I see a lot of comments below that criticize and even insult the craftsmanship of a katana as well as the relationship of a samurai with his katana. I don't mean to judge those opinions in any way and i will not, but i am compelled to share my understanding of the meaning, "The Katana is the Soul of a Samurai". For a long time being a sword enthusiast I've heard this idea echoed in anime, documentaries, and the mouths of practitioners and historians alike. While often times this can sound romanticized and cliche there are two ways i like to respect this relationship. 1) While in today's world we can create uniform metals, much stronger and resilient than ancient nihontos, the process in which one was made was akin to the development of a disciplined, functional, and unique person. -From ore infused sand, tamahagane was extracted. Collected, heated, treated, beaten and molded. From sand, from the mundane, from the meaning of raw. through perseverance, dedication and intent. Vision, technique, and skill turn raw materials into a tool of what i feel we can all agree, pure beauty. This is the journey of the practitioner through life. From the basic modality of an infant we are the raw. In life we experience hardships, passions, defeats, and victories. Through experiences, accomplishments and embarrassments, dedication and distractions, victories and failures, as human beings we ourselves in a way are sculpted. From the helpless mass of a crying baby to a human being. intent on a purpose or a goal. A selfish desire or a philanthropic dream. While there are many debates on what type of metal or which sword is superior to another to me this is an underlying strength of any practitioner that is capable of respecting and honoring his tool, not as a tool, but as a role model. An example of what the raw can become in its time under the right intent. 2) A little less poetic, but essentially i feel the Japanese had a belief that the sword itself, was an extension of their soul. I can't say (I'm not Japanese or 600 years old) this for sure, but to me this phrase embodies the regiment of true practitioners of the japanese sword, and many other swords and cultures for that matter. To these people, the sword was in essence, the blink of an eye, the wave of a hand, the foot that steps consecutively after the previous. The sword represented the extension of our intent, just as equally as our arms, legs or any other physical feature. We breathe without thought, we walk without thought, we sleep without thought, we eat. These activities are subconscious, allowing us to pursue more grandiose activities. I feel that for people that respect their edged/bladed weapons this is a never ending goal. To pursue the extension of the sword as if it were merely any other part of the body or soul. To act with certainty, awareness, and intent. This has rambled on longer than I expected but i just wanted to share my thoughts, don't hate me pls lol
In my experience, the slingshot effect of backlash against the overhype of the katana is rather disproportionate I'd say. While I'll go as far to champion equality among blades and swords of all kinds, and that all swords have a mystical attribute about them, I've seen that the only criticizers of katanas have been racist dirtbags who need to be dropped from whatever line of martial arts they follow or are scummy white nationalist nerds and gamers who band together in a lonely online hivemind. Neither those who spread its misconceptions and attempt to debunk them have proven that they have a spirit anyone is willing to follow. Grow up. All of you.
Wow!!!..that is the deepest, most thought out, philosophical, outlook Ive ever read...I would advise the entire WORLD to read this. Whoever wrote this, Id like to shake your hand friend, and treat you to a beer. Quite frankly if everyone had this outlook, if gives a better perspective of what we (humankind) was put on this earth for. This goes way further than just the philosophy of the sword in my opinion. And if this is how the Samurai regarded the sword, it was indeed a sacred tool, and weapon, they felt blessed to have, especially a well crafted one
I'm Irish/ Scandinavian/ western European so of course I'm infatuated with north western or actually ALL EUROPEAN history and specific regions warriors(Vikings Celts Saxons etc) but I am also infatuated with Samurai or "Bushi" and the art of Nihonto. Of course the Japanese had dirty steel and perfected the method of making it as pure as possible, so did many other nations. Comparing different cultures swords saying one is worse or better than the other is childish to begin with. Each world region weapons evolved and adapted to the specific style of warfare and armor of that cultures time. I am a huge fan and lover of most cultures history and weapons but the Bushi had a specific relationship with their weapons (as did ancient Celts and Vikings and so on) but go try and find a 12th or 13th century European sword for a decent price and see what kind of condition it's in. And I'm not trying to say that European steel or weapons are bad, what I'm saying is how much care the families took in preserving their swords and other weapons because they believed their ancestors spirits or partial spirits were inside the blade. I have a Kamakura Tanto in a 18th century koshirae that looks amazing. Razor sharp (hasn't been sharpened in probably 200 or 300 years). Even the kogatana can still shave my face lol covered in rust
Hey, I remember watching this video years and years ago before I ever forged my first sword. I remember thinking "I wish I could polish and sharpen swords as good as you" Thanks for the good video and nostalgic feeling. Am I as good as you yet all these years later? hmm maybe not, but I can do all of this now myself to a decent standard.
Hey this is good advice someday you can help me with my Kanata I'm in the USA of Illinois thank you for this video now I can learn more from your videos
Extremely interesting to watch you work! After checking your channel i wish that you'd just do sword polishing vids with nice music! haha. At any rate, thank you for the information and insight into this VERY UNDERRATED TALENT that you have!
