Amerikanized Tamahagane (article in Blade)

[nozh2002]

Japanese knifmaking always inspire to creative marketing. Just recently I read article "What's Hot Japanese Style" in Blade October 2007 which refers to tamahagane method and so on...

Let me just provide some info...
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Tatara method - 15 tons of iron sand and 15 tons of charcoal load into the clay furnace and the plait three days even three nights. They then break furnace and withdraw Keru - the enormous, huge ingot of steel with a weight of about 2.5 tons, which is obtained on the bottom. Cooled up Keru they break into pieces, which then separated into three types/grades Tamakhagane, Bukera and Kerazuki, etc. Bukera and Kerazumi used to produce knives, tools and agricultural inventory and require heat treatment and repeated hardening. Tmahagane - specially selected pieces of Keru are used only by top swordsmithes for katanas

Tatara method was used everywhere from the era Edo up to the beginning of the era Meidzhi and more than 80% steel in Japan were produced in Chugoku region. During the era Meidzhi to Japan learn from abroad more effective methods of the production of steel and Tatara method because of their ineffectiveness lost popularity and entirely disappeared in the era Taisho. To be produced steel became the company of that based in Yasugi Citi with the use of modern technologies. Now it is known in Japan and abroad as steel Of yasuki.

However, since only tamakhagane can be used for samurai swords and this steel can be produced only with the Tatars of method - Tatars production and furnaces were are restored in 1977 in Yekota city by the Japanese association of Restoration of Swords Arts. From those times a total of several times a year is melted steel employing this procedure.
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Thanks, Vassili.

 

[nozh2002]

Yasugi steel production center in Izumo of province Shimane was known from the ancient times as place where antique steel tamakhagane was manufactured. Tamakhagane is manufactured from the iron sand of the highest cleanliness - "masa" which they obtain in the mountains or the river wash-outs. Method by which obtain iron sand it is called "kanna nagashi" it uses flow of river and gravity of iron - the primitive method, nevertheless allows experienced master get lot od iron sand. Furthermore the rich forest resources of mountains around is a good source of charcoal necessary for the steel production. Tamakhogane in Izumo was produced with Tatara method (well known from the anime "Princess Monoko". Tamakhogane from Izumo known for highest qualitaty and is distributed all around Japan as steel for the cutting tool including for the samurai swords.

Thanks, Vassili.