Fatal Flaws

cuttingedge59 · August 20, 2015

Hi All ,

I am looking for some guidance regarding a Shinto Osaka katana i have amongst my small acumilation of nihonto. This item was purchased for a low price due to the condition of its mounts and some minor edge chips and a fukure in the Ha of diameter 3 mm.The nakago is mumei and the blade in my very limited opinion seems to only ever have had one polish. It has a very aggressive active temper line and shows the posibility of a nice hada.Nagasa of 27 plus inches.

Basically the saya was stripped of its fittings (Handachi ) and is split and unusable. The tsuka is loose and poorly finished. However everything is there and is all original . Would need a new saya and tsuka made and all fittings remounted.

I don't consider myself a collector more of a accumilator as such , only one of my swords has a mei but all are in good new polish and presentable.One has nbthk papers.

As this not a high value item i am torn as to how to deal with it in regards do I send it too one of the polishers( Hoffine or similar) and see what happens with the issues as I really like this sword , it all most seems to talk at times . Or do i keep it as a study piece or shift it on . I know that the purists will advise to leave well alone and find something better to spend money on but ! .Amongst my swords this is the one i am most wary of as it is extremely sharp and likes flesh .

I guess my main question regards fatal flaws as my understanding is these are problems that would tend to leave a sword unusable in battle as a broken sword isn't gonna win a contest when the the other guy still has a meter of steel . So hagiri is number 1 but then there seems to be some discussion as to what is acceptable or not . Have read as much as I can find online etc .

So thoughts please gentlemen.

Regards,

Chris NZ

hxv · August 20, 2015

Chris,

Is there something on the blade that makes you wary of fatal flaws? If so, a picture and description would be helpful. Also, fukure might open up when you polish a blade, unless the togishi knows how to handle it. So, I would tread lightly for this reason.

Warmest regards,

Hoanh

dig1982 · August 20, 2015

You might add some pics to judge the flaw. If it is a fukure an expert togishi probably can repair or reduce it. Not a fatal flaw but the price of the blade may be reduced.

cuttingedge59 · August 20, 2015

Diego , Honah

Had to find the pic's as i kinda thought pictures would really be necessary to judge the flaw . So here they are including a couple of extra 's of the mounts .

Thanks for the reply's.

Chris NZ

dig1982 · August 20, 2015

Nice blade, but the flaw is bad and too close to the hamon...this is my opinion, wait for other opinion and ask to a togishi.

hxv · August 20, 2015

Chris,

The fukure has already opened up. I don't think there is anything a togishi can do for you at this stage. If I were you, I would enjoy it for what it is in its current state.

Warmest regardsm

Hoanh

paulb · August 20, 2015

It sort of depends on which definition of "Fatal Flaw" you use. My original understanding was a fatal flaw compromised the integrity and function of a blade. For example an hagire would cause the blade to break on impact, the loss of the boshi would cause the kissaki to blunten or bend.

The fukure in your sword is ugly and detracts from the sword aesthetically and for many tha tmay be off putting but it isnt (opinion) a fatal flaw.

All collecting is a compromise and you have to decide what you can live with on a blade that is several hundred years old. If you find you can only see the flaw and it masks any good features that might be there for you, then in your mind it is fatal. For someone else it might not be.

dig1982 · August 20, 2015

Paul is right, if this blade has something important and special for you, you can decide to take and don't watch this flaw, remember that its value is low and probably if one day you will try to sell, you may have some problems. Another thing is that on a blade in this current stage you can't study or admire nothing, this blade need a polishing service and maybe can cost more of the blade.

Guido · August 20, 2015

I'm with Paul, this fukure isn't a "fatal flaw". It can be closed with an umegane. This is usually done by a smith, not a polisher, and is quite expensive. If it isn't an important sword, it makes financially no sense. However, I have to admit that I don't know the current market value of flesh-eating swords.

cuttingedge59 · January 6, 2016

Hi all

So after some time thinking about this item and taking on board all the excellent advise received i took the plunge with this sword and sent it away to a american based Japanese polisher for assesment .The gentlemen in question served an 7 yr apprenticeship and is a 7th dan iado sensei , so has been around swords all his life.

He also felt the sword had merit and that the flaws would come out with the polish . The end result was brillant , no flaws in the ha or near the hamon with a small ware opening up in the shingo-ji . He also made a new saya for me with all horn fittings .

This is the first that i have had polished and really have enjoyed the journey and the satisfaction of bring back to life so to speak something that last had a stone on it 300 yrs ago.

This has ended up with a beautiful Mokume hada and very active Toran harmon with Togari. Nagasa of 28 inches. Ubu and mumei nakago.

Polishers attribution to Omi No Kami Fujiwara Tsugahira.

Photo's attached are poor , best i can do at the moment .

Chris

NZ