I know I'm 8 years late but amazing work buddy. The beauty of these swords always leave me speechless and you really saved a piece of history there. plus I think that inspired me to learn it for myself. thank you sir lol
It was beautiful to watch the hamon slowly show up the way it did. It was also very interesting to hear the history of the katana and it's Canadian involvement. Thank you for sharing! I do have some questions if you wouldn't mind answering. How long did the entire process take? I'm not sure if it's the lighting but the hamon isn't as clearly seen on the kissaki. Is it common to leave a different polish on the kissaki? Finally, where did you learn to become a togishi?
I love how these very old blades still exists and are kept safely in museums for others to enjoy the work that has been put down on a single sword by a sword smith few 100 years ago. All the history this one sword has is just amazing to think about. Its such a shame to know that most of these sword were confiscated and lost somehow.
As many people know the swords made around WWII were of poor quality and it seems that respect for the swords was not there either if that sword was cut off to shorten it. I love your polishing technique using all traditional equipment to polish. You must of had some training in japan to do what your doing. And what most don't see is that you cleaned your area before going from forming to polishing. To see this is very nice. Thank you for posting.
There were still high-quality swords made during the war. Btw, shortening blades was regularly done throughout Japanese history, sometimes several times. A long tachi might be shortened to suit a katana mounts, and shortened again to suit a smaller owner later on. Then a taller owner might find it too short, so he would have it taken to under "legal" katana length and wear it as a wakisashi or o-wakisashi.
Where did you learn such a skill? It's not just a technique you are showing; it is patience and extraordinary discipline as well. I'm mentally exhausted after I sharpen a chef's knife on a stone, for the love of God. I guess that's why we need craftsmen such as yourself, huh? A really well done video, on a subject that can record as very boring & just repetition. Nice one.......
What exactly is the Kisaki? Why was it so easily distinguished from the rest of the sword? I don't know why but it feels weird just having a sudden line on the blade that stops the flow of the lines it had.
Hello. Please help me. I am sharpening a blade and it just keeps rusting as i go along sharpening. Can i put something in the water to stop Rust forming ? Thank you in advance. Nice video!
Question: I know this is child’s play for you, but having never spent time with a real Japanese blade, I am unsure. It looks like a zero bevel, is it convex or flat?
can you please help.... I have an old Katana that my Father Gave me when I was 12 years old... I totally destroyed the blade, chopping everything I could get my hands on to chop, playing ninjas/samurai (this was over 30 years ago) I am 42 years old now and how I wish I would have known better... when I was 18 years old I left for the Marine Corps and I left my sword ( tsuka was broken off by then and the Tsuba and other fittings were in a tin box on my dresser top) and the sword was left up in the attic of parents home in Dallas Texas, for several years...when I came home on leave one Christmas I remember my sword and I went up there and pulled out the katana and realized that it had rusted... so to the hardware store I went to buy some sand paper and a sharpening stone and then I proceded to ruin the katana further... after about 8 yrs of service to my country I got out of the Marine Corps and once again I decided to "touch up the Katana" and by this time there was a tool developed called a Dremel to where I once again proceeded to screw up the Katana even more...Now with the tools of Google and TH-cam... I realize how ignorant I was to have done these terrible things to my Fathers Gift to Me... I still have the Katana... somehow it has survived all of the torment I have put it through...HOWEVER the whole Soul of the Samurai lies with in his Katana... I can honestly say that I am a true believer in this... for the bond and connection I have with that old Sword is incredibly deep... and even, as old and beet up the sword is... It still remains my most Prize possession, and to me it is PRICELESS..!!! I just wish I that I could afford to get it restored... Hell I just wish, I knew of someone that could at least give me some history on it, and let me know what it is I have...could you help me with this...???I am not looking for an appraisal, for I would never sell my katana... I just wish I could get someone to look at it and tell me how old it is and or the origin of it and what the markings on the tang mean... I would also love it if I could get it restored to original condition... I do not have any of the fittings or even the Tsuba... all I have is the remains of the saya and the blade...itself...
+MrGonzo22 I'm not going to comment on what you did to the blade - what's done is done, and I won't hold you to that. Do you have any pictures of the blade itself? Without any images to work off of, it's difficult to tell whether or not the blade is even worth polishing - one must make sure there are no hagire, or fatal flaws, present in the blade that would render it worthless. I'm currently polishing two Nihonto katana blades in my spare time, and it's tedious, to be sure, but it's also worth doing.
