Shinsa And Cutting Test Inscriptions

[woody100]

If a sword with both a mei and a cutting test inscription passes shinsa, does this mean that the cutting test inscription is considered genuine?  How can a shinsa team be sure that the cutting test inscription is not a forgery? 

 

Tom Woodrow

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello,

 

Yes. They have records of test cutting inscriptions and signatures for comparison (if needed).

[Kronos]

What happens if the mei is genuine but the cutting test is fake?

[John A Stuart]

Test cutting inscriptions are an affectation. The smiths signature is more important. John

[Alex A]

If a sword with both a mei and a cutting test inscription passes shinsa, does this mean that the cutting test inscription is considered genuine?  How can a shinsa team be sure that the cutting test inscription is not a forgery? 

 

Tom Woodrow

 

If the sword has a cutting test with a testers name, but is found to be a fake, it will not pass Hozen.

 

The better the blade, the more likely it was tested by one of the well known testers, such as Yamada etc

 

Without a testers name, it may pass hozen, but doubt must remain as to authenticity, fake cutting test incriptions out there.

[drbvac]

I have a papered blade that was tested by the smith even though there is a "typo" in the inscription ! I guess there were some very special testers and

in reality not many smiths who actually tested their own blades and in fact depending on the skill - a tester may have in fact done a better cut than

the smith ! ??

[Alex A]

I like the story of Chobie Kiyomitsu (kaga smith) having a competition with Kotetsu (armourer). Kiyomitsu,s swords where known for cutting through helmets and it was Kiyomitsu that did the swinging in the test. (From one of Markus,s books)