-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Signs of a good Japanese sword
- Thread starter golok
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2000
- Messages
- 941
It's hard to really identify absolute specs that determine what makes an excellent sword and what does not. However, a basic guideline to follow:
Workmanship. When you look at the fittings, do they look high quality or like cheap casts or forgework? Detail should be clear, shapes should be even, and it should look very well made. Look at the handle...its the ito wrapped tightly, does it feel comfortable, are the diamonds even and proper? The rayskin underneath should have nice *big* nodules. The fit between the tsuka, tsuba, seppa should all be even and line up well. The saya should fit well...gentle and snug, hugging the habaki enough to keep it in and free from rattling. The blade should have crisp lines, in looking down it you should not see noticeable wobbling or dips. The surface will be even enough that you can probably read off the reflection in the blade. There will be no secondary bevel edge, and it should be sharp. There should be no readily visible scratches, and the yokote (if present) should be well-defined and placed with the proper corners (mitsukado, ko-mitsukado). If the sword has a horimono (carving), it should be tasteful and well executed in 3 dimensions, not just a few carved characters or a vague outline of a dragon or what-not (things that are often signs of a poor quality mass-produced Chinese blade)
The sword will be substantial, yet light enough to use quickly (this is variable depending on what you need in a sword specifically). Balance closer to the handle does not always mean better, neither does light weight.
The hamon will be soft luminous white, while the yakiba will be a lighter gray and the ji a bit darker. The shinogi-ji and mune are typically burnished and therefore have closer to a "mirror" finish. If there is hada, it should not be loose, and there should be few open flaws (slag inclusions, etc). Fine grain does not necessarily mean "better" but it can be desirable. When looking at the hamon, you will either see it as nioi, which is like mist (very fine) or as nie, which is closer to crystal sugar-looking (more coarse). Highly coveted blades tend to have both of these crystalline structures present. There are a number of types of activities in the steel such as ashi (legs extending down from the hamon) or utsuri (a "ghost" hamon higher on the blade) that are also well-regarded in sword circles.
Of course, none of this *necessarily* makes an awesome sword...it could in fact be a blade that will chip if you look at it wrong. However, if you can assume that the blade is reasonably well-made...the things above are all elements that make an excellent "complete" sword.
Workmanship. When you look at the fittings, do they look high quality or like cheap casts or forgework? Detail should be clear, shapes should be even, and it should look very well made. Look at the handle...its the ito wrapped tightly, does it feel comfortable, are the diamonds even and proper? The rayskin underneath should have nice *big* nodules. The fit between the tsuka, tsuba, seppa should all be even and line up well. The saya should fit well...gentle and snug, hugging the habaki enough to keep it in and free from rattling. The blade should have crisp lines, in looking down it you should not see noticeable wobbling or dips. The surface will be even enough that you can probably read off the reflection in the blade. There will be no secondary bevel edge, and it should be sharp. There should be no readily visible scratches, and the yokote (if present) should be well-defined and placed with the proper corners (mitsukado, ko-mitsukado). If the sword has a horimono (carving), it should be tasteful and well executed in 3 dimensions, not just a few carved characters or a vague outline of a dragon or what-not (things that are often signs of a poor quality mass-produced Chinese blade)
The sword will be substantial, yet light enough to use quickly (this is variable depending on what you need in a sword specifically). Balance closer to the handle does not always mean better, neither does light weight.
The hamon will be soft luminous white, while the yakiba will be a lighter gray and the ji a bit darker. The shinogi-ji and mune are typically burnished and therefore have closer to a "mirror" finish. If there is hada, it should not be loose, and there should be few open flaws (slag inclusions, etc). Fine grain does not necessarily mean "better" but it can be desirable. When looking at the hamon, you will either see it as nioi, which is like mist (very fine) or as nie, which is closer to crystal sugar-looking (more coarse). Highly coveted blades tend to have both of these crystalline structures present. There are a number of types of activities in the steel such as ashi (legs extending down from the hamon) or utsuri (a "ghost" hamon higher on the blade) that are also well-regarded in sword circles.
Of course, none of this *necessarily* makes an awesome sword...it could in fact be a blade that will chip if you look at it wrong. However, if you can assume that the blade is reasonably well-made...the things above are all elements that make an excellent "complete" sword.
- Joined
- Apr 19, 1999
- Messages
- 2,259
Golok,
I think you should do some read-up in the web, Robert mentioned most desirable qualities in a Japanese katana which will easily cost you somewhere between Malaysian Ringgit $25,000 - $35,000 and THAT price range does not even qualify to buy swords made by Japanese makers....so unfortunately for mere mortals like us, we can only dream of having one unless you are willing to part with your house. Also, read up on what is "shinogi-ji", "mune", "nioi", "utsuri", "bohi" and such or else you'll think he is speaking in french. All this basic knowledge can be found on the web, only experts like Robert can tell you what is good.
Eric.