+MeanyFoFeany what I meant by not looking for an "appraisal" is that I was not looking for someone to give me a dollar amount, of what the sword is worth... to me it doesn't matter if its worth $10 or $10,000 because I would never sell it...what I was mainly concerned with is, if in fact it was a real handmade katana pre-world war II... I have been looking into it more since I posted this post and have ccome to realize it was set up as a Gunto style sword... however It did not have the locking tsuka to the Saya... but it did have the military style fittings to some degree.. however I do not have the original fittings anymore...at one time I did make a small ovalish Tsuba out of mild steel from angle iron and I did a brushed steel finish on it, and I made a handle "tsuka" from popular branch off of one of the trees on the ranch... but I did not have anything fancy on it like the rayskin or wrapings... just a make shift tsuba and handle to keep it kind of looking like a sword...this was done a long time ago...I did post a link of the markings on a forum and I contacted a man named Fred Lohman: he told me that the markings meant MASA NOBU there were only 2 symbols on the tang and that was what was told to me MASA NOBU...???I have tried to polish the blade several times through out my life time and never have I been able to get the hammon visible nor have I been able to see any folding steel markings...??I would love to be able to have this restored... but I don't have the money to spend on it... at least not in the Thousands... maybe a few hundred...lol..but that is about all I could swing...I have been looking into buying parts off of Ebay... in Fact I just won a bid for a Tsuba from Japan... it is a nice Gunto Style Brass tsuba that is Semi Hollowed out... very close to the one that was on it when I received it...however for some reason I feel as if this sword is one of the Old Katana's that was cut down and fitted with military fittings to be put into service...However, this is just a gut feeling... because I feel as if the blade is of ancient origins... maybe because I was jus a kid when I got it and I felt as if it was an Ancient Treasure of a Sword... who knows...???
+mryupjup well, from the small amount of research I have been able to do in the past, has lead me to believe that there were Japanese officers, that would take there own "personal sword" or "Heirloom sword" to a swordsmith and have it cut down into the the spec's of the Gunto swords and fitted with the Military fittings, so that when the officer went into battle he would have his heirloom sword with him... instead of the cheap govt. issued sword...!!!if you research this... you will find that this was common amongst the officers... so that is why when you have a "war bring back" sword... it just depends on the actual sword... not all of them were the cheaper produced swords...in fact a lot of the officers were Descendants of old Samurai bloodlines... so some of those swords may have more history than you think...at least that is what I have been lead to believe...!!!
MrGonzo22 awesome story. Send it to a pro, it will be well worth it. I had an old Bowie knife I just wet sanded and although it looks great, we're rookies!
Just hoping you might read this. Wanting to learn how to sharpen a blade the right way including the polishing. Do you have any suggestions as to where to begin or resources for learning?
I can tell you're an expert since I see you are using the same tools and techniques that a master sharpener from Japan used in his video. I just can't bring myself to wrap my hand around the edge side of the blade during the process.
is there a way to smooth out the tip edge without going through all that? i bought a sword its not real i know but its fully functional but the tip has "chips" and is scratchy to the touch id like to fix that some how and the edge itself isnt that sharp i have to push hard against my skin to make a cut anyway to fix that as well?
Slice, do not push, with a blade to see about sharpness. Check out any video with a Japanese swordsmith, who must finish a 10-year apprenticeship to get a license, for good sharpening technique. For simple sword sharpening, there are man web yahoos teaching what they do, If the sword is stainless, don't bother.
If you could only have 1 or 2 natural stones what would they be? Uchigumori? I have namikawa-san looking for a decent uchigumori-hato for me now, I can only afford 1 stone at a time though. Wondering what your choice would be if you had to choose only 1.
hello i know this is a long shot but i was wondering if you are still polishing swords? and do you offer any classes or apprenticeships of sorts? im from ottawa and it would be nice to meet someone with experience whos brain i could pick
I have recently baugh my first katana, i've alway bee a fan of Japanese cuture specialy samurai. I have plans to buy a hand forged katana heat tempered, I've studied and researched and have seen the deferences in price and quality. I have made my mind to buy a expensive sword up to 800 to 1000 but before i do i would like to learn on how to maintain my sword in extremely good shape. What im asking is for some guidance on stones, names and prices, i have done alot of research but haven't gotten many answers. Is there any way you could point me to the right derection? .
I want to first thank you for the video as I have recently received my Fathers two Swords he collected during the War in the Pacific will serving with the 77th Infantry , Any way the blades have not been cleaned in + 75 years and a and the Death Valley heat and no moister did the blades no harm so how would I get a or do a light polish to get back that shin I first saw back in the early 60's .
