Window Vs. Full Polish

[Drago]

Good evening.

 

I've often read the suggestion that when one considers having a badly-out-of-polish or rusted blade polished, the blade should be given to a polisher to "open a window" to see if the blade is even worth polishing.

 

Do not worry, I have no intention of doing any polishing work myself or having non-trained amateurs do it. This is just a theoretical thread.

 

Now, I'd like to ask a few questions about this practice:

1. Is this commonly accepted/done?

2. To what degree is the window opened (base polish, full polish)?

3. What influence does a window have on a subsequent full-blade polish? I mean, won't the blade consequently be more tired in the area of the window? I doubt a polisher would polish "around" the window...

 

[Gasam]

Hi,

 

It has always been my understanding that this is commonly accepted and done, and that it is a basic polish to determine worthiness of restoration, learn more about the quality and features of the blade etc.

 

I guess they would as always remove as little metal as at all possible to get this done, and that a full polish would remove a bit more metal, thereby not making the blade less healthy on account of the window opening.

 

But others will know more about this than me...

 

edit: to fix some typos :-)

[Shugyosha]

Hi Tobias,

 

You might be interested in this series of articles where Tsuruta san of Aoi Art undertakes the renovation of a badly out of polish sword. The third one includes the creation of a window to view the hataraki in the blade.

 

http://www.aoijapan.com/info/page/2

 

Kind regards,

John

[nagamaki - Franco]

 

 

Now, I'd like to ask a few questions about this practice:

1. Is this commonly accepted/done?

2. To what degree is the window opened (base polish, full polish)?

3. What influence does a window have on a subsequent full-blade polish? I mean, won't the blade consequently be more tired in the area of the window? I doubt a polisher would polish "around" the window...

 

 

 

1) Yes.

 

2) It depends on which polisher you choose to open the window, should be done to full polish.  

Why?

If one stops to think about it, if the sword is worth the effort to begin with (pre-evaluation is very important), then why would anyone want something short of a window being fully polished? After all isn't kantei the final objective? Kantei, where seeing all the details including the boshi are essential in determining whether or not to proceed from spending a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars in finishing the work. 

 

Submit a sword with only a partial window to a shinsa and you're very likely to get only a partial answer in return.  Come to think about it, submitting even a fully polished sword finished incorrectly will only/also likely get one a partial and perhaps an incorrect judgement as well.  After all the judges can only go by what they can see. Besides, doesn't one wish to see what the final look of the sword will be? Choose your polisher/window opener wisely.

 

3) No.

[Drago]

I see. Thank you very much!