Reuse of Dead Blades

[Wolfmanreid]

Given the stringent regulations on swordsmiths in Japan, cost of new Tamahagane etc. are fatally flawed or otherwise “dead” swords commonly reused as material for new blades?  I’ve seen some eel catching tools made from old nihonto but they were all pre-Meiji as far as I was aware.  I’ve read about smiths scrounging Edo period iron from old nails and similar vintage scrap but I’ve never heard about repurposing unsalvageable historic nihonto into new shinsakuto.  Do the economics of this just not work cost wise?  

[ROKUJURO]

Reid,

I don't know if this is done on a wide scale in Japan. There are probably not so many "dead" blades to make it a big factor in the field of raw material, but in any case the steel could be processed in an OROSHIGANE kiln, adding thus to the TAMAHAGANE base.

That is at least what I do with some of the blade cut-offs, but others are repurposed as they are.

 

[DoTanuki yokai]

This pictures show how broken and flawed blades become the core steel of new swords. But also the broken swords were made by the smith. 

[ROKUJURO]

Thank you Chris,

very interesting! This will answer to Reid's question.

Where did you find these pictures, if I may ask?

[DoTanuki yokai]

I found them on Ando Yusukes Instagram Account, he is the smith at the Bizen Osafune sword Museum.