Greetings from Brazil. I found your excellent video and technical instructions by far the best teaching video to teach who is getting started in this art. I wonder if you have already restored a blade "junk blade". For I have several of them some with an estimated age of seven hundred years. And I have encountered difficulties even to start the work because the layers of rust are so thick that when I retire there are very ugly faults and difficult to correct, for example the munet of several disappeared in some segments of the sheets, and I do not know the correct way to redo . I'm in love with nihonto, and just as I do not think it right to deprecate a mutilated soldier on the field. I also do not think it is right to take a sheet with hundreds of years of history and relegate it to oblivion. They are objects that often bring with them several stories that we will never know as: lives that may have been saved or taken from the father who used his katana to teach his son The art of warring and defending their village and many other secrets they hide. I personally have impeccable swords in my collection. But I have a special affection for these guns suffered and actually used by those who shed their blood, and I believe that although some failures persist after the restoration they should be presented with pride, as we do with our veterans of wars. If you can help me with guidelines on these particularly difficult projects I would be immensely grateful. And what you need here from Brazil I'm standing and order. Thank you in advance for your attention: Rodrigo Cavalcanti Da Cunha .:
It is the duty of the owner of a sword to maintain it, rust should be removed and/or neutralized. Polishers don't chase rust until it is gone...if it is too deep it is dealt with and sealed so it won't get worse.
Could the first steps been done with diamond stones? is there a reason for choosing water stones? I suppose you use the water stones b/c you can shape them. Any other reason?
no you never use diamond stones on a sword - only natural stones or sometimes artificial stones in the beginning stage of polishing. yes you need to be able to shape the stone...and diamond stones either buff or rip out metal - very bad.
Diamond stones are overly abrasive - You can end up with deep scratches and pits on the surface of what you are sharpening, which means more work at your polishing stage. It's better to work off the rust slowly.
in its original condition it was a naginata, it was later repurposed into a katana...perhaps for the war. In its current state of being a katana it polished as such. It really is up to me as the polisher so in this case i thought it best left as a katana.
hi there, is there anyway you could make more videos on this craft ? I'm in the process on purchasing all of my own stones and trying to study this as a Hobbie. they're is not a lot of English speaking Content for us . I'm sure both me and other viewers would appreciate it . if not thank you for this one
Outstanding work! How many man-hours did this require? And how much can one expect to pay for such a service? What brand and grit of whetstones did you use for the job? Thanks.
I see a lot of comments below that criticize and even insult the craftsmanship of a katana as well as the relationship of a samurai with his katana. I don't mean to judge those opinions in any way and i will not, but i am compelled to share my understanding of the meaning, "The Katana is the Soul of a Samurai". For a long time being a sword enthusiast I've heard this idea echoed in anime, documentaries, and the mouths of practitioners and historians alike.
While often times this can sound romanticized and cliche there are two ways i like to respect this relationship.
1) While in today's world we can create uniform metals, much stronger and resilient than ancient nihontos, the process in which one was made was akin to the development of a disciplined, functional, and unique person.
-From ore infused sand, tamahagane was extracted. Collected, heated, treated, beaten and molded. From sand, from the mundane, from the meaning of raw. through perseverance, dedication and intent. Vision, technique, and skill turn raw materials into a tool of what i feel we can all agree, pure beauty.
This is the journey of the practitioner through life. From the basic modality of an infant we are the raw. In life we experience hardships, passions, defeats, and victories. Through experiences, accomplishments and embarrassments, dedication and distractions, victories and failures, as human beings we ourselves in a way are sculpted. From the helpless mass of a crying baby to a human being. intent on a purpose or a goal. A selfish desire or a philanthropic dream.
While there are many debates on what type of metal or which sword is superior to another to me this is an underlying strength of any practitioner that is capable of respecting and honoring his tool, not as a tool, but as a role model. An example of what the raw can become in its time under the right intent.
2) A little less poetic, but essentially i feel the Japanese had a belief that the sword itself, was an extension of their soul. I can't say (I'm not Japanese or 600 years old) this for sure, but to me this phrase embodies the regiment of true practitioners of the japanese sword, and many other swords and cultures for that matter. To these people, the sword was in essence, the blink of an eye, the wave of a hand, the foot that steps consecutively after the previous. The sword represented the extension of our intent, just as equally as our arms, legs or any other physical feature. We breathe without thought, we walk without thought, we sleep without thought, we eat. These activities are subconscious, allowing us to pursue more grandiose activities. I feel that for people that respect their edged/bladed weapons this is a never ending goal. To pursue the extension of the sword as if it were merely any other part of the body or soul. To act with certainty, awareness, and intent.
This has rambled on longer than I expected but i just wanted to share my thoughts, don't hate me pls lol
Thank you for a wonderful comment
In my experience, the slingshot effect of backlash against the overhype of the katana is rather disproportionate I'd say. While I'll go as far to champion equality among blades and swords of all kinds, and that all swords have a mystical attribute about them, I've seen that the only criticizers of katanas have been racist dirtbags who need to be dropped from whatever line of martial arts they follow or are scummy white nationalist nerds and gamers who band together in a lonely online hivemind.
Neither those who spread its misconceptions and attempt to debunk them have proven that they have a spirit anyone is willing to follow. Grow up. All of you.
