"Secrets of the Samurai Sword" on NOVA tonight.

L

Lavan

Joined
Nov 8, 2000
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If interested. I'm interested.
I'll tape it in case it's good.

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:)
 
It's scheduled for rebroadcast 2 or 3 more times this month. Nova is always good, even if it's the history of egg beaters. The mechanical device, not the stuff in the carton.;)
 
It was e x c e l l e n t. The best blades are rated "5 body swords." The metallurgy analytics we superb. Highly recommended viewing. See it if you are able. :thumbup:
 
Local PBS (Channel 8, Tempe AZ) pre-empted it for pledge drive
URGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I was tricked out by the father and daughter. Daughter shoots arrow at father's heart. Father cuts arrow in half mid-flight with sword.
 
CitizenQ said:
It was e x c e l l e n t. The best blades are rated "5 body swords." The metallurgy analytics we superb. Highly recommended viewing. See it if you are able. :thumbup:
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It cuts through five bodies with a single stroke? How do they arrange the bodies? Seems like it'd be awkward as hell.
 
Not a bad show - recorded it on DVR and watched it today. Can burn it to DVD if anyone's interested, but it would probably be simpler if you just watched it on your own PBS station.
 
G.Estes said:
It cuts through five bodies with a single stroke? How do they arrange the bodies? Seems like it'd be awkward as hell.
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Not alive and stacked horizontally. Downward cuts. Students of the arts still do this with mats. Not being a student, I culdn't tell you the right name for the arrangement.

The marks have also been described by more knowledgable than me to often have been misrepresented. ie; "Battle Ready".

Cheers

Hotspur; the morbid always seems to fascinate
 
This meant that, wielded by a strong and skilled technician, the sword could cut through the midsections of five human bodies in one stroke...The blades were tested on special straw figures approximating human musculature and bamboo stalks much like human bones. The ratings were also regularly established by using criminals whose arms, wrists, shins, necks and midsections proved the hardiness of individual swords.
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http://www.oregonlive.com/entertain...ase/entertainment/1191614107210660.xml&coll=7
 
Culpeper said:
I was tricked out by the father and daughter. Daughter shoots arrow at father's heart. Father cuts arrow in half mid-flight with sword.
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Ya...that part scared the Qrap outa me...I was 'fraid to watch that part...but he forkin' did it! :barf:
 
That really was a great show. As I watched I was sitting there thinking how cool it would be to save up and eventually buy a true katana produced in this traditional manner. Talk about a blade that captures a bit of the soul of the maker. Then, of course, they mentioned the little part about the price starting at around $100,000 and going up from there. Rats, foiled again. I guess most of us will just have to be content with providing our families with a place to live instead. :)

As for the 'five body blade' designation, I too have to imagine that the conditions under which such a thing is possible would have to be so contrived as to render the feat nearly meaningless. Perhaps Lynn Thompson has some Japanese ancestors of which he was unaware. ;)
 
A little note about that price tag, it is not the only restriction. Those makers are very highly respected in Japan and are held to such esteem as to be on the level of a national treasure. They usually adhere to a strict code of Sword ethics that those swords are ONLY to be sold to truly Japanese users, and not to a broker or distributer who would sell it solely for the buck. I work for the Japanese and I can tell you one thing, they take that stuff serious. I have personally met one of these fellows when I was in Osaka, and he was kind enough to explain what it means to own one of those swords. To me, an American and a Christian, It was a bit shocking and appeared to be some form of Idol worship, as they truly believe that the sword contains parts of the makers soul, and when he passes, through the sword his soul will live on in this world. Back to my original point, Not just anyone can own one of these swords, no matter how much it costs. If someone were able to purchase a true one of a kind hand hewn Katana, and the small Japanese custom sword maker community found out, they would basically be excommunicated from dealing those items in the future.
 
Technically, no matter what anyone believes, a soul or part thereof won't reside in a sword or blade of any kind.
However...
I firmly believe that a blade made with dedication, care and craftsmanship will some absorb emitted energy from the maker, and thus it may appear - to those of a certain clairvoyant development - to carry part of the maker's soul.

We sometimes hear of someone putting their 'heart & soul' into something...
same thing in my book.

Certain blades may be considered to have resident Kami - or spirits, residing within them. This would seem to be appropriate, especially for a family sword, or a sword which has bathed in the blood of one or more of its owners opponents. - How could it not pick up such a psychic resonance? - Acts of violence and killing would also potentially attract warrior spirits or spirits that fed on the energy of death and conflict.
 
Peak_Oil said:
That's racist, right?
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how do you figure that? It's just 'exclusionist' if you want to give it a label. The best swords stay in Japan. Their sword culture is absolutely hard-core. Way more than in Western countries. For example: you might reckon Busse enthusiasts are 'core... sure, to a certain degree.
They're just not in the same league as the folks in Japan. Some Japanese swords are considered national treasures and will NEVER leave the country. EVER.
 
Great old Japanese swords are great national treasures and wonders of craftsmanship. A Masamune is more precious than the Mona Lisa, and equally admired.
There are some first rate modern Japanese smiths whose works sell here, like Yoshindo Yoshihara, and I wish I could afford anything he sells.
Actually, I wish I could afford to buy one to use.

Now where can I get 5 bodies.....
 
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