Questions For Long Time Collectors

[raynor]

Mainly directed to experienced collectors but any fellow whippersnappers are welcome to chime in.

 

For example does anyone know how long a well stored blade stay in polish before it starts fading? Must be decades.

 

I know blades will settle down some over less time (how long?) after a polish but have not found any info on that either so far.

 

In addition I am curious as to how peoples tastes changed over time, be it on hamon, hada, fittings, eras et cetera.

 

As a whippersnapper I personally appreciate all good work, nothing wrong with a hamon that looks like a blazing fire but find my preference for now leaning heavily towards subtlety. When it comes to hamon I prefer suguha for that reason and it is apparently one of the harder ones to get right, plus I would assume sensible from a pure function or blade integrity point of view.

 

The same currently fits for fittings, plain shakudo with rather modest well executed inlays or carvings look more appealing then overly shaped, shiny or decorated work.

 

I will have to say there is apparently a LOT of Edo stuff out there compared to older actual wartime items to study.

[Katsujinken]

“For example does anyone know how long a well stored blade stay in polish before it starts fading? Must be decades.”

 

Yep. With proper care, a polish should basically last forever. I have a blade that hasn’t been polished since it went Juyo in 1980. Looks like it was polished yesterday, in the best way.

[Curran]

“For example does anyone know how long a well stored blade stay in polish before it starts fading? Must be decades.”

 

Yep. With proper care, a polish should basically last forever. I have a blade that hasn’t been polished since it went Juyo in 1980. Looks like it was polished yesterday, in the best way.

 

Yep. I have a Shimosaka Yoroi-doshi that c. 1855-1865 and almost certainly in its first polish. Still pretty good.

[TETSUGENDO]

To answer your query- How have tastes changed over time- would quite literally require a reasonably sized volume.  They have changed considerably over time, are changing now, and shall continue to do so.  Just examine some auction catalogs from various periods, and by noting the change in the featured lots you'll get a fairly accurate indication of changing tastes in the market.

 

-S-

[BIG]

Shin shintos got their second polish after 150 / 200 years. Do not think that my taste changed. But keeping in mind Mr. Hoppen's quote:"

every collector went to Koto, at least.."

 

Best

[eternal_newbie]

Some reasons a sword might look "settled down":

• Rust/corrosion due to insufficient or infrequent oiling
• A film of dried oil due to too much oiling/not enough removal of oil over time
• Abrasion of polish due to use of uchiko
• The sword was meant for practical use and thus didn't get a full artistic polish
• The type of polish best suited to the sword simply didn't exist at the time, and the original polish now looks rustic by comparison

As others have pointed out, a good polish should last centuries with the correct maintenance (read: NOT uchiko) and barring acts of kami.

[PNSSHOGUN]

Uchiko would be the chief culprit of a polish "greying out", careful, pragmatic & modern care will do nothing to damage the polish.

[raynor]

Uchiko does not make sense unless one actually cuts with a blade, since it is tiny stones - an abrasive. Tho I've read somewhere polishers can finish a polish with uchiko use in mind from the owner, probably not common now in modern times?

[eternal_newbie]

Uchiko does not make sense unless one actually cuts with a blade, since it is tiny stones - an abrasive. Tho I've read somewhere polishers can finish a polish with uchiko use in mind from the owner, probably not common now in modern times?

 

Newly polished blades apparently "sweat" water for a few weeks after and need to be wiped down and reoiled regularly; polishers in the old style would therefore finish their polish with the expectation of several passes of uchiko within the first few months of its lifetime. With microfibre and denatured alcohol, there's no need for uchiko in modern times, but a great deal of collectors still use it because of tradition.

[John A Stuart]

It is like the difference between a service weapon and a special weapon retired to preserve some desirable attribute. They require different treatment. John

[paulb]

I have blade which was polished prior to receiving papers in 1963 which remains in perfect polish. Others that I know were polished in the early 80s likewise. I have been told, but am not sure what the comment was based on, that a polish should last 100 years. If the blade is stored correctly I see no reason why it shouldnt last a great deal longer.

Re:- changing tastes, yes all the time. As you study more and hopefully understand a little more you begin to appreciate things you had not regarded as important before. That's one of the joys of progressing in the interest.

Having said that I fell in love with Yamashiro work in the 1980's and it still tops my list. The list has just become broader and deeper and includes many more traditions and schools.