Wow!!!..that is the deepest, most thought out, philosophical, outlook Ive ever read...I would advise the entire WORLD to read this. Whoever wrote this, Id like to shake your hand friend, and treat you to a beer. Quite frankly if everyone had this outlook, if gives a better perspective of what we (humankind) was put on this earth for. This goes way further than just the philosophy of the sword in my opinion. And if this is how the Samurai regarded the sword, it was indeed a sacred tool, and weapon, they felt blessed to have, especially a well crafted one
SCREW 'em, if we in Europe decided to polish our antiques, you'd have nothin' on us.
I'm Irish/ Scandinavian/ western European so of course I'm infatuated with north western or actually ALL EUROPEAN history and specific regions warriors(Vikings Celts Saxons etc) but I am also infatuated with Samurai or "Bushi" and the art of Nihonto. Of course the Japanese had dirty steel and perfected the method of making it as pure as possible, so did many other nations. Comparing different cultures swords saying one is worse or better than the other is childish to begin with. Each world region weapons evolved and adapted to the specific style of warfare and armor of that cultures time. I am a huge fan and lover of most cultures history and weapons but the Bushi had a specific relationship with their weapons (as did ancient Celts and Vikings and so on) but go try and find a 12th or 13th century European sword for a decent price and see what kind of condition it's in. And I'm not trying to say that European steel or weapons are bad, what I'm saying is how much care the families took in preserving their swords and other weapons because they believed their ancestors spirits or partial spirits were inside the blade. I have a Kamakura Tanto in a 18th century koshirae that looks amazing. Razor sharp (hasn't been sharpened in probably 200 or 300 years). Even the kogatana can still shave my face lol covered in rust
That's a beautiful sword. The dual bo-hi; clay tempered damascus; smooth hamon line. You're very good at your craft. I hope to be this good someday.
You were so blessed to have been chosen for such a noble project.
Beautiful job!
Thank you so much!
Totally impressive. The best polishing video I've ever seen. Arigato!
Hey, I remember watching this video years and years ago before I ever forged my first sword. I remember thinking "I wish I could polish and sharpen swords as good as you" Thanks for the good video and nostalgic feeling.
Am I as good as you yet all these years later? hmm maybe not, but I can do all of this now myself to a decent standard.
the yokote is my favorite part of the blade, very crisp and clean angles!
Amazing video. Very cool.
You display great skill and craftmanship whilst doing the art of japanese swordmaking some justice, respect to you.
Wow! This is beautiful work! The hamon looks amazing!
Hey this is good advice someday you can help me with my Kanata I'm in the USA of Illinois thank you for this video now I can learn more from your videos
Great video and even finer work.....thanks for sharing this. You must feel proud to have had your imprint on this piece of history.
Extremely interesting to watch you work! After checking your channel i wish that you'd just do sword polishing vids with nice music! haha. At any rate, thank you for the information and insight into this VERY UNDERRATED TALENT that you have!
Outstanding skill sir. You saved an amazing piece of history and art.
Amazing work Louis, Cant wait to have my wakizashi back from you!
Few people ever acknowledge the beauty of a well forged sword, even an antique such as this one is simply amazing
I know I'm 8 years late but amazing work buddy. The beauty of these swords always leave me speechless and you really saved a piece of history there. plus I think that inspired me to learn it for myself. thank you sir lol
It was beautiful to watch the hamon slowly show up the way it did. It was also very interesting to hear the history of the katana and it's Canadian involvement. Thank you for sharing!
I do have some questions if you wouldn't mind answering.
How long did the entire process take? I'm not sure if it's the lighting but the hamon isn't as clearly seen on the kissaki. Is it common to leave a different polish on the kissaki? Finally, where did you learn to become a togishi?
Thanks you for the kind comment, much appreciated.
Wow!! Amazing work sir.
Thanks for watching! I think the songs were just generic from Imovie. Greetings from Canada!
th-cam.com/video/y4qBuL1iC-Y/w-d-xo.html
Amazing...
Excellent work Louis
thanks!
I love how these very old blades still exists and are kept safely in museums for others to enjoy the work that has been put down on a single sword by a sword smith few 100 years ago. All the history this one sword has is just amazing to think about. Its such a shame to know that most of these sword were confiscated and lost somehow.
nice place with tools and materials for polishing u got there :)
As many people know the swords made around WWII were of poor quality and it seems that respect for the swords was not there either if that sword was cut off to shorten it. I love your polishing technique using all traditional equipment to polish. You must of had some training in japan to do what your doing. And what most don't see is that you cleaned your area before going from forming to polishing. To see this is very nice. Thank you for posting.
There were still high-quality swords made during the war. Btw, shortening blades was regularly done throughout Japanese history, sometimes several times. A long tachi might be shortened to suit a katana mounts, and shortened again to suit a smaller owner later on. Then a taller owner might find it too short, so he would have it taken to under "legal" katana length and wear it as a wakisashi or o-wakisashi.
This guy is PRO !!
What a beauty. I heard it was expensive to get a katana polished. For the time and dedication I would spend some money on a polish of a true blade.
