New Photos, New Questions

[George KN]

Hi all, 

 

I've been lightly using some uchiko on my out of polish Shinto mumei katana in an attempt to be able to see any hada, and spending more time with the blade has opened my eyes to many of its features I had previously not noticed.

For one, it turned out I wasn't the first to use uchiko on it - there are actually quite a few meteor strikes from the distant past I've only just noticed. I've also finally worked out what was causing the strange marks on only one side of the habaki - the lines are caused by a paper wedge in the saya also added by a previous owner:
 

 

It was actually a really nice feeling to realise that many hands have handled and cared for the blade, even if its not in the best of polish at the moment. Makes you think of the history and the caretakers that came before you know?

Anyway, I have also attempted to take better photos, and noticed some interesting structures in the steel along the way. Hopefully someone will be kind enough to explain them/give me at least a name so I can do further research.

1. Firstly, there's a bit of darker steel running along the shinogi, but seemingly only on one side of the blade. There's a few smaller blobs towards the tsuba, but one patch where it is very noticeable:

 

 

Does anyone know what this is/what it is called?

 

2. There are also these darker patches in a few places. I don't think they are fukure, as they are quite large and oddly shaped, but open to suggestions? (I've heard of jifu before, is this it?)



 

3. Although there are plenty of scratches that get in the way, I feel like I should be able to see any wood-grain like hada in these images. Does that indicate this is muji hada or nashiji-hada? (I am still very much learning about hada)





 

4. What are these diagonal white streaks in various parts of the steel? They don't seem to be scratches, and all seem to be in the same direction.

Hopefully the photos are ok!

 

Thanks for your time,

 George
 

[Bazza]

George,

The diagonal white streaks are scratches from a coarse stone.  The whole thing needs shitaji togi, a foundation polish, to correctly shape the blade.  However, I fear the previous 'carers' may have irrevocably caused damage to the blade by using a coarse stone, thereby possibly removing the niku - the convex 'meat' of the ji.  I don't wish to naysay, but I doubt anything can be done to 'bring this blade back' despite our best wishes.

 

The first thing to see if a blade is indeed worth the huge effort and cost to save it is to determine in the first instance if it is worth saving. Three filters I use are (1) does the nakago and any inscription suggest it could be a worthy candidate, (2) does the sugata, shape, look 'good'.  If so then (3) have a professional polisher put a madoake, a 'window' in the blade.  This alone can take at least 4 hours of a togi's work day.  There are no short cuts and the efforts of the previous 'carers' have done nothing to help an assessment as to the blade's worthiness.  Its a long, winding road to the junk pile...

 

I'll leave others to comment on your first questions, but to try and be more helpful can we please see good pics of the nakago both sides with the habaki off???

 

BaZZa.

[George KN]

Thank you BaZZa! It's definitely not the news I wanted to hear, but an amateur polish would explain a lot. I knew the boshi had been messed about with, but hadn't realised they polished the whole blade

 

 

This must have been done a bit ago though, because there's evidence of surface rust, small rust pits, and then the meteor strikes caused from uchiko meeting those rust pits. 

 

And you are right about the niku too - I think there might be a small amount left, but it's definitely hard to see and feel. I wonder if a polisher could raise the shinogi-ji to help with this...

 

As for whether it is financially sensible to do a polish, it is a mumei blade unfortunately. I've put pictures up in previous threads about other questions (I was just trying to understand the hada in this one), but I'll attach some of them again: