New to Nihonto

[Kyler]

Hey guys,

My name is Kyler, I'm new to the world of Nihonto, but I was introduced to it through training in Katori Shinto. Long story short, my search for a shinken to use for Iai, led me to Nihonto. As I researched these swords, I quickly discovered how little I knew, and how much there was to learn.

 

I did a search of the forum and found a couple useful threads regarding the use of nihonto for Iai (which was a concern of mine). I've decided to take the watchful approach and wait for something to come along that is: 1. the right length, 2. has some damage, I wouldn't feel right using a pristine blade, and 3. appeals to my aesthetic. I'm an artist by trade, so the style of the hamon is always very interesting to me.

 

I came across this blade http://www.aoijapan.com/katana-kanemori It mentions kitae ware, but I'm not sure what to look for. Is it the vertical mark that runs along the Ha, about a quarter of the way up from the hamachi?

 

Anyway, it's good to meet you all! If you have any suggestions on good sources of info for someone learning the ropes, I'd be glad to hear them. I'm slowly working my way through the links on the home page haha.

 

Thanks!

 

Kyler

[hxv]

Kyler,

 

Welcome to the forum. The red arrows point to the areas of concern. Compare what is shown below to the actual high-resolution picture on aoijapan and you will see where the kitae ware are. I hope this helps.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[raven2]

Welcome Kyler.

[drbvac]

Kyler: I assume that you know what kitae ware are so you know what to look for but in case they are small cracks or grooves where the steel didn't laminate completely when folded at some point during the forging process, They vary in size and depending on where they are they may take away from the flawless appearance but are not fatal flaws. Some on the other hand,if in certain areas or size could be an indication that the entire forging process was a little off and the entire blade could be questionable.

 

IMHO these wouldn't bother me but I like older women and cars so

[Marius]

Kyler,

 

As much as I understand your desire to use a nihonto for iai, as much I would advise you against doing it (buy the sword, by all means, just do not use it for iai). The reasons are as follows:

 

1. You will affect the polish.

2. You will have to have a new koshirae made to use. Unless you settle for low quality, you will have to spend more than on the sword.

 

BTW, kitae-ware are quite common in Koto. Not a big deal, to be honest.

 

Oh, and welcome to club Once you have caught the bug, there is no cure

[J Reid]

Kyler,

 

The link you provided is to a sword with hozon papers. It is worthy of preservation and should not be used for anything other than display (looking @ only). Be aware that if you decide to use a nihonto for anything other than looking at, it must be considered "unworthy". If you study really hard, and do your homework, you will eventually learn which blades are okay to use for sport.

 

My 2 cents! Nice to meet you!

[Ken-Hawaii]

Kyler, there is a 99.9% chance that your TSKSR sensei won't even let you in the dojo with a shinken, Nihonto or not. Have you asked him/her in advance of buying a blade?

 

Ken

[Kyler]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

 

@hxv: Yes! That actually helps a lot. When I read a word like "flaw" I expected it to be much bigger and more obvious. But these are very subtle, so the image you attached was quit useful. Thanks!

 

@Raven2 Thanks you, sir! :D

 

@drbvac: That's good to know. I actually haven't read to much about forging flaws just yet, I'm still wrapping my mind around how the blades are made. I understand the process, but I still have a hard time visualizing how the various kinds of hada are formed. I'll definitely have to do some more reading on kitae ware though haha.

 

@mariuszk: These are a couple of the issues that I was concerned about. I was hoping to find something that was damaged or flawed to the point that it wasn't considered "worthy" (but still intact enough to use for iai, and to be an example to study). Then I would have the new koshirae made for it, likely by someone here in the US. In this case, I don't really mind the extra cost of getting new koshirae.

 

@J Reid: Thanks for pointing that out! I tended to gravitate to swords with their papers because I feel like I can trust their authenticity. Sometimes spotting a fake isn't hard, but other times... not so much. You are right though, I need to do some more homework. Any suggestions on where I should start to look for unworthy swords? I appreciate your input!

 

@Ken-Hawaii: Yeah, Sensei actually suggested that I consider it. Personally, I don't plan on committing to only using the shinken for another year or so. And once I do, I'm expected to spend at least a year doing iai very slowly and very carefully. But, I don't plan on using it until myself and my instructor are 100% confident that I'm ready.

 

 

Thanks again for all of the feedback! You guys have been quite helpful.

 

-Kyler

[J Reid]

Kyler,

In response to your question:

 

I would say that you can find "unworthy" blades in all areas ie. dealers, ebay, shows, private sales, etc. However, I would not recommend ebay as the first place to look for a beginner.. If you are ever unsure, I would suggest you post pictures and details here, and we will give you an honest opinion (we would want to keep collectable/worthy blades out of the dojo).

 

Spend the next year studying, and saving.. By the end of the year, you should know which blades should be used and which shouldn't.