Suriage mei

[katonk66]

Hello everyone

 

Has anyone here seen a suriage blade, whereby the mei runs off/or cut off the lateral aspect of the nakago?

 

Henry

[Alex A]

Could do with a pic 

 

Mei can appear cut off in various ways after shortening.

[Shugyosha]

Hi Henry,

Do you mean like the blade pictured in this thread?

 

 

If so then, yes, all the time but there are also various ways of preserving the mei when a blade is made suriage (if the mei is thought to be worth saving or if time permitted I guess):

• Orikaeshi mei where the part of the tang with the signature is thinned down and folded back so that it appears on the other side of the tang;
• Gaku mei where the part of the tang with the signature is cut off, thinned down and welded (or otherwise joined back) onto the tang in the form of a panel;
• In the form of an attestation by the smith doing the shortening as to the original signature.

If you mean something different then, as Alex says, it would be helpful to have a picture of what you are asking about.

[Alex A]

You know what, do remember one on Aoi a few years ago with most of the mei running off the side.

 

Thought it was a bit weird, but never really give it much thought since.

[Shugyosha]

Now you mention it, yes but I can't remember any more about it. Maybe someone else's memory will be jogged?

[Alex A]

Think it may have been an ishido sword.

 

Anyways, yes it happens.  

 

Possibly more on blades with more exaggerated curve when shortened, never really thought about it

 

Not a great example below, but get the idea. The one mentioned above cut a lot more of the mei off.

[katonk66]

  On 2/24/2024 at 9:12 AM, Alex A said:

Think it may have been an ishido sword.

 

Anyways, yes it happens.  

 

Possibly more on blades with more exaggerated curve when shortened, never really thought about it

 

Not a great example below, but get the idea. The one mentioned above cut a lot more of the mei off.

Expand  

Yes, this is what I attempted to describe.