Viewing of Hamon.

[xxlotus8xx]

I was wondering...Is anyone aware how to view hamon and nie patterns on a sword that is unpolished? I was thinking that since the characteristics of the forged metal is different in the hamon then it would reflect light differently under different light spectrums.

So would something like a viewing under a black light bring it out?

Thanks!!

[Jamie]

it depends on how unpolished. Or corroded.

If you hold it up at eye level with the nakago slighty lower - Look up the blade. The light should kinda move up and down the blade. You may be able to see traces of the hamon. As you know-it's different types of steel , so you should see slight color variation. if it's too rusty- or corroded you won't see much if anything.

[xxlotus8xx]

Thank you Jamie.

I can see a trace of hamon kind of but it is not entirely clear and hard to see the boshi (is that the right term)? The steel itself is pretty reflective. But I thought maybe under infrared or black light it might be easier. Has anyone tried it?

[Nihonto Chicken]

The hamon looks different than the ji due to the dissimilar lattice structures, but this needs a decent polish to show up, and there is no black light shortcut of which I know to negate a poor polish. If the blade has been sandpapered or otherwise mistreated by hard grits, then the surface lattice will be "smeared" and little or nothing will show up under any lighting (will look like a mirror). What is said to be the best lighting to view hataraki is a bare, unfrosted low wattage incandescent bulb at the far side of a dark room. That is what I saw at shinsa.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Ray, neither infrared nor black (ultraviolet) light will show anything about the blade's details. We simply can't see either light range, in the first place. Infrared is heat, & ultraviolet doesn't show anything that doesn't fluoresce or phosphoresce.

 

A bright point-source is the best light to view your blade's details.

[sanjuro]

In answer to your original question, "Is anyone aware etc..........." No. there is simply no other way to view a hamon other than the recognised way stated previously. You cant see what isnt there in the first place and a hamon that is obsured by a poor state of polish will not jump out of the murk if you shine a magic light on it.

The human eye has evolved a certain way and sees only white light. A pit viper may be able to see things in infrared but we cant. :D