Correct Type of Polish for Katana with Tobiyaki

[DTM72]

I have a signed and papered katana to Bungo Takata Fujiwara Saneyuki (SAN571) that has lots of TOBIYAKI (飛焼  - islands of tempering in the ji). It looks to have been recently repolished with a light hadori over the hamon, below the shinogi line. I, as well as many others, pretty much missed seeing the tobiyaki in the burnished area above the shinogi line. I only noticed it when I looked closely at what looked like a single area of tobiyaki that was in the upper part of the ji, extending over the shinogi line and into the upper shinogi area. Then I faintly noticed the other sporadic islands of tobiyaki running almost the entire length of the blade on both sides. In the right light at a certain angle, the islands can be seen. This is a stark contrast to the choji/midare hamon below the shinogi line that can be seen from across the room with no special lighting.

 

My question is, for a blade that is of the shinogi-zukuri style with muneyaki, should the shinogi area NOT be burnished but rather just be a sashikomi type polish? This would be an easy answer for say a hira-zukuri Soshu blade with hitatsura.

 

Thanks to all in advance!

 

Dan

[Jacques]

5 hours ago, DTM72 said:

should the shinogi area NOT be burnished but rather just be a sashikomi type polish ?

 

Whether hadori or sashikomi polishing, both methods include burnishing the shinogi-ji

[DTM72]

Having the understanding of some tobiyaki and muneyaki are mistakes, my particular example is in my eyes a design that Saneyuki wanted to have on this blade. Each island looks like it was placed there for a reason and was not multiple accidents or mistakes. NTHK-NPO gave it a score of 76 when it was papered. With their expertise in mind I doubt it would have scored that high with 10-15 mistakes on each side of the shinogi area. 

I would just think that since the smith intended these features to be there, a polisher might break with conventional polishing and not burnish the shinogi area. <-- just thinking out loud. Sorry for the noise.

[Mark S.]

I know we all default to this answer, but the polisher is the best person to ask this question.  Obviously, if he can’t or won’t provide the answer it’s time to find a new polisher.  If the tobiyaki is a ‘mistake’ the polisher can best tone down its appearance.  If it belongs there, the polisher can best highlight their appearance to match what the smith intended.

[DTM72]

I found this example polished by Moses Becerra. It does appear the shinogi area is burnished, but may be left somewhat dull to enchance the islands in that area. Thoughts?