What a pleasure to watch your work:)
Where did you learn such a skill? It's not just a technique you are showing; it is patience and extraordinary discipline as well. I'm mentally exhausted after I sharpen a chef's knife on a stone, for the love of God. I guess that's why we need craftsmen such as yourself, huh? A really well done video, on a subject that can record as very boring & just repetition. Nice one.......
Based on your other videos I never though you were much of a ''precision'' kind of guy haha. Great craftmanship. Great videos!
lol i like to keep everyone guessing.
Beautifully done! An exquisite piece. What would be the cost to restore a Wakizashi that's in bad shape? Thanks for the post.
can you tell me what kind of stones you used in the video (mainly the grit..) thank you
I like your video ;) Good work :)
Outstanding work! Your blades look better than mine!
Thank you for your kind comment!
I'm a huge japanese blade fan. Do you still take commisions? What do you use to reshape your wetstones to true? Thx
What exactly is the Kisaki? Why was it so easily distinguished from the rest of the sword? I don't know why but it feels weird just having a sudden line on the blade that stops the flow of the lines it had.
The soul of the Samuri. Those Japanese Sword Smiths must have been God's to use iron and fire to craft such an item of such beauty and eligence.
That is a wicked kisaki.
Hello. Please help me. I am sharpening a blade and it just keeps rusting as i go along sharpening. Can i put something in the water to stop Rust forming ? Thank you in advance. Nice video!
Ride and have fun!
Does the uchiguimori step improve (sharper/ more refined) the edge or does it merely "polish" (bring out the steel work) the steel?
Question:
I know this is child’s play for you, but having never spent time with a real Japanese blade, I am unsure. It looks like a zero bevel, is it convex or flat?
the easiest explanation is convex.
Kawtawna are always a bevelled edge, not flat or concave, a sign of a machined edge, A bevelled edge makes a stronger cutting edge for bone.
can you please help.... I have an old Katana that my Father Gave me when I was 12 years old... I totally destroyed the blade, chopping everything I could get my hands on to chop, playing ninjas/samurai (this was over 30 years ago) I am 42 years old now and how I wish I would have known better... when I was 18 years old I left for the Marine Corps and I left my sword ( tsuka was broken off by then and the Tsuba and other fittings were in a tin box on my dresser top) and the sword was left up in the attic of parents home in Dallas Texas, for several years...when I came home on leave one Christmas I remember my sword and I went up there and pulled out the katana and realized that it had rusted... so to the hardware store I went to buy some sand paper and a sharpening stone and then I proceded to ruin the katana further... after about 8 yrs of service to my country I got out of the Marine Corps and once again I decided to "touch up the Katana" and by this time there was a tool developed called a Dremel to where I once again proceeded to screw up the Katana even more...Now with the tools of Google and TH-cam... I realize how ignorant I was to have done these terrible things to my Fathers Gift to Me... I still have the Katana... somehow it has survived all of the torment I have put it through...HOWEVER the whole Soul of the Samurai lies with in his Katana... I can honestly say that I am a true believer in this... for the bond and connection I have with that old Sword is incredibly deep... and even, as old and beet up the sword is... It still remains my most Prize possession, and to me it is PRICELESS..!!! I just wish I that I could afford to get it restored... Hell I just wish, I knew of someone that could at least give me some history on it, and let me know what it is I have...could you help me with this...???I am not looking for an appraisal, for I would never sell my katana... I just wish I could get someone to look at it and tell me how old it is and or the origin of it and what the markings on the tang mean... I would also love it if I could get it restored to original condition... I do not have any of the fittings or even the Tsuba... all I have is the remains of the saya and the blade...itself...
+MrGonzo22 I'm not going to comment on what you did to the blade - what's done is done, and I won't hold you to that. Do you have any pictures of the blade itself?
Without any images to work off of, it's difficult to tell whether or not the blade is even worth polishing - one must make sure there are no hagire, or fatal flaws, present in the blade that would render it worthless.
I'm currently polishing two Nihonto katana blades in my spare time, and it's tedious, to be sure, but it's also worth doing.
