Difference in usage between kitau and saku?

[John C]

Hello:

I was wondering if there is a significant difference in meaning between using kitau (forged) in a mei rather than saku (made)? Is it interchangeable and the personal preference of the smith or does kitau mean the sword was hand forged as opposed to machine made?

 

Thank you for your time and patience,

John C. 

[robinalexander]

Good question John.

[Bugyotsuji]

Saku can be used across a range of items, not even iron/steel, so very broad usage.
 

For those who forge and hammer and quench, the word for strengthening the iron is used with special pride. 鍛える kitaeru 

 

(There are other ways of signing too.)

[John C]

Thank you, Piers. It made me wonder since saku is used most of the time.

John C. 

[Brian]

Kore...kitau....saku....
I've often wondered the same. When I see kore kitau, I tend to expect more hand forging. But not sure I'm correct. But do we see many Showato with saku kore or kore kitau?

[John C]

  On 5/20/2023 at 3:10 PM, Brian said:

But do we see many Showato

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Exactly, Brian. The showato I just received has a nicer-than-average hamon and the smith used the term kitau. But it does look oil quenched, has no date or stamps, so it made me wonder.

In the US, words are often regional (sofa vs couch or soda vs pop). But they can be used interchangeably and mean the same thing. 

John C.

[John C]

  On 5/20/2023 at 6:30 AM, Bugyotsuji said:

For those who forge and hammer and quench, the word for strengthening the iron is used with special pride. 鍛える kitaeru

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Piers:

Sorry for asking (I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed), but to clarify: Does this mean the smith actually forged the blade or did he just prefer to use that word rather than saku?

John C.

[Bryce]

In my opinion the two words are interchangeable. I have a gendaito where the smith signed saku on one side, but used kitau when referring to who the sword was made for on the other side of the nakago.

Cheers,

Bryce

[Bugyotsuji]

Not something I had consciously considered, and I agree they are largely interchangeable, but the difference could be in humility and respect.
 

In the two-inscription case above saku could be humble, neutral and normal for a smith to sign this way, not putting him/herself above others.

 

Use of kitau in a dedication suggests (to me) that special care was used for an honored/respected customer.
 

Not only honorific use, but possibly also (if you are suggesting that it was found more on Showa blades) it was fashionable in the pre-war years to use such a classical term as kitau.