P.S: Go check out the latest "National Geographic" magazine in the news-stand (yes, here locally), there's a segment featuring Japanese Samurai history and they've inserted a BEAUTIFUL Wakizashi picture with a nicely carved out horimono, unlike the sample you've shown above...this piece is the kind of work you can/should base your judging on.
I think you should do some read-up in the web, Robert mentioned most desirable qualities in a Japanese katana which will easily cost you somewhere between Malaysian Ringgit $25,000 - $35,000 and THAT price range does not even qualify to buy swords made by Japanese makers....so unfortunately for mere mortals like us, we can only dream of having one unless you are willing to part with your house. Also, read up on what is "shinogi-ji", "mune", "nioi", "utsuri", "bohi" and such or else you'll think he is speaking in french. All this basic knowledge can be found on the web, only experts like Robert can tell you what is good.
Eric.
P.S: Go check out the latest "National Geographic" magazine in the news-stand (yes, here locally), there's a segment featuring Japanese Samurai history and they've inserted a BEAUTIFUL Wakizashi picture with a nicely carved out horimono, unlike the sample you've shown above...this piece is the kind of work you can/should base your judging on.
Your best bet is to buy a well made Gendai katana from WWII, they are reasonably cheap ($1,500-$6000), compared to Shinsakato.
Gendai=Traditionally made blade, be wary of Showa=mass produced WWII blade.
Go to a good dealer and get a certificate of authenticity with the sword, horimono (engraving) of this period (WWII) are generally not very good, so I would as a general rule avoid one with this on it.
Gendai=Traditionally made blade, be wary of Showa=mass produced WWII blade.
Go to a good dealer and get a certificate of authenticity with the sword, horimono (engraving) of this period (WWII) are generally not very good, so I would as a general rule avoid one with this on it.
- Joined
- Apr 19, 1999
- Messages
- 2,259
Ooppss!...it's National Geographic, not Geography...my mistake Golok. 
Yeah..go check it out, for RM$22 we can have our very own "short sword"!
Eric.
Yeah..go check it out, for RM$22 we can have our very own "short sword"! Eric.
Seems to me from what I've read of Japanese katana, that the wood in the tsuka is also an important factor in these swords. I think it's called "honoki"? Maybe someone could fill me in on the qualities of this wood versus the type of wood in the tsuka of the prevalent Chinese-made katana? Speaking from personal exerience a cracked tsuka would surely deflate any katana enthusiast. Especially a cracked tsuka on an heirloom quality katana.
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2000
- Messages
- 941
The wood used isn't as important as the construction of the tsuka and saya. Honoki is what is used in Japan primarily, but it is not a hands-down "best" wood for swords. Alder, poplar, and maple all are more than adequate for the tsuka core and the saya.
However, if carved improperly, you may wind up forced to shim the inside channels, or it'll be so tight that you need to put lots of stresses on the wood to force the nakago into the tsuka. For obvious reasons, these are problematic for maintaining the wood's integrity. Extreme changes in humidity/temperature also can force wood to warp, and that further causes problems, but the only ways to avoid that are to get a wood that warps very little or keep it protected from radical environmental changes.
In truth however, most decent swords do not have a problem with this. I'm sorry to hear that you experienced that frustration lbo, but it is likely not due simply to using a wood other than honoki.
However, if carved improperly, you may wind up forced to shim the inside channels, or it'll be so tight that you need to put lots of stresses on the wood to force the nakago into the tsuka. For obvious reasons, these are problematic for maintaining the wood's integrity. Extreme changes in humidity/temperature also can force wood to warp, and that further causes problems, but the only ways to avoid that are to get a wood that warps very little or keep it protected from radical environmental changes.
In truth however, most decent swords do not have a problem with this. I'm sorry to hear that you experienced that frustration lbo, but it is likely not due simply to using a wood other than honoki.
"ho-noki" is the soft wood used for saya and tuka. It is so soft that it never gives scratchs to the blade and easily worked. After seasoning,it warps very little and has no resin which corrodes the blade. Ho-noki is not so strong that they are lacquered well with japan for saya and wrapped with layskin for tuka.
I think you have seen the katana with bare wood tuka and saya,has no tuba and accessaries,in Yakuza films. They are made of bare ho-noki and originally intended to keep precious blades in peace time. Lacquered sayas prevent natural ventilation, so not good for safekeeping of the blades,they said.
I think you have seen the katana with bare wood tuka and saya,has no tuba and accessaries,in Yakuza films. They are made of bare ho-noki and originally intended to keep precious blades in peace time. Lacquered sayas prevent natural ventilation, so not good for safekeeping of the blades,they said.
Recall someone making a tsuka out of a hatchet handle. Probably hickory,or ash and maybe even maple. Readily available here locally. Good news.
- cracked tsuka- my bad
[/list=1] yeah, I assume total respoonsibility for that. Regardless of wood, just a bad cut. *** Will attempt to make a tsuka one day! have chisels etc., but what about bamboo pegs? What about dowels at local hardware store? Oak dowels probably not desired or no? But what about the softer dowels? Not sure of tree type but would they suffice as well as bamboo pegs?