+MeanyFoFeany what I meant by not looking for an "appraisal" is that I was not looking for someone to give me a dollar amount, of what the sword is worth... to me it doesn't matter if its worth $10 or $10,000 because I would never sell it...what I was mainly concerned with is, if in fact it was a real handmade katana pre-world war II... I have been looking into it more since I posted this post and have ccome to realize it was set up as a Gunto style sword... however It did not have the locking tsuka to the Saya... but it did have the military style fittings to some degree.. however I do not have the original fittings anymore...at one time I did make a small ovalish Tsuba out of mild steel from angle iron and I did a brushed steel finish on it, and I made a handle "tsuka" from popular branch off of one of the trees on the ranch... but I did not have anything fancy on it like the rayskin or wrapings... just a make shift tsuba and handle to keep it kind of looking like a sword...this was done a long time ago...I did post a link of the markings on a forum and I contacted a man named Fred Lohman: he told me that the markings meant MASA NOBU there were only 2 symbols on the tang and that was what was told to me MASA NOBU...???I have tried to polish the blade several times through out my life time and never have I been able to get the hammon visible nor have I been able to see any folding steel markings...??I would love to be able to have this restored... but I don't have the money to spend on it... at least not in the Thousands... maybe a few hundred...lol..but that is about all I could swing...I have been looking into buying parts off of Ebay... in Fact I just won a bid for a Tsuba from Japan... it is a nice Gunto Style Brass tsuba that is Semi Hollowed out... very close to the one that was on it when I received it...however for some reason I feel as if this sword is one of the Old Katana's that was cut down and fitted with military fittings to be put into service...However, this is just a gut feeling... because I feel as if the blade is of ancient origins... maybe because I was jus a kid when I got it and I felt as if it was an Ancient Treasure of a Sword... who knows...???
+mryupjup well, from the small amount of research I have been able to do in the past, has lead me to believe that there were Japanese officers, that would take there own "personal sword" or "Heirloom sword" to a swordsmith and have it cut down into the the spec's of the Gunto swords and fitted with the Military fittings, so that when the officer went into battle he would have his heirloom sword with him... instead of the cheap govt. issued sword...!!!if you research this... you will find that this was common amongst the officers... so that is why when you have a "war bring back" sword... it just depends on the actual sword... not all of them were the cheaper produced swords...in fact a lot of the officers were Descendants of old Samurai bloodlines... so some of those swords may have more history than you think...at least that is what I have been lead to believe...!!!
MrGonzo22 try nihonto message board
MrGonzo22 awesome story. Send it to a pro, it will be well worth it. I had an old Bowie knife I just wet sanded and although it looks great, we're rookies!
What is used to burnish, just a piece of steel? Thanks
vary impressive work thanks for the vid
I came here from angle grinder restorations and this healed my soul.
Thanks for watching!
You certainly do incredible work! I was toying around with the idea of learning to do this myself. Yeah... no.
What is this for a stone which you use to polishing your Katana?
Just hoping you might read this. Wanting to learn how to sharpen a blade the right way including the polishing. Do you have any suggestions as to where to begin or resources for learning?
Very nice! beautiful sword! :)
I can tell you're an expert since I see you are using the same tools and techniques that a master sharpener from Japan used in his video. I just can't bring myself to wrap my hand around the edge side of the blade during the process.
I noticed that, he must have hands of leather! Even the Japanese people use rice paper wrapped around to hold it.
What type of stone are you using and where can I get one? What "mixture" were you using?
Great kesho polish.
Amazing job!
is there a way to smooth out the tip edge without going through all that? i bought a sword its not real i know but its fully functional but the tip has "chips" and is scratchy to the touch id like to fix that some how and the edge itself isnt that sharp i have to push hard against my skin to make a cut anyway to fix that as well?
Slice, do not push, with a blade to see about sharpness. Check out any video with a Japanese swordsmith, who must finish a 10-year apprenticeship to get a license, for good sharpening technique. For simple sword sharpening, there are man web yahoos teaching what they do, If the sword is stainless, don't bother.
What do you use to burnish the back, harder piece of steel? Thanks
Hey PowerModz I would be interested in learning the process of polishing a Japanese sword. If ya don't mind me asking how did you learn this art
If you could only have 1 or 2 natural stones what would they be? Uchigumori? I have namikawa-san looking for a decent uchigumori-hato for me now, I can only afford 1 stone at a time though. Wondering what your choice would be if you had to choose only 1.
if you need one let me know I have a few stones I'm selling, you'll need ha-to and ji-to to do it right.
very well done
I'm in Ottawa, so therefore, I need to go to the museum this week to see the sword!
hello i know this is a long shot but i was wondering if you are still polishing swords? and do you offer any classes or apprenticeships of sorts? im from ottawa and it would be nice to meet someone with experience whos brain i could pick
Amazing. Great job
what did you use to leave the dark aspect behind the blade? and congratulations on the work.
I have recently baugh my first katana, i've alway bee a fan of Japanese cuture specialy samurai. I have plans to buy a hand forged katana heat tempered, I've studied and researched and have seen the deferences in price and quality. I have made my mind to buy a expensive sword up to 800 to 1000 but before i do i would like to learn on how to maintain my sword in extremely good shape. What im asking is for some guidance on stones, names and prices, i have done alot of research but haven't gotten many answers. Is there any way you could point me to the right derection? .
Outstanding sir, thank you for sharing! Any reccomended reading for those wishing to explore this art in more depth?
how much is the uchigumori stone?
needed for modern steel
great work.
Nice...what is the name of the 5mm stone that was used to put the final stage of the polishing
Hazuya?
