I have probably watched this video several hundred times and I still will get some new clues about the process. I was fortunate to meet him at a sword show in Toronto and I bought the koma nugura stone used in this video from him. This was a great introduction to the art of polishing and way ahead of its time.
This is the most confused narrator I have ever heard. "The blade.... Will.. Appear... To be rocked.. Upon the stone... During this polishing step." Great footage though.
True, it is easy to understand what is being said and follow along, what I meant was that it seems that the narrator is translating on the spot, as there is some hesitation. But it's no big deal, as you can still make sense of it all. I simply meant it as a little constructive criticism, you guys have a lot of great videos!
It makes me imagine that much of the sword's ability to cut has to do with the fineness of the polishing, which reduces the 'drag' as it cuts through 'an object'; somewhere, i read that, in early days, the katana was tested by cutting through a convicted criminal. It was said that a criminal, who knew this fate, would try to swallow small stones, in order to damage the sword used to execute him....strange stories, but brutal times...
I've screwed a few blades up or thinking all I had to do was get a hold of some stones and watch a few videos, thankfully they were only paul Chen production swords n not even bugei blades ..there's a ton more to polishing than watching videos and bugging the hell out of poor old Keith larman on sword forums, let my ignorance and idiocy be a warning to all wannabe togishi !!!
top class video.. A shame some guys think they can teach themselves to polish and ruin every sword they touch. Only polishers trained traditionally in Japan are able to do this and anyone else can not even come close. %100 true every time
Nonsense. There are well known polishers in many different places not trained in Japan. Chris Osborne located in the U.S. is only one such of these polishers that comes to mind of the top of my head. His work is lauded as some of the finest polishing available anywhere in any country. Your comment smacks of both misunderstanding and ignorance.
i was never teached by anyone..just by my own mistakes and following thoughts...i sell my work to japanese swordcollectors for a reason. . polishing is not magic..its science.
Anyone who has experience in sharpening - ACTUAL FREE-HAND SHARPENING, not RaZuR sHaRp EZ kits - knows that it's anything but boring. I personally shave with a knife I sharpened myself, but it took a culmination of literal years to get to the point I am now after 20 years. Some things people may not realize by watching: - as you sharpen, you begin to feel the correct angle and even the grit seems like it's talking to you and relaying information between what the blade is telling you. You start talking to it like so, "am I pressing hard enough? Too hard? Is this angle right? I need to relax my shoulders more. Did I just feel a burr? What technique am I going to use next? Was that return stroke right? Let me do that one again."
Thank you for the instruction I was given no instruction at all I received a Dido a Katana a Walkasashi and a Tanto. My orders they are dull they will be beautiful when I return next year. A backpack made out of wood with many stones in it as well as other necessary items. This were given to me and I was told I was to learn how to use them. I still need to know what the pieces of bamboo are for, there are 2 fullers in the Samurai set And 4 in the Dido. I am thinking the bamboo sticks have something to do with those Fullers. Direction would be appreciated. Thank you.
