Extreme ware/kizu

[Fuuten]

Just wow..

 

Given it has hozon paper and presuming this wasn't signed with this extreme kizu. It states it "appeared" after polishing but really? I think it is highly doubtful this could have been hidden/or closed before said polishing. Any idea what might have caused this? 

 

 

https://www.aoijapan.com/katanaiyo-jo-minamoto-munetsuguthe-1stnbthk-hozon-token-paperconsignment-sale/

[Shugyosha]

Hi Axel,

I'd say that it was either a fukure (air pocket) that wasn't evident before the polish and was exposed by the polishing process or from the look of it, it might have been a flaw that was previously filled and some of the umegane has been dislodged during the polish - there's an area of slightly different coloured metal around the kizu.

 

It's possible that this blade got papered before its last polish and that flaw wasn't evident or, because it isn't a "fatal flaw," it passed Hozon on the basis that most swords are "worthy of preservation" and will pass Hozon if they are geniune Japanese swords and, if signed, they aren't gimei.

 

 

[Tensho]

The papers are over 30 years old. Possible it had more than one polish since then? 

[Fuuten]

Thank you for your replies, 

 

I just think it's a little large a void to just open up during in polishing. Secondly it's not a reassuring thought thinking a sword might have such substantial hollows (or cavities for lack of a better term), without necessarily being evident to the smith or user. Perhaps its not as large a kizu as I'm considering it to be.

[ROKUJURO]

Actually, FUKURE are not 'air pockets' but welding faults, often filled with small amounts of slag which prevent the metal layers from welding properly together.

Let's calculate a bit: KAWAGANE is traditionally folded about 12 times. In a 7 mm thick blade, you will find (theoretically) at least about 4.000 layers which results in a single layer thickness of 0,0017 mm. Or, with other words, a human hair (western part of the world) is 40 times thicker than one steel layer in an average sword!

Now when s**t happens and the swordsmith did not get a complete weld inside his steel bar, it may well be that this KIZU remains unnoticed until the very flat blister is opening up in the course of a grinding/polishing process. This can happen easily in case a sword blade was allowed to corrode considerably. 

Only small defects can be treated with an UMEGANE. In the above case presented by Axel, there is not much you can do about it - except looking at the other side! 

[Franco D]

Having seen this in the before and after polish on what appeared to be a very promising looking early Koto sword, unfortunately it can and does happen. When a sword is sent off for polish there's usually one of two types of phone calls received before the polish has been finished from the polisher, unexpected good news or absolutely dreaded news. 

 

Regards,

[xiayang]

6 hours ago, ROKUJURO said:

Only small defects can be treated with an UMEGANE. In the above case presented by Axel, there is not much you can do about it - except looking at the other side! 

 

Tsuruta san suggests a more radical solution here 

 

Maybe we can cover the Kizu with newly engraved carving, so please let us know when you want to try.

[Gakusee]

8 hours ago, xiayang said:

 

Tsuruta san suggests a more radical solution here 

 

Maybe we can cover the Kizu with newly engraved carving, so please let us know when you want to try.

This fukure is too close to the habuchi for appropriate horimono. 

[ROKUJURO]

Yes, that would be a possibility I did not think of. It might not be cheap if done by a good artist, though.