Is this shingane or umegane?

[djcollection]

I'm leaning toward shingane. What do you think?

[Rawa]

What about fukure? Could you post close up? Looks for me like grain pattern isn't different around and you see another one opening along.

[djcollection]

7 hours ago, Rawa said:

What about fukure? Could you post close up? Looks for me like grain pattern isn't different around and you see another one opening along.

 

I've seen different types of fukure before, so don't think it falls into that category.

[Geraint]

Dear Mason.

 

Personally I would go for umegane on this one.  There seems to have been a rather unfortunate longitudinal delamination which someone has thought to obscure, not quite achieving a match for the original metal.  The rather sharp edges and regular shape along with traces of the delamination at both ends lead me to this conclusion.

 

All the best.

[ROKUJURO]

I think Geraint says it all. It is clearly an UMEGANE, and the defect it was thought to conceal would be called KITAE-WARE.

The English text is based on assumptions and is not correct. The forming of FUKURE happens in the fire-welding process, and has nothing to do with tempering (again, "tempering" is not quenching/hardening). Usually, FUKURE are caused by trapped coal or impurities like scale.
FUKURE can have many different shapes, and as they are a defect in the KAWAGANE, they are not just a "cosmetic" issue but may well have an impact on the structural integrity of a blade in case they are large enough.



 

[djcollection]

Thank you guys, the puzzle has been solved! :D