Are polished down hi a flaw?

[KungFooey]

Hi all,

 

Back with yet another question.

 

On a Koto blade in otherwise good condition, are futasuji-hi which have lost their parallel ends due to repeated polishing considered acceptable or a flaw?

 

(Please look at photo to see what I mean.)

 

Thanks!

Dee

[Shugyosha]

In a word no: absolutely the norm rather than the exception. If there are no delaminations lurking in the hi then nothing to worry about, though these are ugly rather than fatal. 
 

Crisp, fresh hi on a koto blade should be the thing putting you on your guard , though ato hi were often cut for reasons other than to conceal flaws. 
 

Been shopping? 🤣

[KungFooey]

2 minutes ago, Shugyosha said:

In a word no: absolutely the norm rather than the exception. If there are no delaminations lurking in the hi then nothing to worry about, though these are ugly rather than fatal. 
 

Crisp, fresh hi on a koto blade should be the thing putting you on your guard , though ato hi were often cut for reasons other than to conceal flaws. 
 

Been shopping? 🤣

I never stop shopping.
 

Thanks John!

[Stephen]

Lol what I came to say,  Miss D never stops shopping. Lol

[Franco]

Hi should be recut at the time a sword is polished if and when necessary. Too often, for whatever reason, that step is skipped over.

Worn down hi are the result. Charged as a flaw, no. Taken into consideration when judging the overall health of the blade, yeah, probably, maybe, perhaps. 

 

 

Desire is the cause of suffering.

[KungFooey]

3 hours ago, Franco D said:

Hi should be recut at the time a sword is polished if and when necessary. Too often, for whatever reason, that step is skipped over.

Worn down hi are the result. Charged as a flaw, no. Taken into consideration when judging the overall health of the blade, yeah, probably, maybe, perhaps. 

 

 

Desire is the cause of suffering.

Interesting! Is the same true of other horimono (should be recut)?

This blade has hozon papers so the NBTHK overlooked the hi at that level - probably not at TH.

 

Thanks!

Dee

[Franco]

5 hours ago, KungFooey said:

8 hours ago, Franco D said:

 

Interesting! Is the same true of other horimono (should be recut)?

 

I don't believe a polisher is going to go messing with the horimono work (especially of a master), other than perhaps doing finger polish work to bring it out. That is certainly something that should be discussed ahead of time when choosing a polisher. 

 

5 hours ago, KungFooey said:

This blade has hozon papers so the NBTHK overlooked the hi at that level - probably not at TH.

 

Don't over think things. 

[KungFooey]

8 minutes ago, Franco D said:

Don't over think things. 

Never a problem in my case!

 

Thank you so much for the additional input.

It's one fast learning curve on this forum!

 

Dee

[Franco]

11 hours ago, KungFooey said:

Never a problem in my case!

 

I've seen nihonto with both worn down (due to polish) hi and horimono with TH origami.