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I’m having a blade polished...


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9 hours ago, PNSSHOGUN said:

This is delving into dangerous territory, in my opinion if you wish to pursue something like sword polishing you do it one way: apprenticeship in Japan under a recognized master. Why this keeps getting brought up, questioned or challenged puzzles me. 

 

Absolutely agree with John.  This whole thread - yes, whole thread - has been an exercise in hubris.  I've been having swords polished for 50 years "at a distance".  Now I sit at the feet of a qualified Master, hear his wisdom, and see the result in my swords and compare this to the last decades of me chasing polish around the world.  To continue this little contribution would result in a polemic.  Yes, I've seen these discussions on the internet now for 25 years at least and nothing has changed.  Well-intentioned people all over the world are murdering swords on a daily basis, even in Japan.  I don't know where else to go in this. It would be lengthy and brutally frank.  To finish off, the base philosophy of the Board is that we DO NOT discuss amateur polishing, DO NOT advocate the practice of amateur polish in any degree whatsoever.  I endorse this view with my entire heart and soul.  I've heard all the arguments and they don't stack up and the preponderance of discussion about amateur polishing causes a warp in my sense of being tending to depression.  Seriously.

 

BaZZa.

 

EDIT:  Been mulling over this while watching TV.  I just want to add two words - shitaji   shiage.

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26 minutes ago, Bazza said:

 

Absolutely agree with John.  This whole thread - yes, whole thread - has been an exercise in hubris.  I've been having swords polished for 50 years "at a distance".  Now I sit at the feet of a qualified Master, hear his wisdom, and see the result in my swords and compare this to the last decades of me chasing polish around the world.  To continue this little contribution would result in a polemic.  Yes, I've seen these discussions on the internet now for 25 years at least and nothing has changed.  Well-intentioned people all over the world are murdering swords on a daily basis, even in Japan.  I don't know where else to go in this. It would be lengthy and brutally frank.  To finish off, the base philosophy of the Board is that we DO NOT discuss amateur polishing, DO NOT advocate the practice of amateur polish in any degree whatsoever.  I endorse this view with my entire heart and soul.  I've heard all the arguments and they don't stack up and the preponderance of discussion about amateur polishing causes a warp in my sense of being tending to depression.  Seriously.

 

BaZZa.

bang on brother 

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Can't see this going anywhere good JP. Can you?
Not like we are going to suddenly start praising a polisher that isn't qualified. So that just leaves criticisms and nitpicking. Which aren't going to be constructive either.
I just cannot see this ending well. For the discussion. As for the sword...who knows.

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Well, Brian, if you think you have to lock the thread, then please do. I have received sufficient support via PM to know that silent people support me. So, if you lock the thread, those people who have expressed their support, thank you, and as requested, I’ll PM you the progress. If anyone wants to follow too, just PM me or go to:

 

https://www.facebook.com/pierluigiponziokatanakaji/

 

https://www.instagram.com/katana_kaji_japanesesword/

 

Once again, my purpose was genuinely constructive: help European collectors broaden their choice in terms of polishers and help a new talent emerge. I knew this would cause some unrest and was hoping for more open mindedness from some fellow members, but the world is what it is.

 

No hard feelings I hope,


Best to you all,

 

JP

 

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Thanks JP, no getting away from the fact that we do need polishers closer to home, especially in this day and age.

 

No doubt those reading this in the same situation will stay away from unpolished blades in future.

 

Good luck with the end result, nice to see you being kept up with progress.

 

 

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No hard feelings. I just cannot let us go down a road where it seems we are encouraging untrained polishing.
And judging by just ONE post on his FB page where he shows an injury and about 3 others comment on their injuries while polishing their own swords....my instincts are correct.
There must be hundreds of guys out there "teaching" themselves polishing from FB and Youtube videos. I know there are lots that support it. I'm just saying let's not actively spend time discussing this.  Thanks for your understanding and good luck with your sword.

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I agree with Brian and most of others here. Ponzio is surely not a togishi and he has not the ability to correctly polish a nihonto.

But the worst thing, i think, is that this way it could incetivate dozens or houndreds of ponzio. And this is a shame for nihon token since untrained polisher has not to be the answer to the professional togishi lack in Europe.

 

JP i will send a pm to you too.

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I do think that  the problem is money, simple  money. As in any  other craft  you will get  what  You paid for. I have seen  polishes  from  top togishi which  i can not  believe. Well i remember the session when an blades has shown to me polished  by an mukansa. Holy shi.....I can  not believe this. The answer ? He  polished this low  quality blade for an friend of him for nearly no money. 

What does this  mean. if  You want an real polish, do not  discuss  the polisher charges, do not teach him  how to do his job nor press him to work faster because You want the  blade to sell by example  This will always  end  in an desaster.

I knew the workmanship of most of the european  polishers. Some are good, they can understand the blade, but nevertheless the  qualtiy  of the polish is not  consistent. Why ? Explanation is most probably the same  as in the case of the Japanese polishers. To be  honest, i do think  that is true  for nearly  all togishi with a few exceptions.

Just  thoughts  about.

 

Ingo

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Being able to perform the work correctly is a substantial hurdle; the other is access to good stones. My belief is that the best stones never leave Japan except in limited quantities. This limits the results using traditional methods outside of Japan.

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