I want to first thank you for the video as I have recently received my Fathers two Swords he collected during the War in the Pacific will serving with the 77th Infantry , Any way the blades have not been cleaned in + 75 years and a and the Death Valley heat and no moister did the blades no harm so how would I get a or do a light polish to get back that shin I first saw back in the early 60's .
Greetings from Brazil.
I found your excellent video and technical instructions by far the best teaching video to teach who is getting started in this art.
I wonder if you have already restored a blade "junk blade".
For I have several of them some with an estimated age of seven hundred years.
And I have encountered difficulties even to start the work because the layers of rust are so thick that when I retire there are very ugly faults and difficult to correct, for example the munet of several disappeared in some segments of the sheets, and I do not know the correct way to redo .
I'm in love with nihonto, and just as I do not think it right to deprecate a mutilated soldier on the field.
I also do not think it is right to take a sheet with hundreds of years of history and relegate it to oblivion. They are objects that often bring with them several stories that we will never know as: lives that may have been saved or taken from the father who used his katana to teach his son The art of warring and defending their village and many other secrets they hide.
I personally have impeccable swords in my collection.
But I have a special affection for these guns suffered and actually used by those who shed their blood, and I believe that although some failures persist after the restoration they should be presented with pride, as we do with our veterans of wars.
If you can help me with guidelines on these particularly difficult projects I would be immensely grateful.
And what you need here from Brazil I'm standing and order.
Thank you in advance for your attention:
Rodrigo Cavalcanti Da Cunha .:
PowerModz Would you happen to know what the name of those finish stones are. I've never been able to find any.
Could you please be so kind and tell me what sort of burnishing tool you used and where to get one?
that yokote, wowza.
What is the mixture you use to bring out the hamon?
Curious as to how you trained for this. Do you know how the longitudinal groove is put into a sword? What a difference polishing made.
Im also having trouble on my kissaki. Do you have any tips for polishing without a narumedai?
Japaneses swords are a work of art
where can i buy the fine polisching film?
not here
what do you use as a your shaping (flattening) stone, please??
how much do those sharpening kits cost, with those different stones?
A lot
Beautiful!!
Thank you! Cheers!
wow this is awesome! where did you learn how to do his?
What did you use to burnish the spine of the sword?
i do not understand that part when you 'burnish' the blade with small pocket knife - is it traditional kind of way to obtain mirror surface ?
+Hrvoje Brzic its not a pocket knife, its a burnishing tool:)
Could you please be so kind and tell me what sort of burnishing tool it is and where to get one?
Samurai Swords look beautiful when polished by a professional. However, some people think you ruin the value by removing the rust from the blade.
if its a "ancient" blade with deep pitting and scaling...id agree.
just surface rust isnt a problem.
It is the duty of the owner of a sword to maintain it, rust should be removed and/or neutralized. Polishers don't chase rust until it is gone...if it is too deep it is dealt with and sealed so it won't get worse.
@@TheSighphiguy Exactly
Could the first steps been done with diamond stones? is there a reason for choosing water stones? I suppose you use the water stones b/c you can shape them. Any other reason?
no you never use diamond stones on a sword - only natural stones or sometimes artificial stones in the beginning stage of polishing. yes you need to be able to shape the stone...and diamond stones either buff or rip out metal - very bad.
PowerModz What do you mean "rip out metal"? Thanks.
Diamond stones are overly abrasive - You can end up with deep scratches and pits on the surface of what you are sharpening, which means more work at your polishing stage. It's better to work off the rust slowly.
Nice job dude. How much do you charge per inch?
what do you burnish it with?
whetres the website?
what are you using to scratch the shanogi? I've been trying to find that out . is it called a magaki-bo or something along those lines
Thanks for watching!
great vid and great job, ty. Polearm polearm polearm (for the snobs)
How long can we have the skills?
We can’t use natural sharpening stone at future.
Can synthetic one will be a substitute?
I noticed that in it's original condition it had no Kissaki...what made you decide to add one???
in its original condition it was a naginata, it was later repurposed into a katana...perhaps for the war. In its current state of being a katana it polished as such. It really is up to me as the polisher so in this case i thought it best left as a katana.
Hello what is the stone on 5:17? thanks
hi there, is there anyway you could make more videos on this craft ? I'm in the process on purchasing all of my own stones and trying to study this as a Hobbie. they're is not a lot of English speaking Content for us . I'm sure both me and other viewers would appreciate it . if not thank you for this one
what are the names of "finger stones " that you use during finishing polish?
they are literally called finger stones. Sometimes finger nagura
at 7:02 what exactly are you doing? It appears you are using a tool to polish the blade as opposed to a stone or paste?
Outstanding work! How many man-hours did this require? And how much can one expect to pay for such a service? What brand and grit of whetstones did you use for the job? Thanks.
All total about 80 hours
Oh and what do you burn the back of the blade with?
A burnishing tool.