have been told) that a hadori finish is a bit easier than sashikomi and a bit quicker but more difficult. If we are buying a sword from images and the polish is Hadori we are gambling…..unless you know and trust the seller. I have seen Hadori used to cover a hagire to such an extent that even under close scrutiny it was difficult to spot.  Give me sashikomi every time no matter what the hamon/hataraki is.

Just my opinion. All the best. Colin.

[Volker62]

Masakuni Gendaito untouched

 

 forged in rare Soshu- den in Gunto Koshirae Typ 3

 

from a prominent collection southern germany....

 

 

[Volker62]

other side....of Masakuni gendaito..

 

this one is really amazing...

 

Hada is Itame with O-Hada wizh influence of strong, Masame with sunagshi lot of chikei, dark steel o- kissaki

 

 

I've never seen a gendai like  this, its dated April 1944

 

 

[george trotter]

22 hours ago, Matsunoki said:

Hi again George, (I’m Colin…..you are George!!!🙂)

Oops - sorry Colin, I looked at the wrong post signature...or else I am getting old...hmmm.

I agree with your view on sashikomi - hadori - kesho. Good thing we are not "woke cancellers" of free speech on NMB or we would both be sent to the 'naughty corner'.

Anyway, I must say there are some very nice hamon / polishes being shown here. Like your example here Volker san...Keep it up guys.

Regards...

[Utopianarian]

Somewhat better pic of nioiguchi. A lot of beautiful pics posted by you guys. Some nice blades especially the Masakuni Gendaito which I can say I’ve never seen a Gendaito like that before either looking like an old masterwork.

[Volker62]

thank you George  for the kind words about the Masakuni gendaito, its really incredible.

 

I haven't seen a Gendai like this in more than 30 years, of collecting..., its like old koto blade...:)

 

 

I'll try to show better pics when I have more time.....

 

 

Thank you!

[Nicolas Maestre]

Great pics here 😍.

 

Here is my modest contribution to this thread! First time I'm trying to focus on the hamon. I was using the macro lens of my phone. Don't know if there is a lot to see though, as it's not a quality blade... 

 

 

 

Here I think I managed to get the nioiguchi quite distinctly:

 

Last one, I like it a lot but I'm not knowledgeable enough yet to understand what I see (provided that there is something to see at all 😁):

[Volker62]

Dear fellow collectors,

 

 

 

More pics of my Masakuni Gendaito with the smartphone, truly like a Koto soshu blade

 

made by a "van Gogh" of Japanese sword making,

 

please enjoy!

 

I never saw such a Gendai blade as this.....

[Volker62]

everything in original condition,(like new) nothing has ever been restored!

 

from a famous collecting from southern Germany, former head of" Bayer Leverkusen Chemie" in Tokyo from 1962 on

[Volker62]

some more pics and the large kissaki

[Brian]

Wow. That is a pretty incredible Gendaito. Something to be really proud of. Thanks for sharing Volker.

[Volker62]

many thanks Brian!

[george trotter]

Gosh Volker san...you sure find some great swords...I presume that is Okishiba Masakuni 2 gen from Osaka? (maybe a pic of the tang/mei/date etc?).

If it is him, I have a blade by his younger brother Okishiba Yoshisada - both sons of Masakuni 1 gen..

He (both) signed either Heianjo or Okishiba before their name. Hamon has similarities to yours (mine undated and in 'fieild scratches' condition).

Love the WWII gendaito....

Regards.

 

[Volker62]

well George this guy made kitchen knifes after the war..

 

 

[Matsunoki]

How about these?……Ishido school.

 

[george trotter]

19 hours ago, Volker62 said:

well George this guy made kitchen knifes after the war..

 

 

Yes Volker, that post-war Masakuni making knives is the elder brother 2nd Gen. I think he died in 1990.

I think he turned to knife-making as the post-war demand for swords steadily declined. There may not even be a swordsmith left in Osaka now - not sure.

Your sword is great - similar hamon characteristics to my Yoshisada....great swordsmith family.

Regards...